Latest news with #aristocrat
Daily Mail
4 days ago
- Entertainment
- Daily Mail
King Charles' cousin Lord Ivar Mountbatten announces the engagement of his 'most precious' daughter Ella, 29, to her insurance executive boyfriend
King Charles 's cousin has announced the engagement of his eldest daughter, Ella Mountbatten. British aristocrat Lord Ivar Mountbatten, 62, who previously won America's The Traitors, took to Instagram to share the happy news of 29-year-old Ella's engagement to Fergus Allways Wright. 'I couldn't be happier to announce the engagement of my eldest and most precious daughter Ella @ellamountbatten to her fabulous boyfriend Fergus @ the proud father wrote. He continued, 'Ferg is not one to be rushed, so I am incredibly pleased that he has finally put us all out of our misery! 'I know he will look after my daughter to his dying day - they couldn't be better suited. Enjoy this special time in your life.' The father-of-three to Ella, Alix and Luli, with his ex-wife, Penny Mounbatten, signed the post off by writing, 'Much love to you both. X #happycouple #finally #1down2togo.' Ivar, who became the first member of the extended Royal Family to enter a same-sex union in 2018 with partner James Coyle, added a sweet photograph of the happy couple in the post. Brand partnership manager Ella was all smiles as she proudly displayed her emerald and diamond-encrusted engagement ring while standing next to her fiancé, who works as an insurance executive. It comes after Ivar's niece, Lady Tatiana Mountbatten, welcomed her second child earlier this year in April. The 34-year-old equestrian and psychotherapist, who is the daughter of George Mountbatten, Marquess of Milford Haven, and Sarah Walker, took to Instagram to reveal she's had a baby boy - and shared his unique and meaningful name. She posted a series of sweet photographs, including one of the newborn wrapped up in a knitted jumper, a cloud-print beanie and tiny mittens, under a cosy blanket. The aristocrat further revealed that she'd called her newborn Auberon, or Albie for short. Tatiana shared several photographs of her eldest child Elodie, who she and husband Alexander 'Alick' Dru welcomed in September 2023, and her family enjoying the start of spring in the countryside. The final photo in her set was of her holding both Elodie and Albie close as they cuddled on a sofa, Tatiana smiling at the camera and appearing radiant. In another picture, the proud parent simply showed his tiny hand holding one of her fingers. The mother-of-two wrote in the caption, 'March might just have been the best month of my life. The proud father said he 'couldn't be happier' to announce the engagement of his eldest daughter 'We've been in the country for a month, Auberon (Albie) has been really wonderful to look after. 'His big sister has adored being outside all day every day and is slowly getting used to him. 'We've played, rested, nourished, slept a little, loved a lot and enjoyed every minute of the glorious spring weather.' However, the time had come for the family to head back to London, Tatiana revealed. 'Now it's time to head back to London, to return to normal - or discover what our new normal looks like, and slowly find our stride again. Unbelievably grateful.' Friends and family congratulated the family on their newest arrival, including Ella Mountbatten, daughter of Lord Ivar Mountbatten. In a comment on the post, she wished Tatiana ahead of her birthday on April 16 and wrote, 'My new little cuz Albie, he's the sweetest Tats, congratulations and happy birthday for Wednesday.' Tatiana also appeared eager to show Albie the reins of her beloved horses and to get him a pony of his own in the near future. In reply to a fellow equestrian who asked when the royal would be buying him his first pony, Tatiana replied with an enthusiastic 'Soon!'. Another commenter wondered about the origins of Albie's name. Tatiana clarified that Auberon is Alick's family name, as his father is Auberon Alexander Bernard Dru. In October last year, Tatiana revealed she was expecting her second child in a post showing off her growing bump at the time in a form-fitting jersey jumpsuit by Max Mara. At the time, she shared a photograph of herself proudly cradling her pregnant belly while at an event hosted by the Italian designer and wrote in the caption, 'A private preview of my growing bump maxmara exquisite new collection.' She and Alick had welcomed their first child Elodie in September 2023. She previously revealed that the couple did not know the gender of the baby and were keeping it a 'surprise on the day'. Tatiana and Alick married at Winchester Cathedral in July 2022. The bride wore an elegant gown by British designer Suzanne Neville that included a bespoke three metre train with embroidery from her mother's wedding gown. Tatiana is the second cousin once removed of King Charles, and the eldest child of George Mountbatten and his first wife Sarah Georgina Walker. Her younger brother is Henry David Louis Mountbatten, Earl of Medina, while her stepbrother is Harry Wentworth-Stanley, the husband of Prince Harry's ex-girlfriend, Cressida Bonas. Alick, an entrepreneur who studied in Eton, is the son of Auberon Alexander Bernard Dru and Catherine Margaret Norden. His father, known as Bernard, is the son of Major Alexander Dru and Gabriel Mary Hermione Herbert, and is a descendent of both John Vesey, 4th Viscount de Vesci, and Henry Howard Molyneux Herbert, 4th Earl of Carnarvon.
