Hannah Mary Rothschild (born 22 May 1962) is a British author, businesswoman, philanthropist and documentary filmmaker. In addition to screenplays and journalism, she has published a biography and two novels. She serves on charitable and financial boards. In August 2015, she became the first female to chair the Board of Trustees of the

National Gallery The National Gallery is an art museum in Trafalgar Square in the City of Westminster, in Central London, England. Founded in 1824, it houses a collection of over 2,300 paintings dating from the mid-13th century to 1900. The current Director ...

in London.

Early life

Hannah Mary Rothschild was born on 22 May 1962. She is the eldest child of

Jacob Rothschild, 4th Baron Rothschild Nathaniel Charles Jacob Rothschild, 4th Baron Rothschild, (born 29 April 1936) is a British peer, investment banker and a member of the Rothschild banking family. Now mostly retired, he has held many important roles in business, finance and ...

, and his wife,

Serena Dunn Rothschild Serena Mary Rothschild, Baroness Rothschild (''née'' Dunn; 28 April 1935 – 13 January 2019) was a British Thoroughbred racehorse owner and the wife of Jacob Rothschild, 4th Baron Rothschild. Early life Rothschild was the daughter of Si ...

. Through her father, she is a member of the

Rothschild Rothschild () is a name derived from the German ''zum rothen Schild'' (with the old spelling "th"), meaning "with the red sign", in reference to the houses where these family members lived or had lived. At the time, houses were designated by sign ...

banking family. She was educated at

St Paul's Girls' School St Paul's Girls' School is an independent day school for girls, aged 11 to 18, located in Brook Green, Hammersmith, in West London, England. History St Paul's Girls' School was founded by the Worshipful Company of Mercers in 1904, using part o ...

, Marlborough College and she read Modern History at St Hilda's College, Oxford.

Career

Rothschild's career started as a researcher in the BBC's Music and Arts department in the mid-1980s and quickly graduated to directing films for ''Saturday Review'', ''

Arena An arena is a large enclosed platform, often circular or oval-shaped, designed to showcase theatre, musical performances, or sporting events. It is composed of a large open space surrounded on most or all sides by tiered seating for spectators ...

'' and '' Omnibus'' and initiating and making programmes for the series ''The Great Picture Chase'' and ''Relative Values''. Later she set up an independent film company with Jake Auerbach (Rothschild Auerbach Ltd.) making documentaries for the BBC and others including profiles of

Frank Auerbach Frank Helmut Auerbach (born 29 April 1931) is a German-British painter. Born in Germany, he has been a naturalised British subject since 1947. He is considered one of the leading names in the School of London, with fellow artists Francis Bacon ...

Walter Sickert Walter Richard Sickert (31 May 1860 – 22 January 1942) was a German-born British painter and printmaker who was a member of the Camden Town Group of Post-Impressionist artists in early 20th-century London. He was an important influence on d ...

R. B. Kitaj Ronald Brooks Kitaj (; October 29, 1932 – October 21, 2007) was an American artist who spent much of his life in England. Life He was born in Chagrin Falls, Ohio, United States. His Hungarian father, Sigmund Benway, left his mother, Jeanne ...

. In 1997, Rothschild joined London Films Ltd as Head of Drama and set up the television series ''

The Scarlet Pimpernel ''The Scarlet Pimpernel'' is the first novel in a series of historical fiction by Baroness Orczy, published in 1905. It was written after her stage play of the same title (co-authored with Montague Barstow) enjoyed a long run in London, having ...

'' starring Richard E. Grant. She returned to filmmaking and directed three films for the BBC's '' Storyville'' series and HBO. In 2008, following a radio programme on the same subject, Rothschild produced and directed ''The Jazz Baroness'' (2008), about her great-aunt

Pannonica de Koenigswarter Baroness Kathleen Annie Pannonica de Koenigswarter (''née'' Rothschild; 10 December 1913 – 30 November 1988) was a British-born jazz patron and writer. A leading patron of bebop, she was a member of the Rothschild family. Personal life Kath ...

