The family of model Annabelle Neilson have told of their shock after her death at the age of 49.
The catwalk star, socialite and muse of the late fashion designer Alexander McQueen, was found dead at her home in Chelsea, London last Thursday.
Neilson’s sister Camilla told the Press Association in a statement on behalf of the family: “Very sadly, we have been informed today that my sister Annabelle, died as a result of a heart attack at home last Thursday.
“It has come as a complete shock, as she had many plans having recently returned from Spain.
“My parents and I are devastated and shocked by this news. We would ask the media to respect the privacy of our family and Annabelle’s close friends during this very difficult time. We will not be making any further statement at this time. We thank you for your consideration.”
Neilson is best known for being the inspiration of McQueen, to whom she was introduced by the late stylist and fashion magazine editor Isabella Blow.
She was believed to have been the last person to see McQueen alive before his death in 2010.
In 2015, Neilson told the Daily Mail of the designer: “He was my brother, my boyfriend, my soulmate. Most of the time people called me Mrs McQueen. Quite often we were sharing a bed.”
Nielson, who battled a heroin addiction in her younger years, married banking family heir Nat Rothschild in the mid-1990s, divorcing him three years later, and was a close friend of supermodels Kate Moss and Naomi Campbell.
Moss revealed her sadness over her friend’s death as she shared a photo of the two of them together on Instagram, along with a broken heart emoji.
Neilson previously appeared in the first two seasons of Bravo reality TV series Ladies Of London, alongside model Caprice Bourret, socialite Caroline Stanbury and fashion entrepreneur Noelle Reno.