Daily Mail
4 days ago
- Entertainment
- Daily Mail
Baby joy for Duke and Duchess of Westminster as couple announce birth of first child year on from society wedding of the year that starred Prince William as an usher
The Duke and Duchess of Westminster have joyfully announced the birth of their first child. Billionaire aristocrat Hugh Grosvenor and his wife Olivia confirmed they had welcomed a baby girl, a year after they got married in what was the society wedding of the year, starring Prince William as an usher. The happy couple also revealed their daughter had been named Cosima Florence Grosvenor. A spokesperson for the pair said: 'The Duke and Duchess of Westminster are thrilled to announce the birth of their baby daughter. 'Both the duchess and Cosima are doing well. 'The duke and duchess now look forward to spending this special time together as a family.' The duke is a close friend of princes William and Harry and is godfather to Prince George as well as reportedly Prince Archie. The Duke of Sussex agreed with Hugh, who is one of the UK's biggest landowners, that he would not attend his wedding last June amid a long-running feud with his brother. Once considered one of the country's most eligible bachelors, Hugh became an instant billionaire when he inherited his title and control of the historic Grosvenor Estate aged just 25, after his father died from a heart attack in 2016. His property company, Grosvenor Group, owns hundreds of acres of land in Mayfair and Belgravia, as well as major city centre developments such as Liverpool's One shopping centre. The duke donated £12.5 million to the UK's Covid relief effort in 2020, including funds for NHS Charities Together and for medical research and development. In April, the Duke and Duchess of Westminster joined Prince William and Prince George to cheer on Aston Villa in the quarter-finals of the UEFA Champions League against Paris St Germain. It was their first public appearance after announcing they were expecting a baby. Hugh and Olivia showed their support, each wearing matching burgundy scarfs with Aston Villa emblazoned in white across the length of the neckwear. Earlier this year, a spokesman for the pair said: 'The Duchess is expecting a baby in the summer. The couple are delighted with the news and are very much looking forward to starting a family together.' The pair announced their engagement in April 2023, after being together for two years. They decided to marry at Chester Cathedral, before inviting around 400 guests including Princess Eugenie and TV producer Phil Redmond, to go to a lavish reception at the Grosvenor family seat, Eaton Hall, just outside Chester. The Duke paid for free ice cream, gelato and sorbet for Cheshire locals from three local independent cafes so they could join in the celebration. And a staggering 100,000 flowers - all paid for by the Duke - were planted throughout the city and donated to charity following the ceremony. No expense was spared as Olivia arrived at the Cathedral in a vintage 1930 8-litre Bentley owned by the Grosvenor estate. The bride's veil was designed by Emma Victoria Payne and featuring an embroidery design which incorporated floral motifs from her great-great-grandmother's veil from around 1880. Her dress was made by the same designer and she accessorised with blue shoes and the Faberge Myrtle Leaf Tiara made for Grosvenor brides to wear on their wedding day, which has been in the family since 1906.
The Independent
5 days ago
- Entertainment
- The Independent
Duke and Duchess of Westminster ‘thrilled' as they welcome their first child
The Duke and Duchess of Westminster have announced the birth of their first child. Billionaire aristocrat Hugh Grosvenor and his wife Olivia, who married last year, have welcomed a baby girl named Cosima Florence Grosvenor, born in London on Sunday. 'The Duke and Duchess of Westminster are thrilled to announce the birth of their baby daughter,' a spokesperson for the couple said. 'Both the duchess and Cosima are doing well. 'The duke and duchess now look forward to spending this special time together as a family.' The duke, one of the UK's biggest landowners, is a close friend of both the Prince of Wales and the Duke of Sussex, and godfather to Prince George and also reportedly to Prince Archie. William acted as an usher at his wedding in Chester Cathedral in June last year but Harry mutually agreed with the groom he would not attend amid his long-running rift with his brother. Hugh, once considered one of the country's most eligible bachelors, became an instant billionaire when he inherited his title and control of the historic Grosvenor Estate aged 25, following the death of his father from a heart attack in 2016. His property company, Grosvenor Group, owns hundreds of acres of land in Mayfair and Belgravia, as well as major city centre developments such as Liverpool's One shopping centre. In 2020, the duke donated £12.5 million to the UK's Covid-19 relief effort including funds for NHS Charities Together and for medical research and development.
