Early life
Born Iona Annabelle Neilson on March 31, 1969, in London, England, she came from an aristocratic family: her cousin was the 8th Earl of Warwick and she was related to Queen Elizabeth the Queen Mother. Her father, Max Neilson, raised her alongside siblings Millie and Rupert. She attended Cobham Hall School, a boarding school in Kent. Her environment in high society and fashion circles drew her to Alexander McQueen.