Ben Goldsmith is still grieving the loss of his daughter, two years after she was killed in an accident on a quad-bike.
Now, however, the financier is determined to create a positive legacy from the tragedy by launching a new ‘Nobel prize for nature’ in Iris Goldsmith’s memory.
The son of late billionaire tycoon Sir James Goldsmith tells me he’s setting up the Iris Project to ‘identify and empower the most impressive teenagers we can find who are doing great things to protect and restore nature where they live’.
Next year, the scheme will go live and award cash grants to help support eco-tourism ventures of the winners. He adds: ‘The Iris Project will seek to build over time a global community of empowered, effective teenage environmentalists.’
Ben Goldsmith’s loss to his teenage daughter Iris two years ago is just as devastating as it was when she lost her life in a quadbike accident. Iris (with her father Ben Goldsmith)
Iris (15) was an avid nature-lover who took a special interest in cleaning up beaches from plastic pollution
Iris (15) was an avid nature-lover who took a special interest in cleaning up beach plastic pollution.
Her father, 41, is also writing a ‘nature manifesto’ in her memory, with guidance from Isabel Oakeshott, who co-authored the infamous David Cameron biography with Lord Ashcroft.
‘I’ve written a book about the most vulnerable time in my life,’ he tells me.
‘The only person who’s seen it so far is Isabel Oakeshott, who I’ve got to read it through and help with her insights.’
Of the book, he says: ‘I’ve gone quite deep into what I think about death, but it ends on the thought about how there’s a greater magic to nature than we can see with our senses.
‘That’s as close as I get to religion. It’s about loss and a year of magical thinking.’
Iris — who was one of three children from Ben’s first marriage to banking heiress Kate Rothschild — was riding around the family’s farm in Somerset when her all-terrain buggy overturned. Her friend immediately raised the alarm but she couldn’t be saved.
Ivy Getty, the bride proves it!
Many brides are radiant on their wedding day. But Ivy Getty, a heiress was particularly glowing.
The great-granddaughter of oil tycoon J. Paul Getty married photographer Toby Engel at the weekend in a four-layered ‘cracked mirror’ dress designed by John Galliano.
While most brides sparkle on their wedding days, Ivy Getty is a shining example of a radiant bride. The great-granddaughter of oil tycoon J. Paul Getty married photographer Toby Engel at the weekend in a four-layered ‘cracked mirror’ dress designed by John Galliano
Ivy Getty was also eye-catching in a similar dress, but with a butterfly theme for her rehearsal dinner. (pictured)
‘My grandmother [Ann] always wore Galliano,’ explains artist Ivy, 26, daughter of the late John Gilbert Getty and jewellery designer Alyssa Boothby. ‘I knew I wanted him to create the dress for my wedding.’
At San Francisco City Hall, she exchanged vows to Toby, a 29-year-old son of Cheryl Prime, Coronation Street actress, and Peter Engel, entrepreneur.
She wore a similarly striking dress featuring a butterfly motif for her rehearsal dinner.
Raymond Blanc has won two Michelin stars for his celebrated restaurant Le Manoir aux Quat’Saisons — where the seven-course dinner menu costs £194 per head — but the haute cuisine left the Queen’s bridesmaid, Lady Pamela Hicks, hungry. ‘Dinner was sensational,’ says Lady Pamela’s daughter, India Hicks. ‘My mother was not so convinced. “Is there any bread?” she asked.’
Diver Daley now hopes to make waves in LA
Olympic champion Tom Daley will take the leap into Hollywood.
I hear the gold medal-winning diver has signed up with Tinseltown’s biggest agency, CAA.
Daley, 27 year old, already held a profile here in Los Angeles by his husband Dustin Lance Black (Oscar-winning Milk screenwriter).
Tom Daley, 27, already had a profile in Los Angeles through his husband, the Oscar-winning Milk screenwriter Dustin Lance Black
‘Tom is a natural for TV,’ an LA industry source says. ‘Not only does he have a very great natural gentle manner, but his look and British accent give him a competitive edge in Hollywood.’
Daley was a mentor on ITV’s diving competition series Splash!.
He recently insisted retirement was not in his mindset: ‘I always said that I’ll keep going until my body gives up or until I get the gold medal. And I’ve got the gold medal.
‘But my body’s getting better. So there are lots of decisions to be made in the next year or so.’
‘I’ve never been someone that likes to be overtly sexy,’ claims Sienna Miller, 39, who’s known for her ‘boho chic’ style. ‘I don’t think I would wear a wrap dress that has bits cut out of it and was all made of Lycra’
Why you won’t see Sienna in a skimpy number…
Expect to not see Sienna Miller dressed in dresses similar to those worn by Emily Ratajkowski (actress and model).
‘I’ve never been someone that likes to be overtly sexy,’ claims Sienna, 39, who’s known for her ‘boho chic’ style. ‘I don’t think I would wear a wrap dress that has bits cut out of it and was all made of Lycra.’
She adds, loftily: ‘I don’t feel the need to be on display that way — that’s not interesting to me.’
You won’t see Sienna Miller wearing the same type of dress worn by Emily Ratajkowski, actress and model (pictured).
Millionaire Jeff Bezos is astonished by Born Free McKenna
For Born Free star Virginia McKenna, Netflix just isn’t green enough. Ecoflix is the rival streaming service launched by Virginia McKenna, an actress and activist for wildlife conservation. It aims to get young people interested in nature.
‘I hope it becomes a rival to Netflix,’ she tells me, adding: ‘We are excited by what it sets out to achieve, that it moves young people to become activists.’
Today the actress will publish Free Billy (a documentary on an elephant in the LA Zoo) online.
Though she is making a foray into tech, she is unimpressed by billionaire Amazon founder Jeff Bezos: ‘How can people spend all that money on self-gratification by going to space — on something that is amazing but not necessary to us all? The planet will curl up and die at this rate before we find another one to destroy.’