Lady Emma Herbert
Encyclopedia
Lady Emma Herbert married name Lady Emma Vickers, is a British
circus
trapeze artist, stuntwoman, and teacher of circus arts.
, Herbert was brought up at Wilton House
in Wiltshire
and educated at St Mary's Calne
. The goddaughter of Andrew Parker Bowles
, in July 1973 she was a bridesmaid
at his marriage to Camilla Shand, who later became H.R.H. The Duchess of Cornwall.
Her mother Claire Murray Threipland later described her as "very avant garde
" and "a bit of a wild child
". The Sunday Times
said in 2003 that she was "born with rebellion
in her blood".
Her father, who died in 2003, was a film director
and producer
, whose work included the erotic movie Emily
(1976), starring Koo Stark
and partly filmed at the family home.
Her younger brother William Herbert
is now Earl of Pembroke
.
, where she lived in a Lower East Side
squat
. She later commented "It was straight from A-levels
to crack dens
, junkie
s, shootings. I saw lots of very ugly things which made me decide I didn’t want to do them myself."
On her return to the UK she met a performance art group, Mutoid Waste Company
, and one of them became her boyfriend. She learnt acrobatic skills from the Mutoids and toured Europe with them. Other friends at that time included the pop group Sigue Sigue Sputnik
and the singer Lemmy, of Motörhead.
She became a stuntwoman, getting her first job in Xena: Warrior Princess
, and said in an interview "I whiplashed my spine falling out of a tree, but it was brilliant fun jumping through explosions and coming out of the sea in leather loincloths".
She then joined 'Generating Company', also known as 'Genco', a circus theatre group, appearing with them around Europe. In 2002, she performed at the Privilege
night-club on the island of Ibiza
, better known for its sex shows.
In 2003, The Sunday Times
reported on her work as a trapeze
artist and acrobat
, calling her "one of Britain’s leading exponents... Nobody can question her hard work and bravery" and noting that she was at the cutting edge of modern circus. She then had spiky pink hair, with a black badger streak, and a chin stud.
In 2004, she was a trapeze artist at 'Time', a club in Naas
, County Kildare
, Ireland
, where she was reported to be the star attraction.
After spending a year touring New Zealand
as lead aerialist in the Weber Bros Circus, Herbert married Robin Vickers in 2005, gave birth to a daughter Vanessa Esvedra Rose Vickers in 2006, and became a teacher of circus arts at the Performing Arts School of New Zealand, Auckland
. A son, Vincent Sidney was born in 2009.
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
circus
Circus
A circus is commonly a travelling company of performers that may include clowns, acrobats, trained animals, trapeze acts, musicians, hoopers, tightrope walkers, jugglers, unicyclists and other stunt-oriented artists...
trapeze artist, stuntwoman, and teacher of circus arts.
Early life
The daughter of Henry Herbert, 17th Earl of PembrokeHenry Herbert, 17th Earl of Pembroke
Henry George Charles Alexander Herbert, 17th Earl of Pembroke, 14th Earl of Montgomery , styled Lord Herbert between 1960 and 1969 and often known simply as Henry Herbert, was a British aristocrat, film director and producer.-Background and education:Herbert was the eldest son of the 16th Earl of...
, Herbert was brought up at Wilton House
Wilton House
Wilton House is an English country house situated at Wilton near Salisbury in Wiltshire. It has been the country seat of the Earls of Pembroke for over 400 years....
in Wiltshire
Wiltshire
Wiltshire is a ceremonial county in South West England. It is landlocked and borders the counties of Dorset, Somerset, Hampshire, Gloucestershire, Oxfordshire and Berkshire. It contains the unitary authority of Swindon and covers...
and educated at St Mary's Calne
St Mary's School (Calne)
St Mary's Calne, is an academically selective independent school at Calne, Wiltshire, for girls aged eleven to eighteen, with about 320 on roll. Most girls are boarders...
. The goddaughter of Andrew Parker Bowles
Andrew Parker Bowles
Brigadier Andrew Henry Parker Bowles OBE is a retired British Army officer. He is the former husband of the Duchess of Cornwall , who is now married to the Prince of Wales....