The Independent
5 days ago
- Entertainment
- The Independent
Duke and Duchess of Westminster ‘thrilled' as they welcome first child
The Duke and Duchess of Westminster have announced the birth of their first child. Billionaire aristocrat Hugh Grosvenor and his wife Olivia, who married last year, have welcomed a baby girl born in London on Sunday, named Cosima Florence Grosvenor. 'The Duke and Duchess of Westminster are thrilled to announce the birth of their baby daughter,' a spokesperson for the couple said. 'Both the duchess and Cosima are doing well. 'The duke and duchess now look forward to spending this special time together as a family.' The duke, one of the UK's biggest landowners, is a close friend of both the Prince of Wales and the Duke of Sussex, and godfather to Prince George and also reportedly to Prince Archie. William acted as an usher at his wedding in Chester Cathedral in June last year but Harry mutually agreed with the groom he would not attend amid his long-running rift with his brother. Hugh, once considered one of the country's most eligible bachelors, became an instant billionaire when he inherited his title and control of the historic Grosvenor Estate aged 25, following the death of his father from a heart attack in 2016. His property company, Grosvenor Group, owns hundreds of acres of land in Mayfair and Belgravia, as well as major city centre developments such as Liverpool's One shopping centre. In 2020, the duke donated £12.5 million to the UK's Covid-19 relief effort including funds for NHS Charities Together and for medical research and development.
Daily Mail
20-07-2025
- Daily Mail
EXCLUSIVE The bizarre Tatler-esque glossy magazine run by serial fraudster that had 'Babe of the Month' aristocrat baby killer Constance Marten as cover girl
As a young debutante, Constance Marten cheerfully described her carefree life of society parties and summer holidays when she featured in an edition of Tatler magazine. Then aged 21 and going by her nickname Toots, the aristocrat confidently posed in a 1920's-style flapper dress after being crowned 'Babe of the Month' by the high society publication. Now Marten has been elevated to cover girl after her smiling image was emblazoned across the front page of an altogether less aspirational magazine called ' The View '. For readers not in the know, the publication heralds itself as 'a grass-roots social enterprise and campaigning platform that gives voice to women in the justice system' with the support of 'leading barristers, jurists and human rights advocates'. In reality, MailOnline can reveal, the bizarre, glossy magazine is a mouthpiece for its founder Farah Damji, one of Britain's most notorious con artists who is also a serial stalker and a fellow inmate of Marten. Damji - who is the daughter of a multi-millionaire property tycoon and has left behind a trail of countless shattered lives in a criminal career spanning 30 years - once insisted that no woman should ever go to prison. And it appears Marten is the latest recruit to her campaign. The View, which was launched in 2020, describes itself as a radical publication for 'women with conviction', could now face contempt of court proceedings over the article, which could have derailed a prosecution which has cost taxpayers around £2.8million over two trials across the last two years. Published quarterly in digital and print formats, it now boasts of having more than 15,000 paid subscribers including judges and officials working in government departments and think tanks. It claims to produce up to four digital magazines each year and one 'bumper' annual print edition which can be purchased for £20 for subscribers. Individual digital editions can also be purchased for £5. The magazine claims to have 25,000 readers with printed copies available in 130 stockists as well as all 12 women's prisons in England and Wales with 2,000 copies distributed in libraries at a cover cost of £5. There have been 79 episodes of its Rebel Justice podcast since the first episode was released in November 2021. Among its champions is former Labour peer Baroness Uddin who described The View as 'an incredible magazine' during a debate on women in the criminal justice system in the House of Lords in 2019. In an exclusive interview with the magazine, Marten, 38, paints a very different picture of her life from that of the upbeat trust-fund heiress of her Tatler days in 2009. It appears the publication - along with an accompanying podcast in which her 'unflinching testimony' is read by an actor - has given her the platform as a champion for the rights of vulnerable women who are 'survivors of trauma and state-endorsed violence'. Shedding light on the 'ongoing injustices women face in the legal system', Marten outlines her 'harrowing experience' as she stood trial at the Old Bailey alongside her rapist partner Mark Gordon, 51, after they were accused of killing their newborn baby. In a self-pitying rant about her 'inhumane conditions', Marten complained of the exhaustive process of having to sit through the hearing day after day while enduring the commute backwards and forwards from Bronzefield Prison in Ashford, Surrey where she was being detained. Marten - who spent a number of days absent from the court - complained the regime left her falling asleep in the dock while she was forced to endure 'freezing' conditions as the Old Bailey heating system was not working and had to eat 'disgusting' court food. In the article Marten, heiress worth £2.4million, took aim at Serco, the private firm which manages transport from prison to court while criticising the 'dehumanising' justice process. She said: 'This entire system will continue preventing us from having a right to a fair trial as long as we allow this to continue. 