She’s arguably the most eligible woman in Britain – a seductive blonde with estates in England and Scotland, plus the lioness’s share of her family’s £5 billion fortune.
But Leonie Schroder (below) has endured many traumas, never more so than when her ex-husband, Nicholas Fane, died tragically shortly after their divorce eight years ago.
So I’m excited to reveal that the heiress – daughter of the late billionaire, banker Bruno Schroder – is celebrating her engagement to Guy Blakeney. He is a member of the Royal Company of Archers, the monarch’s bodyguard in Scotland, which turns out for ceremonial occasions.
“He really made her happy – for the first time in a long time,” a friend tells me. Management consultant Blakeney, 48, is an Old Etonian – like Fane, with whom Leonie had three children – and a crack, who represents the Etonian Shooting Club.
Leonie Schroder (above) has endured many traumas, never more so than when her ex-husband, Nicholas Fane, died tragically shortly after their divorce eight years ago. So I’m delighted to reveal that the heiress – daughter of the late billionaire banker Bruno Schroder – is celebrating her engagement to Guy Blakeney
Leonie’s own talents were called into question, rather cruelly, when the Daily Mail Diary revealed in 2018 that her father planned to put her on the board of Schroders, which today has a staggering £732 billion under management.
The prospect stunned City heads, with one claiming that Leonie was “completely unqualified” because she had “no experience in financial services.”
Leonie, now 48, had held various board positions since graduating from St Andrews University, but only in small organizations such as Dunlossit’s 18,500-acre estate on the Scottish island of Islay, or her own 1,200-acre Hurstbourne Park estate in Hampshire.
But the anger of the shareholders was quelled and she was appointed to the board of directors after Bruno died in 2019 at the age of 86.
Several years earlier, Bruno, who was estranged from Leonie’s mother, Piffa, had married his mistress, Baroness Suzanne Maltzahn.
Before that, he was engaged in a lengthy legal battle with a previous mistress, Elaine Decoulos.
Friends are looking forward to the wedding. “The man is tall and lanky,” says one, “[but] she’s a little one. It will be fun to see them on the dance floor.”
Shareholder anger was appeased and she was appointed to the board of directors after Bruno died in 2019 at the age of 86
The smart set is talking about… Spencer scion’s acting chops
Undoubtedly aware of complaints that show business is full of expensively trained stars like Old Etonian Eddie Redmayne and Old Harrovian Benedict Cumberbatch, a new actor, who is more upscale than everyone else, has dropped his illustrious last name.
I can reveal that Earl Spencer’s son and heir, Viscount Althorp, Louis Frederick John Spencer, was trained as an actor.
Princess Diana’s 28-year-old cousin, who will inherit the 13,000-acre Althorp estate in Northamptonshire, has registered his stage name as Louis John Lyons.
He has just graduated from ArtsEd drama school in West London and has already been signed by talent agency Tavistock Wood, which stars Dominic West and Lily James. Maybe Louis could play his dad in Netflix hit The Crown?
I can reveal that Earl Spencer’s son and heir, Viscount Althorp, Louis Frederick John Spencer, was trained as an actor
One day dog dinner for Spacey
Just hours after Kevin Spacey appeared at the Old Bailey to deny sexually assaulting three men, the Oscar winner had a more agreeable appointment elsewhere in London.
The House Of Cards star, 62, attended the launch party for Cindy Lass’ book, A Colorful Pawtrait, at the Chelsea Arts Club. Artist Lass, known for her portraits of dogs, says, “He likes puppies. He has a big heart and I feel really connected to him.’
Dogs have been the cause of America’s problems, though: In 2004, he tripped over his Jack Russell terrier, Mini, while chasing a boy who ripped him off his cell phone.
Artist Lass (above), known for her portraits of dogs, says, “He likes puppies. He has a big heart and I really feel connected to him
The Duchess of Cambridge’s sister, Pippa Middleton, and her investment banker husband, James Matthews, appear to have left London for good. Last Saturday, I announced that the couple had bought a £15 million mansion in Berkshire.
Now it looks like they are not keeping their £17million Chelsea at home.
