Annita van Iersel
Encyclopedia
Annita Keating van Iersel (born 5 October 1948) is the estranged Dutch
-born wife of Paul Keating
, the former Prime Minister of Australia
.
Born as Anna Johanna Maria van Iersel to a devout Roman Catholic family in Oisterwijk
, Noord Brabant
, Netherlands
, she studied languages in Paris
and London
. She worked at KLM as a flight attendant. While working with Alitalia
, she met Keating, then an aspiring young politician. They married on 17 January 1975. Her parents later joined her in Australia.
While her husband was Prime Minister (from 1991 to 1996), their four children spent part of their teenage years at The Lodge, the Prime Minister's official residence in Canberra
.
van Iersel was widely travelled, and this, along with her knowledge of five languages, proved a valuable diplomatic asset, especially in support of Sydney's bid for the Sydney 2000 Olympic Games
.
In 1998, Annita and Paul Keating separated. That same year she enrolled in a Master of Fine Arts
course, majoring in photography, at the Australian National School of Arts in Darlinghurst, Sydney
. She graduated in 2001, and has since forged her own artistic career. In March 2008 she was scheduled to exhibit a series of paintings - oils on Belgian linen - that she created in her studio on the Hawkesbury River
.
Netherlands
The Netherlands is a constituent country of the Kingdom of the Netherlands, located mainly in North-West Europe and with several islands in the Caribbean. Mainland Netherlands borders the North Sea to the north and west, Belgium to the south, and Germany to the east, and shares maritime borders...
-born wife of Paul Keating
Paul Keating
Paul John Keating was the 24th Prime Minister of Australia, serving from 1991 to 1996. Keating was elected as the federal Labor member for Blaxland in 1969 and came to prominence as the reformist treasurer of the Hawke Labor government, which came to power at the 1983 election...
, the former Prime Minister of Australia
Prime Minister of Australia
The Prime Minister of the Commonwealth of Australia is the highest minister of the Crown, leader of the Cabinet and Head of Her Majesty's Australian Government, holding office on commission from the Governor-General of Australia. The office of Prime Minister is, in practice, the most powerful...
.
Born as Anna Johanna Maria van Iersel to a devout Roman Catholic family in Oisterwijk
Oisterwijk
- The city of Oisterwijk :Oisterwijk received city rights in 1230. Part of the municipality of Oisterwijk includes the 'Oisterwijkse bossen en vennen' and the 'Kampina'. Both are nature reserves of outstanding natural beauty. The reserves are owned and kept by the 'Vereniging Natuurmonumenten'...
, Noord Brabant
North Brabant
North Brabant , sometimes called Brabant, is a province of the Netherlands, located in the south of the country, bordered by Belgium in the south, the Meuse River in the north, Limburg in the east and Zeeland in the west.- History :...
, Netherlands
Netherlands
The Netherlands is a constituent country of the Kingdom of the Netherlands, located mainly in North-West Europe and with several islands in the Caribbean. Mainland Netherlands borders the North Sea to the north and west, Belgium to the south, and Germany to the east, and shares maritime borders...
, she studied languages in Paris
Paris
Paris is the capital and largest city in France, situated on the river Seine, in northern France, at the heart of the Île-de-France region...
and London
London
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
. She worked at KLM as a flight attendant. While working with Alitalia
Alitalia
Alitalia - Linee Aeree Italiane S.p.A. , in its later stages known as Alitalia - Linee Aeree Italiane S.p.A. in Extraordinary Administration, was the former Italian flag carrier...
, she met Keating, then an aspiring young politician. They married on 17 January 1975. Her parents later joined her in Australia.
While her husband was Prime Minister (from 1991 to 1996), their four children spent part of their teenage years at The Lodge, the Prime Minister's official residence in Canberra
Canberra
Canberra is the capital city of Australia. With a population of over 345,000, it is Australia's largest inland city and the eighth-largest city overall. The city is located at the northern end of the Australian Capital Territory , south-west of Sydney, and north-east of Melbourne...
.
van Iersel was widely travelled, and this, along with her knowledge of five languages, proved a valuable diplomatic asset, especially in support of Sydney's bid for the Sydney 2000 Olympic Games
2000 Summer Olympics
The Sydney 2000 Summer Olympic Games or the Millennium Games/Games of the New Millennium, officially known as the Games of the XXVII Olympiad, were an international multi-sport event which was celebrated between 15 September and 1 October 2000 in Sydney, New South Wales, Australia...
.
In 1998, Annita and Paul Keating separated. That same year she enrolled in a Master of Fine Arts
Master of Fine Arts
A Master of Fine Arts is a graduate degree typically requiring 2–3 years of postgraduate study beyond the bachelor's degree , although the term of study will vary by country or by university. The MFA is usually awarded in visual arts, creative writing, filmmaking, dance, or theatre/performing arts...
course, majoring in photography, at the Australian National School of Arts in Darlinghurst, Sydney
Darlinghurst, New South Wales
Darlinghurst is an inner-city, eastern suburb of Sydney, in the state of New South Wales, Australia. Darlinghurst is located immediately east of the Sydney central business district and Hyde Park, within the local government area of the City of Sydney...
. She graduated in 2001, and has since forged her own artistic career. In March 2008 she was scheduled to exhibit a series of paintings - oils on Belgian linen - that she created in her studio on the Hawkesbury River
Hawkesbury River
The Hawkesbury River, also known as Deerubbun, is one of the major rivers of the coastal region of New South Wales, Australia. The Hawkesbury River and its tributaries virtually encircle the metropolitan region of Sydney.-Geography:-Course:...
.