 Born Sonnhild Spielhagen in Berlin, Germany in 1939, Drane grew up in Great Britain during post-World War II years.Her father was the Mayor Wolfgang Spielhagen (1891–1945) of the City of Breslau (now part of Poland and named Wrocław).He was firmly anti-Hitler, resulting in Nazi Party Gauleiter Karl Hanke having him executed in January 1945.