EDEN CONFIDENTIAL: Did King Charles's former right-hand man Michael Fawcett sell £1.3million home to pay off son's £700,000 debts?

Decades earlier becoming main executive of The Prince's Foundation – and 1 of nan early King Charles's astir trusted confidants – Michael Fawcett supplemented his humble income arsenic a Buckingham Palace footman by taking a Saturday occupation successful a menswear shop.

Presumably eager that his children, Oliver and Emily, should beryllium spared akin indignity, nan acutely focused Fawcett appointed them arsenic board of his events institution erstwhile they were conscionable 22 and 24 respectively.

But things person not, alas, gone rather according to plan. Indeed, I tin uncover that Oliver, now 28, has suffered a sadistic reversal of fortune. Just 2 years aft becoming nan cardinal shareholder successful – and sole head of – 303 London Ltd, a institution specialising successful 'television programme accumulation activities', he's been obliged to telephone successful nan liquidators aft it amassed debts of astir £700,000.

It's an unhappy situation. The institution owes £550,000 to HM Revenue & Customs – and a further £13,000 successful unpaid corp tax. Banks and different institutions are owed a full of £110,000, and 303's landlord different £12,000.

Oliver had appeared to beryllium racing on successful his father's slipstream. While he couldn't instantly dream to tuck distant nan £95,000-a-year Fawcett elder received arsenic main executive of The Prince's Foundation, Oliver's institution pocketed £16,000 from nan instauration successful 2016, £1,770 successful 2017 and £400 successful 2018, for producing short films covering events astatine Dumfries House, nan magnificent Palladian heap successful Ayrshire which nan King 'saved for nan nation'.

Those glory years whitethorn now look a distant memory. In 2021 Michael – who reputedly squeezed toothpaste onto nan royal toothbrush aft Charles suffered a terrible autumn playing polo – resigned from nan instauration pursuing allegations that he'd discussed securing British citizenship and a knighthood for a Saudi tycoon.

Recently, arsenic I disclosed, Michael, 61, and his woman Debbie, a erstwhile Buckingham Palace housemaid, sold their five-bedroom house, conscionable a mile from Hampton Court, for £1.3million. They bought it for £490,000 successful 2003 – nan aforesaid twelvemonth successful which Fawcett resigned from nan Royal Household pursuing an enquiry conducted by Michael (later Sir Michael) Peat, who'd go Charles's Private Secretary nan erstwhile year.

The enquiry cleared Fawcett of immoderate impropriety but recovered that he'd accepted galore gifts successful nan people of his royal service.

The redoubtable Fawcett wasn't impeded for long, returning to activity for Charles connected a freelance basis.

I spot that Oliver will show nan aforesaid resilience. He declines to remark connected his existent difficulties, but tin possibly return comfortableness from nan truth that, aft trading their house, his parents paid £530,000 for a bungalow 8 miles distant – yielding an £800,000 profit connected their spot transactions. More than capable to screen what 303 owes HMRC...

Anne faces up to interrogation

Anne Robinson, who turns 80 adjacent week, says her changing look continues to pull attention. 

Having undergone a facelift successful 2004, The Weakest Link big tells The Oldie magazine: 'For ages afterwards, men would travel up to maine and person a superior speech and past astatine nan extremity say, "My woman wanted to cognize if I could inquire you wherever you sewage your facelift."

'Gordon Brown's female sidekick had a superior speech pinch maine astir inheritance taxation astatine a statement and past astatine nan extremity said, "How overmuch did your look cost?"'

Jagger's girl: Fun has gone retired of fashion

Elizabeth Jagger launched her modelling profession astatine nan property of 13 pinch an quality connected nan catwalk alongside her mother, Jerry Hall.

And Sir Mick Jagger's 40-year-old girl is disappointed astatine nan measurement nan manufacture has gone since then.

'Fashion was a spot much important erstwhile we were young,' she tells maine astatine London Fashion Week.

'It was much passionate, and location was possibly a spot much imaginative freedom.'

Lizzy wore a Barbour overgarment to a meal hosted by Alexa Chung to observe nan motorboat of her scope for nan classical English brand.

'The manner world has go somewhat much corporate,' adds Lizzy. 'It's each very money-based.

'Even nan cameras you spot astatine nan shows are robots.'

Lord Alli splashed retired connected renovating his penthouse 

He's doled retired thousands to Sir Keir Starmer, and thousands much to dress nan Prime Minister's wife, Victoria, truthful it's heartening to perceive that Lord Alli hasn't neglected his ain animal comforts.

Indeed, I tin disclose that nan peer, 59, felt that his 5,000 sq ft Covent Garden penthouse, which he snapped up for £18.35 cardinal 4 years ago, could beryllium much to his tastes. So he instigated a 'complete refurbishment', to make it 'feel for illustration a boutique hotel'.

Three bedrooms and 1 bath became a solitary bedroom, 2 bathrooms and a study – pinch a deftly designed tile plot for entertaining. The translator is evidently to Sir Keir's liking.

Not only did he walk predetermination nighttime there, he's besides hosted fundraising events astatine nan penthouse which may, successful part, explicate nan £20,400 for arsenic yet unspecified 'accommodation' that he's declared successful nan Register of Members' Interests.

Piano Competition 'rigged' against men

The Leeds International Piano Competition, for which Sir Keir Starmer wrote introductory notes to nan programme, has been accused of 'rigging' nan arena against men.

Leaked instructions to nan assemblage state: 'If location are 2 candidates pinch adjacent scores competing for 1 spot and 1 is simply a female candidate, we inquire nan juror to see advancing her first.'

A spokesperson says these are 'not mandatory' but 'part of our broader effort to reside nan long-standing rumor of gender inequality.'

Dame Judi Dench fights to prevention nan trees

As James Bond's leader M successful 8 James Bond films, Dame Judi Dench was utilized to fighting evil forces.

In her latest role, nan Oscar victor is taking connected a very different adversary: nan Church of England.

She's trying to prevention trees being axed astatine Ripon Cathedral to make measurement for a development.

Dame Judi, an ambassador and patron for nan Woodland Trust, says: 'I afloat support nan run to protect nan seasoned character successful Ripon, on pinch nan different patient municipality trees nether threat. They are irreplaceable habitat.

'I dream a solution tin beryllium recovered to protect this conservation area.'

The cathedral's section says caller trees would beryllium planted to mitigate against nan loss.

Burrell's sad, 'last goodbye' to Diana

Never awkward of nan limelight, Princess Diana's erstwhile butler Paul Burrell, 66, boasts successful a caller documentary connected Althorp House that he was 'the past personification to opportunity goodbye to her' erstwhile she was laid to remainder successful nan grounds of her puerility location successful Northamptonshire.

Burrell tells C5's Althorp House: Royal Residence: 'I'll ne'er hide that infinitesimal arsenic I threw nan world down and looked astatine nan sheet [saying] Diana, Princess of Wales and her dates, I felt very sad.'

Garrick: Women 'subject to nan aforesaid process arsenic men'

Women person only conscionable been allowed to subordinate nan Garrick, but they've already been warned not to get ideas supra their station.

The club's wide committee allowed Dames Judi Dench and Sian Phillips to subordinate arsenic 'distinguished' members, but now its charismatic mag complains immoderate ladies judge 'all female candidates would get nan aforesaid fast-track treatment'.

Women 'will beryllium taxable to nan aforesaid process arsenic men', it states, adding: 'Candidates do not "apply" to subordinate nan club, fto unsocial usage nan media to denote a desire to join.'