, in July 1973 she was a bridesmaid
Bridesmaid
The bridesmaids are members of the bride's wedding party in a wedding. A bridesmaid is typically a young woman, and often a close friend or sister. She attends to the bride on the day of a wedding or marriage ceremony...
at his marriage to Camilla Shand, who later became H.R.H. The Duchess of Cornwall.
Her mother Claire Murray Threipland later described her as "very avant garde
Avant-garde
Avant-garde means "advance guard" or "vanguard". The adjective form is used in English to refer to people or works that are experimental or innovative, particularly with respect to art, culture, and politics....
" and "a bit of a wild child
Wild Child
"Wild Child" is a 2001 single by Irish singer Enya. The song "Midnight Blue" has only been released on this single. The single was only available on CD in Germany, Japan and Korea. It was available on cassette in the UK...
". The Sunday Times
The Sunday Times
The Sunday Times is a British Sunday newspaper.The Sunday Times may also refer to:*The Sunday Times *The Sunday Times *The Sunday Times *The Sunday Times...
said in 2003 that she was "born with rebellion
Rebellion
Rebellion, uprising or insurrection, is a refusal of obedience or order. It may, therefore, be seen as encompassing a range of behaviors aimed at destroying or replacing an established authority such as a government or a head of state...
in her blood".
Her father, who died in 2003, was a film director
Film director
A film director is a person who directs the actors and film crew in filmmaking. They control a film's artistic and dramatic nathan roach, while guiding the technical crew and actors.-Responsibilities:...
and producer
Film producer
A film producer oversees and delivers a film project to all relevant parties while preserving the integrity, voice and vision of the film. They will also often take on some financial risk by using their own money, especially during the pre-production period, before a film is fully financed.The...
, whose work included the erotic movie Emily
Emily (film)
Emily, also known as The Awakening of Emily, is a 1976 British-made soft-core erotic film made by Henry Herbert, starring Koo Stark as a young woman discovering her sensual side....
(1976), starring Koo Stark
Koo Stark
Kathleen Dee-Anne Stark, better known as Koo Stark , is an American film actress and photographer. She is known for her appearance in the film Emily and subsequent relationship with Prince Andrew, son of Queen Elizabeth II of the United Kingdom, before his marriage to Sarah, Duchess of York.-...
and partly filmed at the family home.
Her younger brother William Herbert
William Herbert, 18th Earl of Pembroke
William Alexander Sidney Herbert, 18th Earl of Pembroke, 15th Earl of Montgomery , inherited the title in 2003 following the death of Henry Herbert, 17th Earl of Pembroke.-Estate:...
is now Earl of Pembroke
Earl of Pembroke
Earl of Pembroke is a title created ten times, all in the Peerage of England. It was first created in the 12th century by King Stephen of England. The title is associated with Pembroke, Pembrokeshire in West Wales, which is the site of Earldom's original seat Pembroke Castle...
.
Latter life and career
Herbert's parents did not fight her eccentric lifestyle. On leaving school, she went to New YorkNew York City
New York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...
, where she lived in a Lower East Side
Lower East Side
The Lower East Side, LES, is a neighborhood in the southeastern part of the New York City borough of Manhattan. It is roughly bounded by Allen Street, East Houston Street, Essex Street, Canal Street, Eldridge Street, East Broadway, and Grand Street....
squat
Squatting
Squatting consists of occupying an abandoned or unoccupied space or building, usually residential, that the squatter does not own, rent or otherwise have permission to use....
. She later commented "It was straight from A-levels
GCE Advanced Level
The Advanced Level General Certificate of Education, commonly referred to as an A-level, is a qualification offered by education institutions in England, Northern Ireland, Wales, Cameroon, and the Cayman Islands...
to crack dens
Crack cocaine
Crack cocaine is the freebase form of cocaine that can be smoked. It may also be termed rock, hard, iron, cavvy, base, or just crack; it is the most addictive form of cocaine. Crack rocks offer a short but intense high to smokers...
, junkie
Substance dependence
The section about substance dependence in the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders does not use the word addiction at all. It explains:...
s, shootings. I saw lots of very ugly things which made me decide I didn’t want to do them myself."
