Biography

Robin Douglas-Home was born on May 8, 1932. He was married to Sandra Howard. He died on October 15, 1968 in Sussex, England, UK.

Jazz pianist son of Henry Douglas-Home, nephew of Alec Douglas-Home and William Douglas-Home and older brother of Charles Douglas-Home.

Cousin of David Douglas-Home, 15th Earl of Home.

Douglas-Home was involved in a brief romance with Margareta von Schweden in the late 1950's and with Princess Margaret during the mid-1960's.

Was found dead in his bed at his home in Sussex. Coroners said death resulted from an overdose of sodium amytal, a barbiturate, which he consumed along with alcohol. His mother said he had clinical depression and this had worsened recently because he became convinced that his brain function was deteriorating. He left a recorded message with his final words.

In 1961, after writing a long article on band leader Nelson Riddle, Douglas-Home and his wife Sandra were invited to dinner by Frank Sinatra, after which he was authorized by Sinatra to write the singer's first biography. However, several years later, Sinatra took strong exception to something Douglas-Home had reportedly said about him and terminated their friendship with a terse telegram ("You blew it"); it was said that Douglas-Home was crushed by this and never fully recovered from the incident.

[Excerpt from a final tape recording he made before his October 1968 suicide] There comes a time when one comes to the conclusion that continuing to live is pointless.