Amidst all her own pursuits, Costanza remained a steadfast rock Constanza Romanelli (1948) and a guiding light for her elder brother Raffaello and her sister Ilaria, who married the Frenchman Arnaud Faure. Not having Constanza, born in Florence in children of her own, she embraced her role as a second mother 1928, was of impressive lineage to Ilaria’s five children, Bettino’s children and grandchildren, and a descendant of William the offering love and support. Conqueror. Her father was a Costanza Romanelli, Baroness Ricasoli Firidolfi, leaves a legacy decorated Italian Navy Commander woven with threads of faith, classical culture gleaned at and renowned sculptor, and her Somerville, compassion, and devotion to family. Her memory maternal grandfather was Dean of will endure in the hearts of all who were touched by her Gibraltar, Master of the Charterhouse generosity, friendship, humour and unwavering spirit. in London and Chaplain of the Order of St. John of Jerusalem. CONSTANZA ROMANELLI Helen Sackett (née Phillips, 1948) After the prestigious Sacro Cuore school in Florence, and following the tumult of WW2, she left to read Literae Humaniores at Somerville College, where she liked The daughter of teachers in Bristol, to smoke a pipe, whilst also nursing with the Red Cross. Helen Phillips studied Physics at Somerville just after WW2. At Oxford In the 1950s, Costanza embarked on a number of adventures, she met her future husband, Edmund first with her Somerville friend, Patricia Drinkall, journeying Sackett, at the John Wesley Society to Morocco, then travelling around Kenya and Somalia, where and was impressed with him because later in 1965 her mother would be murdered whilst running the he had been in the army in Palestine local hospital she had founded with Catholic nuns. Costanza’s and had experience of the world. devout Catholic faith led her to become a member of Opus Dei Before they married, Helen trained as which helped her fulfil her desire to foster Christian life and the a teacher at Hugh’s Hall in Cambridge HELEN SACKETT Church’s evangelizing mission. followed by a time teaching in In 1979, she married the son of Florence’s oldest noble family, Worthing and then in Stroud. She soon became the mother of Baron Bettino Ricasoli Firidolfi, and she embraced her role her first son. as guardian of the Castello di Brolio in Tuscany, the seat of Deciding that teaching wasn’t for him, Edmund became librarian the Ricasoli family since 1141. Here their friends and other of Westminster College in Oxford, and the family moved to live illustrious figures from around the world, including the then in Bayworth, between Oxford and Abingdon. They attended Prince Charles, were welcomed with her signature grace and All Saints Church, Abingdon, where Helen sang in the choir. hospitality and fed in an immense frescoed dining hall. Among Very soon after that a second son was born, and she stayed at her circle of English friends, the Florence-based aesthete and home to look after the two boys. After they had started school, scholar Sir Harold Acton found a regular place, often joining her she went taught for a short time at Abingdon school and then for tea in her home at Piazza di Bellosguardo where poets and at Saint Helen and Saint Katherine nearby, where she finally artists of the time gathered in spirited conversation. became Head of the Physics Department. Some of the girls 53