On her return to the UK she met a performance art group, Mutoid Waste Company
Mutoid Waste Company
The Mutoid Waste Company was a performance arts group founded in the United Kingdom by Joe Rush and Robin Cooke in the early 1980s which continued until the 1990s, when it was based in Italy....
, and one of them became her boyfriend. She learnt acrobatic skills from the Mutoids and toured Europe with them. Other friends at that time included the pop group Sigue Sigue Sputnik
Sigue Sigue Sputnik
Sigue Sigue Sputnik were a British new wave band created in 1982 by the former Generation X bassist Tony James. The band had three UK Top 40 hit singles, including the song "Love Missile F1-11".-Early years:...
and the singer Lemmy, of Motörhead.
She became a stuntwoman, getting her first job in Xena: Warrior Princess
Xena: Warrior Princess
Xena: Warrior Princess is an American–New Zealand supernatural fantasy adventure series that aired in syndication from September 4, 1995 until June 18, 2001....
, and said in an interview "I whiplashed my spine falling out of a tree, but it was brilliant fun jumping through explosions and coming out of the sea in leather loincloths".
She then joined 'Generating Company', also known as 'Genco', a circus theatre group, appearing with them around Europe. In 2002, she performed at the Privilege
Privilege Ibiza
Privilege Ibiza is the "world's largest nightclub" according to the Guinness Book of Records, with a capacity of 10,000 people. It is located not far from San Rafael, Ibiza, less than 1 km from the nightclub Amnesia. For fourteen years, Privilege hosted Manumission, one of the island's most famous...
night-club on the island of Ibiza
Ibiza
Ibiza or Eivissa is a Spanish island in the Mediterranean Sea 79 km off the coast of the city of Valencia in Spain. It is the third largest of the Balearic Islands, an autonomous community of Spain. With Formentera, it is one of the two Pine Islands or Pityuses. Its largest cities are Ibiza...
, better known for its sex shows.
In 2003, The Sunday Times
The Sunday Times
The Sunday Times is a British Sunday newspaper.The Sunday Times may also refer to:*The Sunday Times *The Sunday Times *The Sunday Times *The Sunday Times...
reported on her work as a trapeze
Trapeze
A trapeze is a short horizontal bar hung by ropes or metal straps from a support. It is an aerial apparatus commonly found in circus performances...
artist and acrobat
Acrobatics
Acrobatics is the performance of extraordinary feats of balance, agility and motor coordination. It can be found in many of the performing arts, as well as many sports...
, calling her "one of Britain’s leading exponents... Nobody can question her hard work and bravery" and noting that she was at the cutting edge of modern circus. She then had spiky pink hair, with a black badger streak, and a chin stud.
In 2004, she was a trapeze artist at 'Time', a club in Naas
Naas
Naas is the county town of County Kildare in Ireland. With a population of just over twenty thousand, it is also the largest town in the county. Naas is a major commuter suburb, with many people residing there and working in Dublin...
, County Kildare
County Kildare
County Kildare is a county in Ireland. It is part of the Mid-East Region and is also located in the province of Leinster. It is named after the town of Kildare. Kildare County Council is the local authority for the county...
, Ireland
Ireland
Ireland is an island to the northwest of continental Europe. It is the third-largest island in Europe and the twentieth-largest island on Earth...
, where she was reported to be the star attraction.
After spending a year touring New Zealand
New Zealand
New Zealand is an island country in the south-western Pacific Ocean comprising two main landmasses and numerous smaller islands. The country is situated some east of Australia across the Tasman Sea, and roughly south of the Pacific island nations of New Caledonia, Fiji, and Tonga...
as lead aerialist in the Weber Bros Circus, Herbert married Robin Vickers in 2005, gave birth to a daughter Vanessa Esvedra Rose Vickers in 2006, and became a teacher of circus arts at the Performing Arts School of New Zealand, Auckland
Auckland
The Auckland metropolitan area , in the North Island of New Zealand, is the largest and most populous urban area in the country with residents, percent of the country's population. Auckland also has the largest Polynesian population of any city in the world...
. A son, Vincent Sidney was born in 2009.