Lady Florence Packer (b. 1915) was born in Paris to Edmond Porges, a major in the British Army, and his Russian wife Marie-Mathilde Brodsky. During the German occupation of Paris, all Porges's assets were seized and the family moved to London, where Florence worked for the Free French. There she met a Wing Commander at a party for Australian Air Force officers. They married in 1946 and she moved to Australia with him. In 1964, she married print magnate Sir Frank Packer and they lived in Australia until he died. She then returned to Monte Carlo to care for her mother. Since 1978 she has divided her time between Monte Carlo and Edgecliff. This photograph was taken at the Packers' Sydney home the morning after Beaton had been to dinner. He described Lady Packer as 'very French and cuddlesome'.
Collection: National Portrait Gallery
Gift of Lady Florence Packer 2004
© Estate of Cecil Beaton
Lady Florence Packer (2 portraits)
On one level The Companion talks about the most famous and frontline Australians, but on another it tells us about ourselves: who we read, who we watch, who we listen to, who we cheer for, who we aspire to be, and who we'll never forget. The Companion is available to buy online and in the Portrait Gallery Store.
To accompany the exhibition Cecil Beaton: Portraits, held at the NPG in 2005, this article is drawn from Hugo Vickers's authorised biography, Cecil Beaton (1985).
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