[1] Her life story was later recorded in a biography written by a distant cousin, Australian author Suzanne Falkiner.

[2] The Falkiners were stud merino sheep breeders in country Victoria and New South Wales, and by the early 20th-century had established themselves as wealthy members of Melbourne society.

[2] Joan Falkiner met Taley Muhammed Khan in the Black Forest in Germany in 1937, where he was seeking treatment for a painful polo injury.

[3] Joan's family were also concerned that Taley, as a Muslim, was already married to an Indian woman (who had since become an invalid), and had a 20-year-old son.

The departure of the 21 year old heiress caused a stir and much speculation in Melbourne high society.