The half-brother of Princess Diana’s stepmother dies aged 85 

Ian McCorquodale, the son of Dame Barbara Cartland and half-brother of Princess Diana’s stepmother, Raine Spencer, has died aged 85.

Born in October 1937, he was the eldest of three children to romance novelist Barbara and Hugh McCorquodale, and was brought up in a Grade II-listed mansion in Mayfair.

His half-sister Raine from his mother’s first marriage became Raine Spencer, second wife of the eighth Earl Spencer, the father of Princess Diana. As Diana’s step-grandmother, Barbara was invited to attend her wedding in 1981 to Prince Charles in St Paul’s Cathedral.

After Dame Barbara’s death in 2000, he began publishing The Barbara Cartland Pink Collection – 160 previously unpublished manuscripts, as books and e–books. 

And while his mother may have been renowned as the ‘Queen of Romance’, he faced his own romantic highs and lows, finally finding love with a former Royal Ballet principal dancer who was 22 years his junior. 

And while his mother may have been renowned as the ‘Queen of Romance’, he faced his own romantic highs and lows (left, pictured with his first wife Anna Chisholm whom he divorced in the 1990s),  before marrying the Royal Ballet principal dancer who was 22 years his junior  (right) 

He was born in October 1937 and stayed in the London mansion until 1950, when the family moved to Camfield Place, near Hatfield, a 10-bedroom country mansion that had once been the home of Beatrix Potter.

Barbara, who was known as a formidable romantic author, preferred male company over women – and made it known within her family where her affections were.

‘I never made any nonsense of the fact that I prefer sons,’ she observed, according to the Telegraph.

While she was allegedly frosty with her daughter Raine, she was close with Ian, telling him that as a baby he was like an angel.

He was equally openly affectionate about her, saying: ‘I put Mum on a pedestal even though she was dictatorial. And I did what she said because I hated upsetting her.’ 

He was sent to boarding school at the age of eight, however he was bullied for his long hair which his mother adored. 

He would recall how the boys used to call him ‘a girl’ – but he put up with the taunts because he hated upsetting his mother. 

McCorquodale’s relationship with his mother remained strong even when he went off to study at Harrow and Magdalene College, Cambridge, when he said she remained the most important person in his life.

He worked for the family printing business after his graduation, later moving to the British Printing Corporation where he worked his way up to sales and export manager.

He was born in October 1937 and stayed in the London mansion until 1950, when the family moved to Camfield Place, near Hatfield, a 10-bedroom country mansion that had once been the home of Beatrix Potter

While she was allegedly frosty with her daughter Raine, she was close with Ian, telling him that as a baby he was like an angel (pictured in 1937 at Ian’s christening) 

Barbara, who was known as a formidable romantic author, preferred male company over women – and made it known within her family where her affections were (pictured, Barbara with daughter Raine (left), Ian (right) and Glen (centre) 

Throughout his life, Ian was his mother’s favourite child and he would recall trying his best to never upset her 

At one stage, he harboured political ambitions and was shortlisted for a safe Conservative seat.

When his father died when Ian was 26, he found his relationship with his mother grew stronger still.

In 1970, McCorquodale married for the first time to Anna Chisholm, a cousin of the Earl of Rosslyn. 

The couple had two daughters, Tara, who works as director of a marketing firm, and Iona. 

He and Anna moved into a large apartment overlooking the Thames in London, but he spent weekends in a farmhouse on the Camfield estate, having meals with his mother.

In 1976, his sister Raine married the 8th Earl Spencer, becoming Princess Diana’s stepmother.

McCorquodale’s relationship with his mother remained strong even when he went off to study at Harrow and Magdalene College, Cambridge, when he said she remained the most important person in his life

When his father died when Ian was 26, he found his relationship with his mother grew stronger still

She was notoriously unpopular with her stepdaughter, although personal letters between the two which were leaked in 2012 appear to show a softer side to their relationship. 

In the 1970s, Ian gave up his job in the family-printing business to become fully involved with ‘Cartland Inc’.

Barbara wrote a total of 723 books throughout her lifetime, which led to her becoming the most prolific writer of the 20th century. 

The devoted son managed his romantic novelist mother’s career throughout her life. 

He looked after his mother’s rights, handled her dealings with publishers, did her research, got her books translated and opened new markets.

Among her many fans was Princess Diana, with Ian revealing he often crossed paths with her before her marriage to Charles.    

‘I always thought Diana was a very pretty girl. We used to see an awful lot of her when she was a teenager,’ Ian said in 2008.

In the 1970s, Ian gave up his job in the family-printing business to become fully involved with ‘Cartland Inc’

The devoted son managed his romantic novelist mother’s career throughout her life. He looked after his mother’s rights, handled her dealings with publishers, did her research, got her books translated and opened new markets

‘She was very fond of my mother, and she used to read her books – she was always sent away from here with a book and a packet of biscuits.’

He also bought Debrett’s Peerage and tried to stem operating losses of £300,000 a year with spin-offs like a Debrett’s cookbook and a Book of the Royal Wedding.

There were speculations at the time that his relationship with his mother caused a strain with Anna, and the two ended up divorcing in 1993.

‘Mum and my former wife didn’t see eye to eye on a few things but I didn’t worry about the arguments,’ he told The Daily Telegraph in 2013. 

‘Anna and I drifted apart and when I told Mum we were divorcing she said I would soon find someone else.’ 

So close was his relationship to this mother that he moved back in with her at the family estate of Camfield Place, near Hatfield, Hertfordshire, after the failure of his first marriage.

He later fell in love again, with Bryony Brind.

Brind was 22 years his junior, the former Royal Ballet principal dancer and had previously been romantically linked to Prince Michael of Kent and Oscar-winner Daniel Day-Lewis.

Ian and Bryony ended up marrying, but their marital happiness was overshadowed when Ian had two strokes within the first two years of their marriage 

However his mother fell ill, and ended up dying on the day they were due to marry in 2000.

They did end up marrying in September that year, but their marital happiness was overshadowed when Ian had two strokes within the first two years of their marriage. 

He walked with a limp and was paralysed down the left side as a result. However Brind cared for him after the strokes. 

In an interview in 2008 with Daily Mail, he said: ‘The strokes have been quite beastly, but I’ve been so lucky with Bryony, who looks after me beautifully. 

‘She went from being a newlywed to a carer. But we love each other very much and we’re happy. 

‘Love conquers all. My mother loved Bryony, she saw her as a Cartland heroine – you could say ours is a real Barbara Cartland story.’ 

McCorquodale found out after his mother’s death that she had spent her fortune – and that she had also left another 160 unpublished manuscripts after her death.

He spent the years following his mother’s death single-handedly editing and publishing the 160 manuscripts. 

Each month, another breathless read emerged under the banner The Pink Collection, complete with a pink cover featuring a tremulous heroine and brooding hero. 

The proud son sought to win back her reputation as the ‘Queen of Romance’ with the publications. 

Brind predeceased him in 2015, while Ian died on February 10 of this year.