Diana Defries was just 16 years old when her newborn daughter was pulled from her arms in 1974 under historical forced adoption practices. On Monday's This Morning (July 6), she appeared before ITV presenters Ben Shephard and Cat Deeley to share her response to Prime Minister Keir Starmer's long-awaited apology, one she had been expecting for five decades.
Emotional Reaction to the Apology
Diana, who was present during the apology, told the ITV hosts: "Initially, it was a very emotional experience because no one has really publicly acknowledged the injustice and he did that for us. He did that for everyone affected. It was done sympathetically, compassionately and with tremendous consideration of the aspects of this experience and the way it effects different people. So, yes, it was very emotional, but it was also a relief because finally we've been seen and we've been understood and heard."
Background of Forced Adoption Practices
During the 1950s, 60s and 70s, approximately 185,000 babies were forcibly removed from young mothers on the grounds that being unmarried rendered them unsuitable parents. Diana Defries experienced this firsthand when she was just 16. Her daughter was taken from her 12 days after giving birth, with Diana recalling being sent back to school shortly afterwards and expected to carry on as if nothing had occurred.
Diana's Personal Account
Diana elaborated further on her experience as a teenager, revealing she had been deserted by her baby's father and had concealed the pregnancy for as long as possible. Upon discovering her pregnancy, she described the aftermath as 'hell breaking loose', with events unfolding rapidly and beyond her control. Recounting the birth in 1974, Diana recalled how the medical personnel remained silent and clinical throughout. She said: "They weren't kind in any way, there was no reassurance, there was nobody to hold my hand." Following the delivery, she told Ben and Cat that she spent four hours alone in a room with her daughter, unable to reach her as she had been placed across the room.
The Moment of Separation
The longest period she spent holding her daughter, she explained, was during the journey back to London after leaving the hospital. Diana said: "I held her all the way back, we got to the adoption agency, and I was still holding her. The woman came out and said, 'It's time'. She was pulled from my arms with me saying 'No,' they pulled her out of my arms and handed her over." She revealed, however, that she has since reunited with her daughter at the age of 18, and they have successfully developed a relationship.
Prime Minister's Apology
During his apology, the Prime Minister declared: "The shame is not yours. The shame was never yours. The shame is ours." This Morning is available to watch weekdays on ITV from 10am.
