Falkender, Marcia (1932–)
Falkender, Marcia (1932–)
British political worker. Name variations: Baroness Falkender, Marcia Matilda Williams. Born Mar 10, 1932, in England; attended Northampton High School for Girls; Queen Mary College, University of London, BA in History; m. George Edmund Charles Williams, 1955 (div. 1961); children: (with conservative political journalist Walter Terry) 2 sons.
Fiercely loyal secretary and confidante to Harold Wilson (prime minister of Britain, 1964–70 and 1974–76), began career as secretary to the general secretary of the Labour Party (1955); married and divorced, continued to use married name Marcia Williams in professional life; became Harold Wilson's private secretary (1956) and retained that position until she became political secretary and head of his political office (1964), when Wilson became leader of the Labour Party and prime minister; wielded enormous influence over Wilson, both personally and professionally, and was rumored to have had an affair with him; thought to be the inspiration for tv series Yes, Minister; was elevated to the peerage as Baroness Falkender (1974); after retiring from political life, worked as columnist for Mail on Sunday (1983–88).
See also memoirs, Inside No. 10 (1972) and Downing Street in Perspective (1983).