'I feel as if I need to sue Serco for adversely affecting my trial, preventing me from accessing my lawyers, and for my mental health, which is in pieces.' Prisoner A9624X also compared slammed prosecutors, claiming she was spoken to like a child. She also compared the lawyers to Dementors from Harry Potter, creatures referred to as 'soul sucking fiends.' She said of her CPS prosecutors: 'Tom Little and Joel Smith remind me of Dementors from Harry Potter. There's no empathy. I felt like I was being grilled as a serial killer. 'They all use this disgusting tone, like they're reprimanding a small child. I've heard them laugh and joke with others but with me, it's always condescending.' There is no mention of the freezing and inhumane conditions in which her newborn daughter Victoria died whose body was found in a Lidl carrier bag after Marten and Gordon went on the run from the authorities in December 2022. Published quarterly in digital and print formats, The View boasts of having more than 15,000 paid subscribers including judges and officials working in government departments and think tanks The couple - who had already had four children taken into care - took cars and taxis around the country to try to avoid detection, before setting up home in a flimsy tent on the South Downs in the middle of winter. When police finally caught up with the pair in February the following year, baby Victoria, whose grandfather was a page of honour to Queen Elizabeth II, was found dumped in a disused shed in a Lidl shopping bag. On top of her body was an empty beer can and the discarded packaging of an egg sandwich. Prosecutors believe she died from hypothermia or smothering but by then the corpse was too badly decomposed to be certain. Neither defendant was prepared to shed any light on the child's death and Gordon claimed Victoria would be alive today had police not pursued them. Astonishingly, the article was published half way through the couple's lengthy and chaotic second trial at the Old Bailey which the judge accused the couple of trying to 'sabotage' and 'derail'. They are now facing lengthy prison sentences after being found guilty of Victoria's manslaughter by gross negligence. The article is now being looked at as a potential contempt of court as it featured an image of one of the couple's children - which is banned by a court order. It appeared in the magazine alongside a piece focusing on another 'disturbing case' highlighting how women are being 'failed' by the criminal justice system - that of the paper's editor Damji, 58. Ugandan-born Damj first came to public prominence after she admitted having an affair with Guardian columnist William Dalrymple who she was later accused of stalking. Damji - once dubbed 'London's most dangerous woman' - is also said to have had a high profile affair with a senior executive on the paper. Just days before Marten's conviction, Damji was jailed for six years after she set out to destroy the life of her latest victim, former British diplomat Dr Nigel Gould-Davies. Dr Gould-Davies, a former British Ambassador to Belarus, was stalked, harassed and defrauded during an horrific campaign of 'lies and abuse'. The pair met through the dating site Bumble in July 2023 - days after Damji had been released from prison for a previous offence. The mother-of-two was using the fake name Noor Higham as they struck up a relationship, enjoying meals out, theatre trips, and spending time at his apartment. Dr Gould-Davies supported Damji through a cancer diagnosis and also helped out with her magazine and podcast. The forums would later be used to launch an attack on Dr Gould-Davies during Damji's trial. One podcast released in April this year was entitled 'Nigel Davies: A forensic analysis of a serial predator.' It featured evidence which trial judge Joanna Greenberg KC had ruled to be inadmissible during the ongoing case. Meanwhile, in court, the jury was told that within weeks of the start of their relationship, Damji had began sending 'hateful' emails and messages to Dr Gould-Davies' employers at the International Institute of Strategic Studies as well as work colleagues and his brother. Defamatory false allegations were also sent to others associated with his professional life including his local MP Emily Thornberry, solicitors, a foreign ambassador and news organisations. The jury at Wood Green Crown Court was told the messages were sent under false names including that of Clare Simms. The messages, which the court heard were designed to undermine Dr Gould-Davies' character and professional credibility, made bogus allegations that he was involved in money laundering, committed violence against women and breaches of the Official Secrets Act. Clare Simms is listed along with Noor Higham as directors of The View which was set up as a community interest company in 2020. On its website Simms is described as the magazine's editor at large. The court heard hateful messages were also sent by Holly Bright who is said to be The View's publishing director. She is also a former director of the firm which has twice fought off compulsory