Movers were busy loading furniture for three days this week. “I just saw the departure of Pippa and family, who live down the street from me,” opera singer Melinda Hughes reports. “It was very moving to see them wave goodbye to their home in London.”
Former Speaker of the House of Commons, John Bercow, who was deemed a ‘serious bully’ by the parliamentary watchdog, increased his company’s assets by nearly £75,000 while claiming a taxpayer-subsidized leave.
Bercow’s company, which employed an average of two employees in the 12 months to March 2021, demanded a leave of absence of between £1 and £10,000. He insisted the total leave demanded during the pandemic was ‘well under £10,000’.
But new accounts for his company, Fedhead Ltd, show his reserves have risen from £328,330 to £403,051. Bercow used the scheme to pay his wife, Sally, for administrative support. The name of the company is said to have been inspired by Roger Federer, Bercow’s favorite tennis player.
Nicole only has eyes for rugby hunk Thom
She enjoyed an eight-year, on-off relationship with Formula 1 champion Lewis Hamilton and a shorter romance with tennis player Grigor Dimitrov, but pop singer Nicole Scherzinger appears to have found true love with another sportsman, former Scottish rugby star Thom Evans.
I hear the Pussycat Dolls singer, 44, and Evans, 37, are about to announce their engagement.
“They’re getting married,” a friend claims. The couple have just returned from a vacation in Mykonos, Greece, where Evans is said to have proposed. His former girlfriends include model and actress Kelly Brook.
He has said he knew Nicole was “The One” since he was a contestant, and she a judge, on The X Factor: Celebrity in 2019.
“The first few days with Nicole it was just great, and it’s been great ever since,” he gushed.
I hear the Pussycat Dolls singer, 44, and Evans, 37, are about to announce their engagement
Sharapova’s top delivery
Prince Harry’s children have a new playmate: royal friend Alexander Gilkes and his fiancée, former Wimbledon champion Maria Sharapova, are celebrating the birth of their first child.
The Russian tennis star, 35, shared this photo of her with their son Theodore, who was born earlier this month. “The most beautiful, challenging and rewarding gift our little family could ask for,” she says.
Old Etonian Gilkes, 43, is a friend of Harry and Prince William, and was previously married to Meghan Markle’s boyfriend, designer Misha Nonoo.
The Russian tennis star, 35, shared this photo of her with their son Theodore, who was born earlier this month
Miss UK’s boy is in fighting form
The 18-year-old has just completed his training to join the Swiss Army’s Special Forces Unit
As the son of Kirsty Bertarelli, the beauty queen whose divorce from Swiss tycoon Ernesto made her wealthier than the queen, you’d expect Falco Bertarelli to be a spoiled playboy who spends part of his mother’s 400 million pound divorce settlement.
In fact, the 18-year-old has just completed his training to join the Swiss Army’s special forces unit.
‘So proud of you,’ says his mother, 51, who was born Kirsty Roper in Staffordshire.
“You went to the Special Forces on your own back and succeeded, no mean feat. Exhausting and brave.’
Did Georgia Mann, host of Radio 3’s Essential Classics, get the memo about BBC presenters being with the kids? “A group of teenagers have just arrived at the River Teddington,” she complained on social media from her seat by the Thames in south-west London.
“It all seems really nice, but they play music at deafening volume and I just can’t get over how annoying and antisocial it is. Realize I’m a grumpy old lady, but SERIOUSLY.’
Why not strike back with some atonal Schoenberg, Georgia?
(Very) modern manners
Prince George, eight years old, managed to keep his suit and tie on in the Royal Box at Wimbledon, in temperatures approaching 30 degrees.
But things are more complicated at the RAC, the gentlemen’s club half a mile from Buckingham Palace.
It has alarmed one stalwart, who laments the “dress code has been relaxed too far” as polo shirts can be worn in summer.
But before George asks his father to suspend the annual subscription, he must watch out for the fate of others his age. Another member, accompanied by his grandsons, was stunned when doormen barred them from entering, explaining that the boys were ‘inappropriately dressed’ – in polo shirts and ‘tailored shorts’.