HELLO! and charity Wellbeing of Women have been making waves in the menopause world since launching the Workplace Pledge campaign, encouraging organisations to commit to supporting employers going through the menopause, and its latest supporter is none other than Dame Joan Collins.
MORE: 12 things women want employers to know about the menopause
The icon and best-selling author attended an event hosted by Wellbeing of Women alongside HELLO! Editor-In-Chief Rosie Nixon this week to discuss her latest book My Unapologetic Diaries, while she also spoke out about her support for women. "I'm a huge supporter of women, I consider myself an early feminist," she said.
WATCH: Joan Collins proudly announces family member as he celebrates his birthday
The star went on to share memories of encounters with the royal family, including the late Princess Diana, describing her as "charming, vulnerable and funny".
On the topic of her autobiography, in which she reflects on her years in Hollywood, she added: "I am really pleased to be speaking about my life encounters and stories from over the years. It has been a great privilege to have met many wonderful people, and to have made countless fantastic friends. What better way to commemorate this than to share these experiences openly in my latest book and with this special audience here today."
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© Wellbeing of Women 2021Joan Collins, Wellbeing of Women Director Janet Lindsay and HELLO! Editor-In-Chief Rosie Nixon
Joan is nothing if not inspiring to women of today, and she's also proof that getting older doesn't have to restrict you. Once she was "too old" to act, Joan turned her hand to interior designing.
© Sophie Le Roux, Wellbeing of Women 2021Joan Collins, Eve Pollard and Professor Dame Lesley Regan
"I was an interior decorator for a while in Hollywood when I decided I was no longer an actress because I was too old at 32," she explained. "I had my children; my children were going off to school and I thought: 'What am I going to do?' I knew a lot of people who were having new houses and I loved choosing wallpaper and sofas and accessories. I did quite well."
Besides Joan, the event was attended by various menopause trailblazers including MP Carolyn Harris, Lady Estelle Wolfson, Eve Pollard, Professor Dame Lesley Regan, Chair of Wellbeing of Women, and Sir Marcus Setchell.
Main image: Sophie Le Roux, Wellbeing of Women 2021
You can find more information on the menopause at HELLO!'s menopause hub.
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