's exploits in and support of New York's jazz world. This was followed by ''Hi Society'' (2009), a

fly-on-the-wall Fly on the wall is a style of documentary-making used in film and television production. The name derived from the idea that events are seen candidly, as a fly on a wall might see them. In the purest form of fly-on-the-wall documentary-making, ...

documentary about Nicky Haslam, the interior designer, author and society darling. ''Mandelson: The Real PM?'' (2010) followed the UK's former Business Secretary

Peter Mandelson Peter Benjamin Mandelson, Baron Mandelson (born 21 October 1953) is a British Labour Party politician who served as First Secretary of State from 2009 to 2010. He was President of the Board of Trade in 1998 and from 2008 to 2010. He is the ...

in the run-up to the 2010 general election. Inspired by the ''Storyville'' programme, Rothchild wrote a biography of her great aunt, ''The Baroness: The Search for Nica the Rebellious Rothschild'', which was published by

Virago A virago is a woman who demonstrates abundant masculine virtues. The word comes from the Latin word ''virāgō'' ( genitive virāginis) meaning vigorous' from ''vir'' meaning "man" or "man-like" (cf. virile and virtue) to which the suffix ''-ā ...

in 2012. It was described as "Riveting, touching and insightful" by ''

The Daily Telegraph ''The Daily Telegraph'', known online and elsewhere as ''The Telegraph'', is a national British daily broadsheet newspaper published in London by Telegraph Media Group and distributed across the United Kingdom and internationally. It was f ...

''. A few years earlier, a radio documentary profile of Nica, ''The Jazz Baroness'', was broadcast by

BBC Radio 4 BBC Radio 4 is a British national radio station owned and operated by the BBC that replaced the BBC Home Service in 1967. It broadcasts a wide variety of spoken-word programmes, including news, drama, comedy, science and history from the BBC' ...

on 12 February 2008. Her documentaries and shorts have aired on the BBC, HBO, PBS and others and been screened and won awards at Telluride, Tribecca, London, Sheffield film festivals. She has written screenplays for Working Title and Ridley Scott. She also wrote a history of Channel 4's films and filmmakers; contributed to anthologies including Corfu, the Garden Isle ; and ''Virago at 40''. Rothchild's first novel ''The Improbability of Love'' was published in May 2015. The story follows a female protagonist who comes across a lost

Watteau Jean-Antoine Watteau (, , ; baptised October 10, 1684died July 18, 1721) Alsavailablevia Oxford Art Online (subscription needed). was a French painter and draughtsman whose brief career spurred the revival of interest in colour and movement, as ...

and becomes embroiled in the dealings of the art world's elite. ''The Guardian'' said "her depiction of the rarefied art world is gripping". The book was shortlisted for the Baileys Prize and was joint winner of the

Bollinger Everyman Wodehouse Prize The Bollinger Everyman Wodehouse Prize is the United Kingdom's first literary award for comic literature. Established in 2000 and named in honour of P. G. Wodehouse, past winners include Paul Torday in 2007 with ''Salmon Fishing in the Yemen'' an ...

. It has been translated into more than twenty languages and was chosen as one of Waterstones "Books of the Year". Her third book, a novel ''The House of Trelawney'' () was published in February 2020 by Bloomsbury and Knopf. It follows the lives and fortunes of three generations of a dysfunctional Cornish aristocratic family through the crash of 2008. Described by

Amanda Craig Amanda Craig (born 1959) is a British novelist, critic and journalist. She was a recipient of the Catherine Pakenham Award. Early life Born in South Africa, Craig grew up in Italy before moving to London. Her parents were British journalist, ...

in ''

The Guardian ''The Guardian'' is a British daily newspaper. It was founded in 1821 as ''The Manchester Guardian'', and changed its name in 1959. Along with its sister papers ''The Observer'' and ''The Guardian Weekly'', ''The Guardian'' is part of the Gu ...

