The Untold Truth Of Queen Camilla's Niece Ayesha Shand
Growing up with elephants, bringing joy to the elderly, and leaning on a queen for family support. She might not be a household name, but Ayesha Shand is making moves that are worthy of the royal spotlight.
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00:00 "Growing up with elephants, bringing joy to the elderly and leaning on a queen for family
00:05 support.
00:06 She might not be a household name, but Ayesha Shand is making moves that are worthy of the
00:10 royal spotlight."
00:11 At first blush, Ayesha Shand appears to be named after the Indian princess of Jaipur.
00:16 For Ayesha's father, Mark Shand, this is exactly the story of Ayesha's name, as it is a nod
00:21 to his wide travels and her royal lineage.
00:24 But for Ayesha's mother, former actor Cleo Goldsmith, the name held a deeper meaning.
00:29 It's literary, based on H. Ryder Haggard's 1887 novel She, A History of Adventure.
00:34 In the novel, Ayesha is depicted as a mysterious 2,000-year-old white queen ruling over a lost
00:40 kingdom in Africa.
00:41 The circumstances surrounding Ayesha's birth were marked by challenges and isolation.
00:46 Goldsmith recalled the experience to Vanity Fair, saying,
00:48 "Mark set off traveling and I was alone with this baby.
00:51 I had had a terrible birth, so I had to be operated on, and I was very traumatized."
00:55 Alone with her newborn baby, Goldsmith faced the aftermath of her traumatic birth and grappled
01:00 with the emotional toll of her experiences.
01:02 Perhaps this traumatic birth has something to do with why she resonated with the name
01:06 Ayesha, the embodiment of a woman in a position of power in a faraway land unfamiliar to the
01:11 new mother.
01:12 Through her name and her journey, Ayesha embodies a blend of history, literature, and resilience.
01:18 Shand's childhood was a whirlwind of adventure and cultural exploration, largely spent in
01:22 the vibrant city of Rome.
01:24 Her mother spoke to Vanity Fair about her decision to move to Rome while Ayesha's father
01:27 was away a lot for work, saying,
01:29 "One day I decided I've got to react.
01:31 He'd been months away, so I wrote him a note that said, 'Gone to live in Rome with Ayesha.
01:36 If you want to join us, here's the plane ticket.'"
01:38 The family went on to live in Rome for seven years before returning to London in 2008.
01:42 Growing up as an only child, Ayesha's upbringing was characterized by chaos and constant movement.
01:48 Since her father was frequently away on his expeditions, he tried to make up for leaving
01:51 behind his family by bringing back souvenirs.
01:54 As Ayesha described to The Telegraph,
01:55 "Dad would come back with chests full of gifts from different lands and mum's eastern sculptures
02:00 were everywhere.
02:01 It was like a treasure trove.
02:02 Our house was a souk."
02:04 Cleo Goldsmith and Mark Shand divorced shortly after their return to London.
02:08 Ayesha reflected on her parents' divorce, telling The Telegraph,
02:10 "My parents had outlived their love.
02:12 I think it was too colorful and wild for real life.
02:15 It was something out of a novel, a film."
02:17 At the age of 17, Shand did what most teenagers do - rebelled against her parents in a bid
02:22 for independence.
02:23 The teen moved out of her family home and dyed her hair blonde to prove her autonomy.
02:27 However, her father had a mischievous plan up his sleeve to teach his daughter a valuable
02:32 lesson.
02:33 In an attempt to mend their strained relationship after a disagreement, Mark brought Ayesha
02:37 to what she thought would be a luxurious restorative spa retreat, only to find herself thrust
02:41 into the rigorous regimen of a boot camp.
02:44 Recalling her entrance into the spa, Ayesha told The Telegraph,
02:46 "I was in my designer gym gear and this man shouted, 'Get on the floor, give me 50!'
02:51 I said, 'You want 50 pounds right now?
02:53 You want a huge tip?'"
02:54 Thrown into the midst of discipline, Ayesha initially protested activities like running
02:58 through mud.
02:59 However, as the reality of this situation dawned on her, she begrudgingly participated
03:03 in the activities set forth for her by the former soldiers who ran the boot camp.
03:08 Reflecting on the experience, Ayesha now laughs at the memory, telling The Telegraph that
03:11 while she hated her father at the time for it, she harbors no ill will.
03:14 "I know he was just trying to get me back in some way."
03:18 Shand is following in her father's footsteps as a passionate conservationist and advocate
03:21 for wildlife protection.
