Editing Koo Stark (section)

==Personal life==
Stark has been a practising [[Buddhist]] since meeting the [[Dalai Lama]].<ref name=time1997>''Time'', Volume 149 (Time Incorporated, 1997), p. 19</ref> She continues to live in London and is a member of the [[Chelsea Arts Club]].<ref name="chelseasecretaryresigns">{{cite news|title=Chelsea Arts Club secretary signs off with 'lunatic' plea|url=https://www.standard.co.uk/news/londoners-diary/chelsea-arts-club-secretary-signs-off-with-lunatic-plea-8455702.html|access-date=15 February 2017|work=London Evening Standard|date=January 17, 2013|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170215125437/http://www.standard.co.uk/news/londoners-diary/chelsea-arts-club-secretary-signs-off-with-lunatic-plea-8455702.html|archive-date=15 February 2017}}</ref> She is a Patron of the [[Dimbola Lodge|Julia Margaret Cameron Trust]], at Dimbola Lodge on the Isle of Wight, home of the Victorian pioneer photographer Julia Margaret Cameron.<ref name=carter-ruck />

===Relationships===
Stark met Prince Andrew in February 1981, and they were close for some two years, before and after his active service in the [[Falklands War]].<ref name=rebuttal/><ref>[[Alastair Burnet]], ''The ITN book of the royal wedding'' (Michael O'Mara Books, 1986), p. 38: "The actress Miss Koo Stark was a regular girlfriend of Prince Andrew for several years."</ref> [[Tina Brown]] has claimed that this was Andrew's only serious love affair.<ref name=brown>[[Tina Brown]], ''[[The Diana Chronicles]]'' (2011), p. 228</ref> In October 1982 they took a holiday together on the island of [[Mustique]].<ref>Kim McNamara, ''Paparazzi: Media Practices and Celebrity Culture'' (2015), p. 29</ref> According to [[Lady Colin Campbell]], Andrew was in love, and the Queen was "much taken with the elegant, intelligent, and discreet Koo".<ref>[[Lady Colin Campbell]], ''The Real Diana'', p. 161</ref> However, in 1983, after 18 months of dating, they split up under pressure from the Queen.<ref name=rebuttal/><ref name=brown/> In 1997, Prince Andrew became the godfather of Stark's daughter,<ref>''[[Newsweek]]'', Volume 128 (1997), p. 76</ref> and in 2015, when the Prince was accused by [[Virginia Giuffre|Virginia Roberts]] over the [[Jeffrey Epstein]] connection, Stark came to his defence, stating that he was a good man and she could help to rebut the claims.<ref name=rebuttal>{{cite web|url=https://www.independent.co.uk/news/people/news/koo-stark-speaks-out-to-help-rebut-prince-andrew-sex-slave-claims-10046948.html|title=Prince Andrew's ex Koo Stark speaks about their relationship for first time in 30 years|date=February 15, 2015|work=independent.co.uk|access-date=December 21, 2016|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170121050247/http://www.independent.co.uk/news/people/news/koo-stark-speaks-out-to-help-rebut-prince-andrew-sex-slave-claims-10046948.html|archive-date=January 21, 2017}}</ref>

Stark married Tim Jefferies, manager of a photographic gallery, in August 1984,<ref>''Milestones'', in ''[[Time (magazine)|Time]]'' dated Aug. 27, 1984</ref> at St Saviour's, [[Chalk Farm]], with the minister, [[Christopher Neil-Smith]], commenting that "It was such a quiet affair you wouldn't have known it was happening."<ref>'Stark weds Green Shield heir', [[Associated Press|AP]] report in ''[[The Daily Register]]'' dated August 17, 1984, page A2, col. 1</ref> They stayed together for a year, later divorcing.<ref name=time1997/>

She was later engaged to Warren Walker, an American banker, but he cancelled their wedding before the birth of their daughter, Tatiana, in May 1997.<ref>[https://web.archive.org/web/20080928034554/http://findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_qn4158/is_19980818/ai_n14180192 "Koo's praise for her daughter's father"] in ''[[The Independent]]'' (London), dated August 18, 1998, accessed October 7, 2007</ref>

