The Beginning of a Beauty.

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In the mid Spring season of the year 1929 in the town of Brussels, Belgium, a time when the roaring twenties started to fade, a Dutch Baronness by the name of Miss Ella van Heemstra and a British gentleman by the name of Joseph Hepburn-Ruston have just become the proud parents of a newborn baby girl. May 4th was the day and Audrey was her name. Despite what many would later come to know her by, "Audrey Hepburn", Audrey was given the full name of Audrey Kathleen van Heemstra Ruston.

The early years of Audrey's young life were spent traveling around many places in Europe, due to her father's career. However, at the innocent age of 5, Audrey is sent off to a boarding school in England, at the command of her Baronness mother. Fairly soon, young Audrey picks up on the English language and is soon fitting right in. Tragically, one year later in 1935, Audrey's hard-working father and regal mother go their seperate ways, due to Audrey's father walking out on the family when Audrey was reaching the age of 6 years old. Audrey once said, "...it was the most traumatic event in my life...".

Despite this hardship and opposition, young Audrey continues to take ballet classes at her English school, the Arnhem Conservatory. Ballet became a passion for Audrey after she had apparently been to and seen many spectacular ballet performances before this time in her young life. This became a fun event for her, and it was no problem finding the funds to do so because of the wealth that Audrey's mother, Ella, possessed.

Years after Audrey started to become accustomed to this lavish ballet lifestyle away from her family in England, Audrey is 9 years old and her parents finally...legally divorce. It has been noted that Audrey was heartbroken and begged for time with her father...thus, he is given visitation rights. Yet very sadly, Joseph Hepburn-Ruston fails to follow through and loses most all contact with his little girl.


Books Cited:

Life Books. Time Inc. Home Entertainment; Vol. 8 Num. 1: Des Moines, IA, Jan. 7th, 2008.