'' as "Irresistible fun" and by

Lynn Barber Lynn Barber (born 22 May 1944) is a British journalist who has worked for many publications, including ''The Sunday Times''. Early life Barber attended Lady Eleanor Holles School in south-west London. While she was studying for her A-Levels she ...

in ''The Daily Telegraph'' as a "gripping family saga". "Her style has been compared to comic writers such as Waugh and Mitford, which are apt in terms of both style and milieu, but comparisons can also be made to Austen and Dickens, as she shares their ability to create comic characters and to then put those characters in situations that allows the author to make satirical/social commentary." The book has been nominated for

for 2020. Her fourth book, a novel titled ''High Time'', will be published in June 2023 by Bloomsbury and Knopf. Rothschild has lectured on art and literature at the Getty Institute, Courtauld, the Royal Academy, the

Hay Festival The Hay Festival of Literature & Arts, better known as the Hay Festival ( cy, Gŵyl Y Gelli), is an annual literature festival held in Hay-on-Wye, Powys, Wales, for 10 days from May to June. Devised by Norman, Rhoda and Peter Florence in 1988, ...

and written for many publications, including ''

The Times ''The Times'' is a British daily national newspaper based in London. It began in 1785 under the title ''The Daily Universal Register'', adopting its current name on 1 January 1788. ''The Times'' and its sister paper '' The Sunday Times'' (f ...

'', ''

The New York Times ''The New York Times'' (''the Times'', ''NYT'', or the Gray Lady) is a daily newspaper based in New York City with a worldwide readership reported in 2020 to comprise a declining 840,000 paid print subscribers, and a growing 6 million paid d ...

'', ''

The Observer ''The Observer'' is a British newspaper published on Sundays. It is a sister paper to ''The Guardian'' and '' The Guardian Weekly'', whose parent company Guardian Media Group Limited acquired it in 1993. First published in 1791, it is the ...

'', ''

'', ''Daily Telegraph'', '' Vanity Fair'', ''

Vogue Vogue may refer to: Business * ''Vogue'' (magazine), a US fashion magazine ** British ''Vogue'', a British fashion magazine ** ''Vogue Arabia'', an Arab fashion magazine ** ''Vogue Australia'', an Australian fashion magazine ** ''Vogue China'', ...

'', ''

The Spectator ''The Spectator'' is a weekly British magazine on politics, culture, and current affairs. It was first published in July 1828, making it the oldest surviving weekly magazine in the world. It is owned by Frederick Barclay, who also owns ''The ...

'' and '' Harper's Bazaar'', ''

Financial Times The ''Financial Times'' (''FT'') is a British daily newspaper printed in broadsheet and published digitally that focuses on business and economic current affairs. Based in London, England, the paper is owned by a Japanese holding company, Ni ...

'', ''

Elle ''Elle'' (stylized ''ELLE'') is a worldwide women's magazine of French origin that offers a mix of fashion and beauty content, together with culture, society and lifestyle. The title means "she" or "her" in French. ''Elle'' is considered the w ...

'', ''

Washington Post ''The Washington Post'' (also known as the ''Post'' and, informally, ''WaPo'') is an American daily newspaper published in Washington, D.C. It is the most widely circulated newspaper within the Washington metropolitan area and has a large na ...

'' and others. She is a Non-Executive Director of RIT Capital Partners and Windmill Hill Asset Management.

Philanthropy

She became a trustee of London's

in 2009 after applying to an advert in ''The Guardian''. In 2013, she became the liaison trustee for the

Tate Gallery Tate is an institution that houses, in a network of four art galleries, the United Kingdom's national collection of British art, and international modern and contemporary art. It is not a government institution, but its main sponsor is the U ...

