Jacqueline Ann Webb: The Private Sister of Sir Cliff Richard
While Sir Cliff Richard has spent more than six decades in the public eye, selling over 250 million records worldwide and becoming one of the most celebrated British music icons of all time, his sister Jacqueline Ann Webb has chosen a far quieter life. Though she has been seen on occasion in family photographs, Jacqueline has largely avoided the limelight, maintaining a private existence far removed from her brother’s fame.
Jacqueline Ann Webb was born on November 21, 1947, in Lucknow, United Provinces, British India, to Dorothy Marie Webb (née Dazely) and Rodger Oscar Webb. Her birth came just months before Indian independence. At the time, her father worked as a manager for a catering contractor serving the Indian Railways, while her mother was connected to education — Dorothy’s own mother was the dormitory matron at La Martiniere Girls’ School.
The Webb family spent several years in Howrah, West Bengal, before the political unrest of Direct Action Day prompted their permanent move to England. In 1948, when Jacqueline was still a baby, the family embarked on a three-week sea voyage aboard the SS Ranchi, leaving behind a comfortable company-provided flat in India for a semi-detached house in Surrey. They eventually settled in Cheshunt, Hertfordshire, after a period living with relatives in Waltham Cross.
Jacqueline grew up alongside her siblings: elder sister Donella (1943–2016), younger sister Joan, and brother Cliff, who was destined for global stardom. Their upbringing was modest, especially after the death of their father in 1961, when Jacqueline was just 14. The loss was deeply felt across the family, and in later years they would endure another difficult chapter when their mother battled Alzheimer’s disease for a decade before passing away in October 2007 at the age of 87.
Despite being the sister of one of the most recognisable figures in British entertainment, Jacqueline has kept her personal life firmly private. Very little is known about her education, career, or marriage, other than that she is believed to be married and living quietly with her family. Unlike her famous brother, Jacqueline has steered clear of public events, interviews, and media appearances, preferring to maintain a low profile.
She has, however, appeared in notable family moments. One early public sighting was a photograph of a young Cliff Richard at Heathrow Airport in the 1960s, joined by his mother Dorothy, sister Joan, and a then 13-year-old Jacqueline, before the family boarded a flight to Spain for a Christmas holiday. Such rare glimpses serve as reminders of the close-knit bond among the Webb siblings, even as Cliff’s career began to take off.
Today, Jacqueline is in her mid-70s and believed to be in good health, though her exact whereabouts remain undisclosed. She is said to lead a peaceful life, far removed from the pressures of the entertainment industry that have shaped much of her brother’s world.
Meanwhile, Cliff Richard continues to be a formidable presence in music. Recently honoured with The Musicians’ Company Lifetime Achievement Award, he remains the only artist to achieve top-five albums across eight consecutive decades. Reflecting on the accolade, Cliff expressed his gratitude: “Who’d have thought when I set out on this fantastic journey at age 17 in 1958 that I’d still be recording and performing into my 80s? It was a dream, and I am proof that dreams really do come true.”
While Cliff’s career has been defined by the spotlight, Jacqueline’s life has been marked by quiet dignity. Together, they represent two very different paths from the same family — one of global recognition, the other of private contentment — bound by shared history and the enduring ties of family.