03:23 Ayesha recalled her first recollections of this lifelong passion, telling The Tatler,
03:27 "My first memory of elephants is my dad sitting me down and telling me that he had bought
03:31 me a pet."
03:32 Now, Ayesha is actively involved in initiatives aimed at raising awareness about wildlife
03:36 conservation through her foundation, The Elephant Family.
03:39 The organization focuses on co-existence strategies in India.
03:42 "How many elephants have been killed by electric eels?"
03:45 "Over the last 10 years, 85 elephants have been killed by electric eels."
03:49 Reflecting on her father's legacy, Ayesha emphasizes the importance of continuing his
03:54 work, saying,
03:55 "When he passed away, I became much more involved because I wanted to continue his legacy.
03:59 All the work he did was so important and I wanted to make sure that was continued."
04:02 For Ayesha, conservation is not just about protecting nature but also about celebrating
04:07 its beauty and eccentricity.
04:08 The Elephant Family also happens to be a family affair, since Ayesha's aunt, Camilla, Queen
04:13 Consort and King Charles III are both joint presidents of the charity.
04:17 In 2014, Mark Shand, who was Queen Camilla's brother, tragically lost his life in an accident
04:22 while in New York for a charitable auction.
04:24 After his death, Ayesha was left with the challenging task of orchestrating her father's
04:28 funeral.
04:29 In addition to his philanthropy work, Mark was a lively and passionate person, and Ayesha
04:33 was determined to give him the farewell that he deserved.
04:36 In order to do this, Ayesha did not allow anyone, including royal attendees, to wear
04:40 black to her father's funeral.
04:42 She did this to ensure that his funeral was a celebration of life rather than a somber
04:46 affair.
04:47 She told The Telegraph,
04:48 "I didn't want 400 people dressed in black crying.
04:50 I wanted people to have a good time.
04:52 It was spring and there were flowers, and we had an Indian tent and I wanted everyone
04:56 in purple and green and Indian colors."
04:58 The funeral was a testament to Mark's profound connection with India, particularly exemplified
05:02 by his bond with an Asian elephant named Tara.
05:05 Ayesha fondly recalls the extraordinary relationship shared between her father and Tara, telling
05:10 The Telegraph,
05:11 "They were like brother and sister.
05:12 I've never seen anything like it."
05:14 "He bought Tara, wrote a book about her, rode her."
05:17 Despite the profound loss felt by all, Ayesha's decision to infuse the funeral with color
05:21 and joy encapsulated her father's zest for life and adventure.
05:25 Through this unique tribute, she ensured that Mark Shan's legacy would endure in the vibrant
05:29 memories of those who cherished him.
05:31 Camilla, Queen Consort, played a pivotal role in helping Ayesha Shan cope with the devastating
05:37 loss of her father.
05:38 In an interview with the Daily Mail, Ayesha expressed her deep gratitude for her aunt's
05:42 unwavering presence, saying,
05:43 "She has been incredible in being there for me, not only personally but also in maintaining
05:47 my father's legacy and being there for him."
05:49 Reflecting on her brother's death, Camilla shared her own anguish with Vanity Fair, writing
05:53 in an email that she missed her brother every day.
05:56 Despite the profound loss, Ayesha displayed remarkable resilience in her own interview
06:00 with Vanity Fair, stating,
06:01 "In my opinion, it was his time to go.
06:03 As much as that seems really odd, he would have hated to be an old man.
06:07 He would have hated to sit by a fire, grumbling, bored, his life without adventure."
06:11 Shan engages in other philanthropic work alongside her family.
06:15 In collaboration with her cousin, artist Alice Irwin, Ayesha initiated the project My Dear
06:20 New Friend in 2020, aiming to combat loneliness among the elderly that occurred as a result
06:24 of the numerous COVID-19 lockdowns.
06:27 Irwin told the Daily Mail that the charity came about because of an attempt to get her
06:30 children to do something during lockdown.
06:32 It turned out that writing letters to the elderly wasn't possible due to data protection
06:36 laws, but Irwin and Shan found a simple solution, with Irwin saying,
06:40 "I realized that if the children addressed it to 'My Dear New Friend,' there's nothing
06:44 that would stop us writing.
06:45 The children wrote and I got a call from the care home saying it had brought unbridled
06:49 joy."
06:50 Ayesha eventually became involved as well, telling the Daily Mail that she began helping
06:54 through Instagram and reaching out to friends to participate.
