How Tara's sister became the 'Lit girl'

Now I understand Tara Palmer-Tomkinson. Earlier this year, the charmingly dotty "It girl" confided to me that it was hard being two years younger than her "perfect" sister, Santa.

Santa was head girl, looked beautiful, excelled at English and sport, and kept a tidy room.

All that was left for Tara was the wild child role in her pre-eminent (Hampshire) county family.

And now here is Miss Perfect - aka Mrs Simon "Stalin" Sebag Montefiore - sitting with me in a hotel near her home in Kensington.

I'd like to say she was snorting cocaine, showing her knickers and making outrageous remarks. But it would be a lie. She has groomed blonde hair, a slender figure, smiles a lot, and wears a white cashmere jumper which would be too much of a challenge for most mothers with two young children.

Daily Telegraph, Cassandra Jardine, 29 October 2007

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