As a little girl, Didi was tiny but exquisite with big blue eyes and masses of dark hair. People wanted to pet her, but she didn't like that and was renowned in her family for having bitten a teacher who took her on her lap for a cuddle when she was 4 years old. Didi was the eldest of three children, all born within 4 years. She was naturally very clever and taught herself to read when she was 4. Once at school, she moved ahead rapidly. She was good at games and loved dancing, joining a performance group. She also took up ballet, riding and learnt the piano. Didi's mother, Kathleen, is Irish and Roman Catholic and so Didi was brought up in the Catholic tradition. She was educated at St Joseph's Primary School in Upper Norwood and Coloma Convent in West Croydon.