Doris Duke Wealthy American heiress, art collector, horticulturist and philanthropist. Date of Birth: 22.11.1912 Country: USA

Biography of Doris Duke

Doris Duke was a wealthy American heiress, art collector, gardener, and philanthropist. She was born on November 22, 1912, in New York City, as the only child of tobacco and energy tycoon James Buchanan Duke and his second wife Nanaline Holt Inman. When her father passed away in 1925, Doris inherited a large portion of his estate, along with the Duke Endowment, a charitable organization he had founded.

During her early childhood, Doris spent time on her father's estate in Hillsborough Township, New Jersey. However, she had to fight legal battles against her mother and other executors to prevent the sale of the estate. At the age of 18, Doris made her debut in society with a ball held at Rough Point, the Duke family residence in Newport, Rhode Island.

As she reached adulthood, Doris used her wealth to pursue her interests. She traveled extensively and developed a passion for collecting art. During World War II, she worked in a sailor's canteen in Egypt, earning a salary of one dollar per year. Doris was also multilingual, speaking nine languages.

In 1945, Doris briefly worked as a foreign correspondent for the International News Service, reporting from various war-torn cities in Europe. After the war, she moved to Paris and wrote for Harper's Bazaar magazine. In Hawaii, she became the first woman to participate in competitive surfing. She also owned a variety of pets, including dogs of different breeds and even a camel, which was considered exotic for New York City.

In her later years, Doris dedicated herself to environmental conservation and animal protection. At the age of 46, she embarked on creating a public garden complex in honor of her father. The gardens featured eleven interconnected themed gardens, each dedicated to a specific country or historical period. Doris drew inspiration from her extensive travels to design the architectural, artistic, and botanical elements of the gardens.

Doris also acquired several houses, transforming them into works of art. Today, three of her former residences are open for public visits. Music was another passion of Doris, as she learned to play the piano at a young age and had a lifelong love for jazz.

Doris was married twice, in 1935 and 1947, but both marriages ended in divorce. She tragically lost her only daughter just two days after her birth. Despite her personal setbacks, Doris was known for her attractiveness and always had many admirers.

While actively engaging in philanthropy, Doris focused on various causes such as financing, preserving and restoring historic sites, building an ashram in India, donating significant art collections to museums, protecting wildlife, supporting medical research, and programs to help children, including those aimed at preventing violence. She was known for her discreet approach to charitable work.

In 1992, at the age of 79, Doris underwent facial plastic surgery against her doctors' advice. While still under the influence of medication, she stood up when she wasn't supposed to and fell, resulting in a fractured hip. She later underwent knee surgery in January 1993, followed by a second knee operation in July. Shortly after returning home from the hospital, Doris suffered a severe stroke and passed away on October 28, 1993, at the age of 80. The cause of death was attributed to pulmonary edema resulting from cardiac arrest.