EDEN CONFIDENTIAL: Planning palaver for canned Kwasi Kwarteng
Perhaps there were signs all along that Kwasi Kwarteng’s disastrous mini-Budget would need retrospective planning?
For I can reveal that the former Chancellor had to ask for just that from his local council when he cleaned up brickwork at his new house without securing the necessary approval first.
Kwarteng had to apply to Greenwich council for retrospective permission to tidy the façade of his early Victorian villa, which he and his wife, Harriet, bought for £1.7 million. Two unnamed objectors claimed that a ‘criminal offence’ had taken place as consent from the council had not been sought at the time of the work.
Planners reviewing the request said: ‘Cleaning of historic properties is not encouraged where this is for purely aesthetic reasons, primarily because of the risk of damage to the historic fabric if not carried out by specialists.’
But the authority gave permission for the work, which was lodged under the name of Kwarteng.
Former Chancellor Kwasi Kwarteng has had to ask his local council for retrospective planning permission after he cleaned up the brickwork at his new house without securing approval first
Charles heads to Balmoral in moving show of gratitude
King Charles, who was one of only two members of the Royal Family to reach Balmoral before his mother died, has made a poignant return to the Scottish retreat.
I can reveal that Balmoral was closed to the public on Sunday so that the King could spend time thanking the soldiers who guarded the late Queen at the castle in Aberdeenshire — and who helped give her a moving send-off.
‘The King wanted to say thank you in person,’ a courtier tells me. ‘He is very grateful for the effort everyone put in before and after Her Majesty’s death.’
He was driven to Balmoral in his electric Audi straight after divine service at nearby Crathie Kirk.
Unusually, Balmoral’s grounds have been opened to the public for the rest of the year so that tributes can be paid to Queen Elizabeth. They are normally open only from April to July.
Tribute: King Charles on his way to Crathie Kirk on Sunday
The late Queen traditionally inspected a guard of honour from the Balaklava Company, 5th Battalion, the Royal Regiment of Scotland, outside the castle gates while the public welcomed her for her annual stay. However, this year the ceremony happened behind closed doors, in order to maximise Queen Elizabeth’s comfort.
In a further indication that the King is preparing to open up Balmoral all year round, the estate has advertised for visitor service assistants to work ‘for the 2022 season’. It costs around £3 million a year to run Balmoral, and half of this money comes from tourism.
GOOD to hear that the King and Queen are still able to have a quiet night out. I hear that Charles and Camilla went for dinner last week at a new Mayfair venue, the Mount St Restaurant, opened by their old friend Ewan Venters, former boss of Fortnum & Mason. ‘They were keen to support Ewan,’ one of his friends tells me.
Emilia confirms she’s Daddy’s girl
When she made her name in the feel-good, Oscar-winning film CODA, as a girl who lives with her deaf family and dreams of becoming a singer, not many people recognised Emilia Jones as the daughter of Aled Jones.
But now that the actress, 20, has dyed her hair blonde, there’s no mistaking her likeness to the Welsh choirboy-turned-broadcaster, 51, who is best known for his performance of the song Walking In The Air from The Snowman.
Emilia, who was seen sporting the new hair colour while leaving a gym in London recently, is on her way to major stardom, with two Hollywood film roles lined up.
Now that CODA star Emilia Jones, 20, has dyed her hair blonde, there’s no mistaking her likeness to her father, Aled Jones, known for his performance of the song Walking In The Air from The Snowman
Blonde ambition: Emilia, left. Right, father Aled
First, comedian Omid Djalili claimed that ethnic actors’ scenes were axed — and his own role reduced — in 1999 film Notting Hill to make the smash-hit romantic comedy ‘more white’.
Now, Gina McKee has said she never would have been cast as Bella, a character in a wheelchair, these days.
‘I’ve only seen the film once, at the premiere,’ she says. ‘Hopefully, audiences are aware of when a film was made and judge it accordingly. Bella now would be played by a disabled person, of course, because we’ve genuinely moved forwards.’ She adds, in Saga magazine: ‘It’s about development and change and inclusivity, and I embrace all three.’
Ice, ice, Lady! Vi takes a dip
Keeping up with the cool crowd has never been more of a challenge.
But not for the Duke of Rutland’s eldest daughter, Lady Violet Manners, who braved an ice bath in a barrel during a recent stay at a health retreat at Broughton Hall, in the Yorkshire Dales.
‘Ice Queen,’ jokes the spirited socialite, 29, who split from dashing Eton-educated investment banker Ted Morrison earlier this year.
Ice water therapy is said to help improve sleep and focus.
Lady Violet Manners has braved an ice bath in a barrel during a recent stay at a health retreat at Broughton Hall
What did the late Queen think of Phillip Schofield, who faced accusations of ‘queue jumping’ with fellow This Morning host Holly Willoughby after claims they bypassed the 13-hour line for Her Majesty’s lying-in-state? Presenter Fern Britton recalls meeting Queen Elizabeth in a line-up with Schofield. ‘I was standing next to Phil when the Queen came along,’ Britton says. ‘Phil had met her the week before at an event in Henley. So he went (bigging himself up), “Hello”, and she just went, “Hmm”. ’ She then moved on to the next person.’
He has already followed her into modelling, and now Damian Hurley is joining his mother in the film world. The 20-year-old has just directed a short film, The Boy On The Beach, and its star is… Elizabeth Hurley.
‘I started making shorts when I was eight, begging my long-suffering family and friends to be in them,’ he says. ‘To make this even more perfect, my crazily talented and insanely kind mother flew out to film.’
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