She visited Usworth Comprehensive in 2003, as guest of honour at a prize-giving event, and to support the school against plans for its closure. Heather attended Usworth Grange Primary school, and then Usworth Comprehensive School in Washington. When Heather was six years old, the family moved north to Alnwick, in Northumberland, but relocated shortly afterwards to a block of flats in Washington, Tyne and Wear, and then on to Cockshott Farm, in Rothbury, Northumberland. The Mills family spent their holidays in Libanus, and also lived there for a time. He was very fond of animals (working for the RSPCA for a time), and Heather remembered her family always having a dog and a cat, as well as once having a pet goose and a white nanny goat that was allowed to roam the house owned by Mark's parents in Libanus, near Brecon. īeatrice spoke several languages and played the piano, while Mark played banjo and guitar, liked photography (winning an Evening Standard award) and took part in numerous sports. John and Beatrice met at Newcastle University, and were married against the wishes of her father, who did not attend the wedding and only saw his daughter once more before he died. Beatrice was born in India during World War II, and was educated at English boarding schools. His adoptive father also worked as a mechanic for a Grand Prix racing team. John was adopted at the age of seven and grew up in Brighton, where his adoptive parents had a grocery shop.
Mills was born in Aldershot, Hampshire, to John 'Mark' Francis Mills, a former British paratrooper, and his wife, Beatrice Mary Mills (née Finlay), who was the daughter of a colonel in the British Army. She is also vice-president of the Limbless Association. The couple separated in 2006, and finalised their divorce in 2008.Īfter her marriage to McCartney, Mills became involved in animal rights advocacy and as of 2012 is a patron of Viva! (Vegetarians' International Voice for Animals) and the Vegetarian and Vegan Foundation. The couple married in June 2002 and Mills gave birth to Beatrice Milly McCartney on 28 October 2003. She was in a relationship with Paul McCartney from 2000 onwards. The accident resulted in the amputation of her left leg below the knee, but she continued to model by using a prosthetic limb and later sold her story to the tabloid journal News of the World. Mills first came to public attention in 1993, when she was a model and was involved in a traffic collision with a police motorcycle in London.
Heather Anne Mills (born 12 January 1968) is an English former model, businesswoman and activist.