06:57 The initiative gained momentum as more people became involved, spreading through word of
07:00 mouth and social media.
07:02 By fostering connections across generations, My Dear New Friend not only combats loneliness,
07:06 but also helps children learn empathy and understanding.
07:10 With a master's degree in art history from the University of Edinburgh and a job working
07:14 in an art gallery, Ayesha's passion for the arts was cultivated from a young age.
07:18 Speaking of how she was inspired to pursue the art field, she told The Telegraph,
07:22 "We'd spend our holidays in town markets and I was taken along like the extra suitcase.
07:26 My mum and dad would say, 'Stay here for six hours, we'll be back,' and I'd be left to
07:30 wander.
07:31 I always ended up buying figurines of animals and weird stuff."
07:34 A straight-A student at Edinburgh University, Ayesha's academic excellence and artistic
07:39 inclination paved the way for her career in the art industry.
07:43 Ayesha is currently serving as an associate director at the prestigious Hauser & Wirth
07:46 Art Gallery in Mayfair.
07:48 She uses her connections in the art world to drive her philanthropic efforts forward,
07:52 specifically with the Elephant family.
07:54 Her creative contributions to the organization's initiatives reflect her commitment to using
07:58 art as a vehicle for social impact and conservation awareness.
08:02 Shan shares a close bond with Princess Eugenie, daughter of Prince Andrew, and works alongside
08:06 her at Hauser & Wirth.
08:08 Their relationship extends beyond professional collaboration, with Ayesha finding solace
08:12 and support from Eugenie during challenging times, including when her father passed away
08:16 in 2014.
08:17 Eugenie has forged a path in the art world, leveraging her degree in English and art history
08:22 from Newcastle University.
08:24 Alongside her sister, Princess Beatrice, Eugenie is part of the royal family's transition into
08:28 the working world, balancing royal responsibilities with her career aspirations.
08:32 Ayesha, slightly more removed from the royal lineage, did not have to face the same decision
08:37 between career and royal responsibilities.
08:39 The two women share a professional and personal friendship that illustrates the strength of
08:43 their bond.
08:45 In January 2024, Ayesha opened up about her battle with endometriosis, shedding light
08:50 on the debilitating effects of this often misunderstood condition.
08:53 "It's hours of agony that come on."
09:01 Endometriosis, affecting one in ten people who menstruate, is notoriously challenging
09:05 to diagnose and treat.
09:07 There is currently no known cure, although symptoms can be treated.
09:10 Many sufferers endure the cycle of pain silently, highlighting the urgent need for increased
09:15 recognition and support for those affected.
09:17 As Shand wrote in the Instagram caption for her video,
09:19 "Every month I ingest hundreds of painkillers, faint, vomit, spend nights and days crouched
09:24 on the floor crying.
09:25 This is all followed by intense waves of helplessness and depression."
09:29 Despite her persistent pain, Ayesha is adamant about sharing her story, aiming to raise awareness
09:33 for endometriosis.
09:34 Fortunately for the philanthropist, she can access treatments that many are unable to,
09:39 including surgery that may offer relief from her relentless symptoms.
09:42 While she acknowledges her fortune in accessing treatment, she is making the most of her condition.
09:47 With the advantages of coming from a high-status family, she's using her platform to advocate
09:51 for greater understanding and support for all people battling endometriosis.
09:56 Ayesha Shand is not often in the royal news or tabloids, despite her connection to the
10:00 royal family.
10:01 The art gallerist and conservationist shared a snapshot on Instagram where she appeared
10:05 on the screen during the live broadcast of King Charles' coronation, writing,
10:09 "Five seconds of fame and serious attitude."
10:11 With her role as an associate director at an art gallery, Ayesha typically operates
10:15 behind the scenes, focusing on her career and philanthropic endeavors rather than seeking
10:19 public attention.
10:21 Despite her occasional appearances at notable events, she prefers to keep her personal life
10:25 out of the public eye, which is quite an accomplishment for someone with such a close connection to
10:29 one of the most famous families in the world.
10:31 However, she's recently begun using her platform to speak out about mental health issues, such
10:35 as bipolar disorder.
10:36 "I'm not a bipolar person, I'm a person with a mental health condition," she said.
10:37 "I'm not a person who's been in a relationship for a long time, I'm not a person who's been
10:38 in a relationship for a long time, I'm not a person who's been in a relationship for
10:39 a long time, I'm not a person who's been in a relationship for a long time, I'm not
10:40 a person who's been in a relationship for a long time, I'm not a person who's been in