In a Youthful Dress and Flattering Make-Up to Hide Her 66 Years, Britain's Oldest Mother Shows off Her Newborn Son. Here, Those Closest to Her Reveal the Full Intriguing Story of Whysheleft Motherhood So Late -- and Has Nothing but Scorn for Her Critics

Byline: by Barbara Davies

WHEN she emerged from hospital this week, gently cradling her newborn son in her arms, Britain's oldest mother seemed determined to look rather younger than her 66 years. Elizabeth Munro wore a flowing maxi dress, left her carefullystyled hair hanging loosely around her shoulders and wore subtle, flattering make-up.

But the soft, radiant image that she defiantly presented to her critics has done little to stave off accusations that, by going abroad for IVF, she has also defied nature and risks leaving her son an orphan in childhood.

Indeed, as one former acquaintance revealed this week, Elizabeth's own beloved mother died, aged 68, after battling breast cancer when she was barely a year older than her only daughter is now. Elizabeth, who has been of pensionable age for nearly seven years, will turn 67 next month on July 5. But according to those who know the highly successful businesswoman from Suffolk -- who was once married to the Queen's official whipmaker -- Elizabeth has never cared much for the opinions of others.

'It will be just me and my baby. I know some people won't understand, but I don't care,' has been her only public utterance on the subject of her controversial and very modern bid for motherhood.

'Elizabeth is highly driven and ambitious,' says one former acquaintance. 'She's remarkably resilient, dogged even. She's a domineering, egotistical character who is used to getting her own way.' Combine this with the divorcee's wealth and the fact that she always wanted children and perhaps it was inevitable that she would eventually find a way to become a mother -- even without a man in her life to be a father to her child.

'Elizabeth has always …

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Publication information: Article title: In a Youthful Dress and Flattering Make-Up to Hide Her 66 Years, Britain's Oldest Mother Shows off Her Newborn Son. Here, Those Closest to Her Reveal the Full Intriguing Story of Whysheleft Motherhood So Late -- and Has Nothing but Scorn for Her Critics. Contributors: Not available. Newspaper title: Daily Mail (London). Publication date: June 6, 2009. Page number: 50. © 2007 Daily Mail. COPYRIGHT 2009 Gale Group.

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