I was Gail Thomas, aged ten, when this photograph was taken in Auckland. I left New Zealand aged 16 to study at the Royal Ballet School and joined the Royal Ballet Company two and a half years later.

I married (the late) James Monahan
and we had two children - Mark is a Commissioning Editor and dance critic on the Arts Desk of The Daily Telegraph and Daisy, formerly a TV producer, is currently doing a law conversion course. They both live in London.


I try to keep fit, do voluntary work, go to a weekly art study group and for the last two years have been a governor of the Royal Ballet. I also like travelling, particularly to Italy, Australia and New Zealand.


My passions, apart from ballet, are music, opera, cinema, reading, my children, my friends, looking at paintings and trying to lure as many varieties of birds as possible into my garden.
                                             

This is me now.