Saying goodbye to a parent is the most difficult experience I have ever gone through. You never really know how hard it will be until it happens.

Nothing beats the unconditional love of family - yes, you can choose your friends but they come and go, like the wind. Family is there for you, should be there for you, through thick and thin.

I knew as a child I wanted to perform as an adult. I forced my poor parents and their friends to watch endless tutu dances and princess plays after their candlelit dinner parties.

I am a demanding friend I do admit. I expect too much. I always did. As a child I'd be terribly disappointed when a playdate was cancelled or when Maisy or Poppy decided she was no longer my best-est friend.

Going back to London is like seeing an old friend. It's where I was born and where I have spent most of my life. It is the distant cousin of Europe so has its very own particular feel.