. In August 2015, she became the first woman to chair the National Gallery's board. In 2017, her term was extended by four years; however she later resigned from the position in June 2019 citing a wish to devote more time to writing and to her family's wide-ranging activities and philanthropic concerns. She will remain Chair of the American Friends of the National Gallery, a post she's held since August 2015. She took over from her father Jacob as chair of

Yad Hanadiv Yad Hanadiv (The Rothschild Foundation) is a Rothschild family philanthropic foundation in Israel. Goals and objectives Yad Hanadiv defines its mission as: Dedicated to creating resources for advancing Israel as a healthy, vibrant, democratic so ...

in July 2018. Yad Hanadiv is a charity Yad Hanadiv is dedicated to creating resources for advancing Israel as a healthy, vibrant, democratic society and equal opportunity for the benefit of all its inhabitants. It built the

Knesset The Knesset ( he, הַכְּנֶסֶת ; "gathering" or "assembly") is the unicameral legislature of Israel. As the supreme state body, the Knesset is sovereign and thus has complete control of the entirety of the Israeli government (with ...

, the Supreme Court and in 2022 will complete the New National Library of Israel. She is a trustee of The Rothschild Foundation, a registered charity, whose activities include preserving

Waddesdon Manor Waddesdon Manor is a English country house, country house in the village of Waddesdon, in Buckinghamshire, England. Owned by National Trust for Places of Historic Interest or Natural Beauty, National Trust and managed by the Rothschild Foundation ...

in Buckinghamshire on behalf of its owner, the

National Trust The National Trust, formally the National Trust for Places of Historic Interest or Natural Beauty, is a charity and membership organisation for heritage conservation in England, Wales and Northern Ireland. In Scotland, there is a separate and ...

. Rothschild was formerly a trustee of the

Whitechapel Gallery The Whitechapel Gallery is a public art gallery in Whitechapel on the north side of Whitechapel High Street, in the London Borough of Tower Hamlets. The original building, designed by Charles Harrison Townsend, opened in 1901 as one of the fir ...

and the ICA. She was the co-founder of the charity Artists on Film. Rothschild originated the Illuminated River project to light Central London's bridges transforming the Thames at night "from a snake of darkness into a ribbon of light." An international jury, chaired by Rothschild chose American artist Leo Villareal and in July 2019 the first five of fifteen bridges were lit.

Personal life

In 1994, she married American filmmaker William Lord Brookfield and had three daughters, but they later divorced.

Title, styles and honours

*22 May 1962 – 20 March 1990: ''Miss'' Hannah Mary Rothschild *20 March 1990 – 9 June 2018: ''

The Honourable ''The Honourable'' (British English) or ''The Honorable'' ( American English; see spelling differences) (abbreviation: ''Hon.'', ''Hon'ble'', or variations) is an honorific style that is used as a prefix before the names or titles of certain ...

'' Hannah Mary Rothschild *9 June 2018 – present: ''The Honourable'' Hannah Mary Rothschild CBE In the

2018 Queen's Birthday Honours The 2018 Queen's Birthday Honours are appointments by some of the 16 Commonwealth realms of Queen Elizabeth II to various orders and honours to reward and highlight good works by citizens of those countries. The Birthday Honours are awarded as p ...

, she was appointed

Commander of the Order of the British Empire The Most Excellent Order of the British Empire is a British order of chivalry, rewarding contributions to the arts and sciences, work with charitable and welfare organisations, and public service outside the civil service. It was established ...

(CBE) for services to the arts and to charity. In 2021, Rothschild was elected to the American Academy of Arts and Sciences.

References

External links

*
Biography at Rothschild Archive
* {{DEFAULTSORT:Rothschild, Hannah 1962 births Living people Film people from London People educated at St Paul's Girls' School People educated at Marlborough College Alumni of St Hilda's College, Oxford Place of birth missing (living people) English people of Scottish descent English people of Canadian descent English people of German descent English people of German-Jewish descent English Jews British Ashkenazi Jews British documentary filmmakers 21st-century British novelists 21st-century British women writers People associated with the National Gallery, London Philanthropists from London Women philanthropists Commanders of the Order of the British Empire Daughters of barons Hannah Rothschild Women documentary filmmakers