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Who was Archie Christie?
Archie Christie was the first husband of the famous mystery writer Agatha Christie. They married in 1914 and divorced in 1928, after a tumultuous relationship that involved infidelity, separation, and a mysterious disappearance. Archie Christie was a British businessman and military officer who served in World War I and later became a successful director of several companies. He died in 1962 at the age of 73.
How did Archie Christie die?
According to his death certificate, Archie Christie died of natural causes on December 20, 1962, in Godalming, England. The cause of death was listed as “disease”, which could mean any chronic or terminal illness. However, some sources suggest that he died of a heart attack, while others claim that he suffered from a brain tumor. The exact nature of his disease remains unknown.
Why is Archie Christie’s death a mystery?
Archie Christie’s death is a mystery because it is overshadowed by the events of his life, especially his marriage to Agatha Christie. The couple had a happy start, but their relationship deteriorated after the death of Agatha’s mother in 1926. Archie confessed that he had fallen in love with another woman, Nancy Neele, and asked for a divorce. Agatha refused and tried to save their marriage, but Archie insisted on leaving her.
On December 3, 1926, Agatha and Archie had a heated argument, after which Agatha drove away in her car. The next day, her car was found abandoned near a quarry, with her coat, suitcase, and driver’s license inside. Agatha was nowhere to be found, and a massive search was launched to find her. The public speculated that she had been kidnapped, murdered, or committed suicide. Some even suspected that Archie had killed her, or that she had staged her own disappearance to frame him.
However, 11 days later, Agatha was found alive and well in a hotel in Harrogate, where she had checked in under the name of Nancy Neele. She claimed that she had suffered from amnesia and did not remember anything that had happened. She also did not recognize Archie when he came to see her. The mystery of her disappearance was never fully explained, and Agatha never mentioned it in her autobiography. Some believe that she had a nervous breakdown, while others think that she planned the whole thing as a publicity stunt or a revenge on Archie.
Archie and Agatha divorced in 1928, and Archie married Nancy Neele shortly after. Agatha went on to become one of the most successful and prolific writers of all time, creating iconic characters such as Hercule Poirot and Miss Marple. Archie lived a quiet life with Nancy until her death in 1958. He then married a third time, to Margaret Watts, in 1961. He died a year later, leaving behind two children from his first marriage, Rosalind and Monty.
What is the legacy of Archie Christie?
Archie Christie is mostly remembered as the first husband of Agatha Christie, and the inspiration for some of her novels. For example, some critics have suggested that the character of Philip Lombard in And Then There Were None was based on Archie, as he was a charming but unfaithful adventurer. Others have pointed out that the plot of The Murder of Roger Ackroyd, in which a woman fakes her own death to escape her abusive husband, was influenced by Agatha’s disappearance. Moreover, some of Agatha’s stories feature characters named Archie or Archibald, such as The Mysterious Affair at Styles, The Secret Adversary, and The Mystery of the Blue Train.
However, Archie Christie was also a remarkable person in his own right, who had a distinguished career and a fascinating life. He was a decorated war hero, a pioneer of aviation, a successful businessman, and a devoted father. He was also a generous and charitable man, who supported various causes and organizations, such as the Royal Air Force Benevolent Fund, the British Red Cross, and the Royal Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals. He was buried in the churchyard of St. John the Baptist in Windlesham, Surrey, where Agatha had also lived for many years.
Archie Christie’s cause of death may not be as mysterious as his ex-wife’s disappearance, but it is still a curious and intriguing part of his story. He was a man who lived in the shadow of a legend, but also left his own mark on the world. He was, in the words of Agatha Christie, “a very good man”.