===Legal cases===
In 1988, Stark brought a successful libel action against ''[[The Mail on Sunday]]'' over an untrue story headed 'Koo dated Andy after she wed'.<ref>'Koo Stark v Mail on Sunday (1988) unreported', in Vivienne Harpwood, ed., ''Modern Tort Law'',  6th edition (2005), p. 340</ref> In 1989, ''[[The Spectator]]'' reported that she had received £300,000 from one newspaper "for years of inaccurate persecution" and was also collecting money from others.<ref>''[[The Spectator]]'', Volume 262 (1989), p. 19</ref>

In another libel action in 2007, Stark won an apology and substantial damages from ''[[Zoo Weekly]]'' magazine, which had described her as a [[porn star]]. She commented "I am relieved that my name has been cleared of this false, highly damaging and serious allegation which has been proved to be completely untrue."<ref name=carter-ruck>[https://www.carter-ruck.com/news/read/koo-stark Koo Stark news release] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20171113114400/https://www.carter-ruck.com/news/read/koo-stark |date=2017-11-13 }} at carter-ruck.com, accessed 25 May 2018</ref> In 2011 ''[[The Daily Telegraph]]'' called her an early "[[Kate Middleton]] prototype" and suggested that if she had not appeared in the film ''[[Emily (1976 film)|Emily]]'' early in her career she might have gone on to become the [[Duchess of York]].<ref name=telegraph2011>{{cite news|url=https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/uknews/theroyalfamily/8319716/Koo-Stark-From-Royal-Romance-to-the-High-Court.html|title=Koo Stark: From Royal Romance to the High Court|author=Bryony Gordon|author-link=Bryony Gordon|date=February 11, 2011|journal=[[Daily Telegraph]]|access-date=April 15, 2011|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110310063230/http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/uknews/theroyalfamily/8319716/Koo-Stark-From-Royal-Romance-to-the-High-Court.html|archive-date=March 10, 2011}}</ref>

In November 2012, Stark appeared at Hammersmith magistrates court accused of stealing a painting by Dutch master [[Anthonie van Borssom]], worth £40,000, from the home of her ex-partner, American financier Warren Walker. She strenuously denied the allegation.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.express.co.uk/news/uk/358682/Date-with-Dalai-Lama-delays-Koo-Stark-s-trial|title=Date with Dalai Lama delays Koo Stark's trial|work=Daily Express|first=David|last=Pilditch|date=17 November 2012|accessdate=19 November 2022}}</ref> Before the matter came to trial, the painting was returned to Walker and by agreement the prosecution was abandoned.<ref>[https://www.theguardian.com/uk/2013/jun/20/koo-stark-not-guilty-theft "Koo Stark not guilty of theft after returning painting to former partner"], ''[[The Guardian]]'', 20 June 2013, accessed 16 May 2024</ref>

In November 2022, Stark was awarded substantial damages and received an apology in a court case brought against ''[[Daily Mail]]''{{'}}s parent company for a 2019 article which falsely referred to her as "a soft porn actress".<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.theguardian.com/media/2022/nov/18/prince-andrews-ex-girlfriend-koo-stark-wins-damages-against-daily-mail|title=Prince Andrew's ex-girlfriend Koo Stark wins damages against Daily Mail|work=The Guardian|first=Jim|last=Waterson|date=18 November 2022|accessdate=19 November 2022}}</ref>

===Health===
About 1993, Stark was hit by a taxi in [[Old Compton Street]], London, losing two teeth and also suffering a deep wound to her forehead, after a collision with her camera. This accident left her temporarily disfigured, but the wound eventually healed leaving a small scar just under the hair-line.<ref name=observer/>

In 2002 Stark was diagnosed with [[breast cancer]] and underwent a double [[mastectomy]] and [[chemotherapy]], causing her to lose her hair for a time.<ref>[https://www.standard.co.uk/news/koos-battle-against-cancer-7280553.html Koo's battle against cancer] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20171120155729/https://www.standard.co.uk/news/koos-battle-against-cancer-7280553.html |date=2017-11-20 }} in ''[[London Evening Standard|Evening Standard]]'' dated 23 March 2004, accessed 17 November 2017</ref>