Alain de Botton, writer, was born on 20 December 1969 in Zurich, Switzerland. He is the only son of financier Gilbert de Botton and his first wife, Jacqueline Burgauer. He has one sister named Miele. Alain spent the first twelve years of his life in Switzerland, where he learned to speak French and German. His family later moved to London, where he completed his education. He took a double starred first in history at Gonville and Caius College, Cambridge (1988-1990) and completed his masters degree in philosophy at King's College (1991-1992).