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In this deeper look, we explore how Pamela Harriman, known as a femme fatale, influenced history by enchanting powerful figures both in and out of the bedroom. Sonia Purnell explains the clever tactics she used to attract some of the world’s most influential men.
In spring 1993, at the fancy White House Correspondents’ dinner, Barbra Streisand approached Pamela Harriman and asked her the secret to her charm. Even at 73, Pamela, known for her seductive skills, drew the attention of younger women like Barbra.
Pamela just laughed. She had become a powerful figure in the Democratic Party, helping Bill Clinton rise to the presidency, and she wasn’t about to reveal her secrets. Now, over 25 years after her death, new details from her private papers and those who knew her help explain how she earned the title “seductress of the century.”
Born Pamela Digby, she grew up in a minor noble family in England, expected to marry someone respectable and live a quiet life. Although she didn’t have a formal education, she was smart and quick-witted. When she was 19, she seized the opportunity to enter politics and society by marrying Winston Churchill’s son, Randolph, after just two weeks of knowing him.
Though the marriage was unhappy, living at Downing Street during World War II brought her into the spotlight. Her striking red hair and bright blue eyes captivated everyone. Despite being seen as less attractive in her youth, she became known as the “crown princess of England.” Pamela recognized her newfound allure and its potential.
Seeking excitement, she agreed to help Britain by charming important Americans to gain their support. Her first target was Averell Harriman, a wealthy but serious man. Pamela’s goal was to make these powerful men feel special and valued.
Pamela Harriman had a captivating charm that drew powerful men to her. She would fix her large sapphire eyes on them, laugh flirtatiously, and touch their arms lightly while they spoke. Her friends called this her “mating dance,” and it worked—Averell Harriman was completely taken by her. One night during a bombing raid, their connection intensified, and they became lovers. Pamela even shared important information from their pillow talk with the British government, helping to support the war effort.
Her ability to find good food and champagne during the war, along with her conversations about battle strategies, made her even more appealing. Many influential men, including generals and media figures, were drawn to her, creating a network of admirers who also provided her with information. One person described her as “honey drawing flies,” while another called her the “courtesan of the century.”
After her marriage to Randolph Churchill ended, Pamela became even more glamorous, influenced by the new fashion styles of Christian Dior. She took great care of her appearance, using chamomile tea to rinse her hair for shine and rarely getting up before noon.
Pamela learned new romantic skills from a fling with playboy prince Aly Khan, which helped her enjoy her relationships even more. She became well-known for her beauty and charm, especially with wealthy men like Gianni Agnelli, the heir to the Fiat fortune. She made Agnelli feel special and helped him connect with important people. Even after they broke up, he called her every morning for the rest of her life.
In the late 1950s, she moved to America and married Broadway producer Leland Hayward. He enjoyed the luxurious life she created for him, though he jokingly referred to her as “La Bouche,” saying she had the best mouth around.
After Leland’s death in 1971, Pamela wanted to return to politics and set her sights on Averell Harriman again. Soon, she was caught in an intimate moment with him, and they became husband and wife, helping her reconnect with political leaders in America.
Now happily married, Pamela Harriman had moved on from seeking romantic conquests. Instead, she used her charm to influence politicians. Her former chief of staff, Sven Erik Holmes, said she had a special way with senators. She would lightly touch their arms and say something like, “I’d love it if you could do…” They would eagerly agree and feel great about it.
After her husband Averell passed away, Pamela began dating younger men and continued to captivate others with her charm. A famous facelift made her look much younger, and she wore diamond earrings that brightened her skin. When President Clinton appointed her as the first female American ambassador to Paris, the magazine Paris Match celebrated her arrival by noting how she had turned her past scandals into something admirable.
The president was delighted with how Pamela improved the long-standing distrust between France and America using her unique style of diplomacy. Even in her seventies, rumors about her love life circulated around Paris. Antony Beevor, a well-known writer much younger than her, found himself captivated by her eyes at a dinner party. Another journalist from Newsweek, who was also younger, described how she made him feel special, noting that the idea of her as a courtesan seemed fitting because younger men were always drawn to her.
Pamela was smart about who she targeted, and it was no accident that she charmed an influential journalist. She used her special techniques on many of his French colleagues as well. One of them, Bernard-Henri Lévy, remembered how she would gaze at men and then modestly look down, a move that showed she was a skilled seductress. It seemed to work every time.