strike-off actions and whose latest accounts published this week show it has no capital, assets or creditors and liabilities and is listed as dormant. Damji has accused Dr Gould-Davies of mounting a campaign against the magazine and making a complaint about its officers to companies house. During her campaign of abuse, Damji stole a sensitive document relating to Russia and threatened to hand it over to the Russians leading to Dr Gould-Davies fearing he was in danger. She also stole his passport and bank card which she used on a spending spree making purchases at fashion outlet Paul Smith in a £13,621 fraud. Dr Gould-Davies was so alarmed he quit London to work in Berlin in a bid to get away from his mystery stalker, and separately ended his relationship with Damji in February 2024 - still unaware that she was his tormentor. It appears the publication gave Marten (above) the platform as a champion for the rights of vulnerable women who are 'survivors of trauma and state-endorsed violence' Marten (above) complained she was forced to endure 'freezing' conditions - yet there was no mention of the freezing and inhumane conditions in which her newborn daughter Victoria died after she and Gordon went on the run from the authorities While in Berlin, he investigated a website filled with slurs against his character which led him to discover Damji's true identity and prompting him to contact police. Meanwhile Damji had mounted an operation to track Dr Gould-Davies down, attending his London flat with associates, visiting areas around his mother's home in Spain, and contacting his brother in the USA. She identified his hotel through clues from a TV interview he conducted with CNN from his room and in March 2024 she sent him an email pretending to come from his ex-girlfriend, saying she knew where he was staying. The following day Damji was arrested at Heathrow Airport as she made a bid to fly to Berlin and has been in custody since. The court heard Damji's criminal convictions - which include fraud, theft, perverting the course of justice and three separate stalking charges - date back to 1993 when she ran an art gallery in New York. In 1995 she was sentenced to six months in Rikers Island prison plus five years' probation following a fraud over an apartment she was renting and crimes related to the gallery. During her time on probation, she allegedly committed further offences but she fled the country after a warrant was issued for her arrest. Damji ended up in South Africa where she more crimes were reported before she was deported. In the UK, Damji received cautions for theft and obtaining property by deception before she was jailed for three-and-a-half years for 17 offences including thefts and obtaining property by deception as well as perverting justice. While awaiting trial for offences including stealing credit cards from a nanny and an assistant and going on spending sprees, she posed as an official from the Crown Prosecution Service to contact a witness saying she did not need to attend court in a bid to sabotage the case. Weeks after being released from jail she began committing further deceptions and in 2010 was jailed for 15 months for a £17,500 housing benefit fraud. In 2016, Damji was jailed for five years in 2016 for stalking a church warden after they met on an online dating site. She attended the school of the victim's son and spoke with the deputy headmaster to 'make false allegations about the warden abusing vulnerable women'. Damji then continued to stalk the man and sent emails to the Archbishop of Canterbury, the Deputy Metropolitan Police Commissioner and an MP following her arrest. In 2020 she was sentenced to 27 months in jail for two counts of breaching a restraining order in April 2018 and June 2018. She was convicted in her absence after fleeing to Ireland during her trial. During her time in Ireland she lived under the identity of an Icelandic woman before she was finally re-arrested in County Galway in August 2022 and returned to Britain to serve her sentence. Jailing Damji over her latest offences, Judge Greenberg said: 'One can only speculate as to the reasons for your behaviour, but what you did to Dr Gould-Davies was callously and deliberately to set about destroying his life and reputation for no better reason than you were able to do so by employing methods with which, from your history, you are experienced. 'Given your history of committing criminal offences of harassment and dishonesty, one conclusion about your behaviour is that it may be explained by nothing more nor less than wickedness and greed.' Before Damji was jailed, it was Judge Greenberg who her magazine would set their sights on raising 'serious concerns' about her handling of cases. The View has mounted an ongoing campaign against the 'dangerous' judge. It has launched a petition calling for her to be removed from the bench as she poses 'a clear and present risk to the rights of women and girls who appear before her'. Asked why potentially prejudicial material was allowed to be published from inside prison walls by defendants during ongoing trials the Ministry of Justice declined to comment. The prison service denied the magazine was available in jails and insisted that all prisoners were subject to strict rules. A spokesperson said: 'This publication is produced independently, is not written or distributed within the prison estate, and HMPPS does not support its production.
