Last week, I kept noticing Audrey Hepburn’s photos popping up on social media. I wondered why and then saw her featured on Google’s homepage—it all made sense. It was her birthday on May 4th! I had no idea. I also didn’t know she came from nobility—her mother was a Dutch Baroness, making Audrey a blue-blood. To top it off, she was born in Belgium!
Honestly, I always thought she belonged to Hollywood. It’s easy to assume that for anyone who’s seen her in the iconic black Givenchy dress from Breakfast at Tiffany’s on a movie poster. Her father, of English and Austrian descent, adds another layer to her fascinating background. That blend must be the secret to her timeless beauty.
Here’s a glimpse of her life story, which I pieced together while Googling:
After her parents divorced, Audrey moved to London with her mother and attended a private girls’ school. Later, her mother returned to the Netherlands, and Audrey visited her there. But during this time, Hitler’s army invaded the town where her mother lived. Audrey endured incredibly difficult times during the Nazi occupation, suffering from depression and malnutrition. What a contrast to the glamour of her movie roles—I’d always imagined her life was as picture-perfect as the 24×24 poster frame movie poster frames she graced.
Unlike the “sex goddesses” of Hollywood, Audrey embodied a different kind of beauty—wholesome, innocent, and refined. She was like a custom poster frame standing out among all the generic ones, if you get my drift. Movie after movie, she solidified her legacy, reaching the height of her career as Holly Golightly in Breakfast at Tiffany’s in 1961. This role earned her yet another Oscar nomination.
By the late sixties, Audrey chose to retire while still at the top of her game. After her divorce, she married Dr. Andrea Dotti and occasionally returned to the silver screen. Her final film was Always in 1989. In 1988, she took on a new role as a special ambassador for UNICEF, dedicating herself to helping children in Latin America and Africa. Tragically, she passed away on January 20, 1993, in Switzerland from appendicular cancer.
Still, her elegance and style remain immortal. Audrey Hepburn continues to inspire generations with her beauty, grace, and enduring legacy.