Singing socialite’s praises

MISS Meryl Streep Her Very Own Terrif ic Self is now starring in Paramount’s “Florence Foster Jenkins.” It’s the true 1940s-ish story of an aged heiress who loved to sing but couldn’t sing but continued to sing and whose unemployed husband — played by Hugh Grant — loaded Carnegie Hall so all NYC could hear the old bat growl off-key.

After seeing a preview in June, I reported on it. Yesterday came a handwritten note from Scarsdale, NY. Beverly (we’ll protect her last name) writes:

“I’m one of the few who knew Florence Foster Jenkins through our piano teacher Cosmé McMoon. He accompanied her at Carnegie Hall in the hopes that he would be compensated for his efforts.

“Florence truly believed in herself. She did ‘Carmen’ with a long red rose between her teeth.

“She was tone-deaf and stone-deaf never realized how bad she was.”

Florence is now gone. Her movie opens Aug. 12. Miss Meryl herself marches on. She just returned from Morocco.

His Majesty the King Mohammed VI and his cousin Princess Lalla Joumala — soon and to be their country’s ambassador in Washington — received her last week in their capital, Rabat, and in Marrakesh.

You’ve read about First Lady Michelle, both daughters, Indian actress Freida Pinto, Meryl and assorted others’ trip there on a “Let Girls Learn” mission. Mrs. Obama’s focus was to spotlight the fact that 62 million young girls around the world are without schooling. North Africa’s illiteracy rate is 41 percent.

The invited VIPs spoke with the girls, interviewed and interacted with them. CNN plans a documentary about their plight.