IdrisElba, the British actor, isn’t just one our greatest Hollywood stars.
As a DJ and respected performer at Ibiza’s superclubs as well as major festivals across the globe, he is also a household name.
However, the Londoner has revealed that when he was asked to provide the musical entertainment at Prince Harry and Meghan Markle’s wedding reception in Windsor, Meghan insisted on taking control.
Elba, 49 years old, was asked by Elba 40-years-old to tell him which songs he wanted in his set.
‘Meghan had sent me a playlist, so I knew what she wanted already,’ he explains.
The Luther star, who has performed as a DJ for the queen of pop Madonna and even collaborated on a track with Sir Paul McCartney, notes that those were all ‘high-pressure gigs’.
Idris Elba, a British actor is more than just one of the most popular Hollywood actors. As a DJ, he has made his name as an internationally renowned performer at Ibiza’s superclubs and large festivals all over the globe.
However, when he’s asked which he found to be ‘most stressful’, he replies: ‘The wedding, no doubt. This wasn’t like my cousin’s wedding.’ The evening celebration was held at Frogmore House, the Grade I listed former home of Queen Victoria’s mother.
‘This wasn’t at the community hall — the reception,’ says Elba, who made his name in celebrated U.S. crime drama The Wire. ‘This was a big, big deal.’
He adds of the Sussexes: ‘They’re good friends and I wanted to make sure they had a great time, so there was a lot of pressure.’
It was already controversial to host the evening-time party. While showbusiness pals including George Clooney and James Corden were invited, some of Harry’s oldest friends were left wondering why they hadn’t made the guest list.
Those who failed to receive invitations included Tom Inskip — known by his friends as ‘Skippy’ —with whom Harry had been best friends for years.
Skippy reportedly served as a protective figure throughout the Prince‘s teen years, and was even at his side during Harry’s infamous Las Vegas holiday in 2012.
The smart set’s talking about…Delevingne’s calling the midwife
She could easily have opted for a similar glamorous career, having Cara Delevingne and Poppy as her sisters. Instead, Chloe Delevingne, a cerebral woman with a tendency to avoid the spotlight, is becoming a midwife.
Chloe, the 36-year-old daughter of property developer Charles and his wife Pandora, tells me she’s studying midwifery at University College London Hospitals.
‘It’s a lot more full-on than I thought, but I’m loving it,’ she says at a Mayfair party. ‘In January, I’ll be in the hospital full-time. My sisters are creative; science was always my thing.’
Chloe — who has two children, Atticus, seven, and Juno, six, with husband Edward Grant — adds: ‘I started years ago, but then I got pregnant. Now they’re both in school full-time, so I’ve gone back.
‘There’s a lot of pressure — it’s like, “I’ve got to not f*** up”.’
Windsor MP faces tax problems
He is the Tory MP with a £4.5 million mansion who was once mooted as a successor to David Cameron, so this will come as a surprise.
According to me, Adam Afriyie faces court action for unpaid taxes in a HMRC bankruptcy petition. The court records have all the details.
It’s not the first time that Afriyie, 56, who has been MP for Windsor since 2005, has faced such a petition. Two years ago, he faced similar legal action as it emerged that he was renting out his Grade II listed mansion in Old Windsor for £1,950 a night on Airbnb. The former shadow minister was left humiliated. He lives in Old Windsor with Tracy Jane (below), who is a barrister, ex-wife and crime minister Kit Malthouse.
Before that, the marketing agency Axonn Media — which helped make Afriyie worth up to a reputed £100 million — was separately plunged into insolvency.
Afriyie tells me: ‘I will, of course, pay any tax that is due.’ His spokesman explains that the petition is subject to legal challenge.
Ones can mix as twin Spencers become Tatlers.
Princess Diana’s twin nieces, Lady Eliza and Lady Amelia Spencer, have lived in London for only a few months, but are already the most sought-after party guests there.
And Earl Spencer’s 29-year-old daughters tell me they’re struggling to cope with the social whirl. ‘We’re still getting used to the fast-paced life of London,’ Lady Eliza admits. ‘It’s fun, but it’s all just beginning for us.’
The sisters, who were dressed by Michael Kors for Tatler’s Little Black Book party at Tramp nightclub in St James’s, previously lived in South Africa. They joined the oysters and caviar tour but haven’t tried any other working-class food. ‘We haven’t had a chance to try the fish and chips, but we will,’ Lady Eliza insists.
Other guests celebrating the return of the Tatler party for society’s most eligible singletons, after a four-year absence, included the daughter of Sotheby’s boss Lord Dalmeny, Celeste Primrose, 18, and Wimbledon champ Boris Becker’s son, Elias, 22.
Elias, who is currently studying film in New York City, tells me that he would like to become a movie actor. ‘I would love to be a superhero,’ he says.
Long suffering Strictly star Anton Du Beke was often partnered with celebrities who had no chance of winning, and only reached the final twice in 18 years. So now he’s a judge, he’s delighted to declare: ‘I’m guaranteed to make the final. I can’t tell you how excited I am.’
The dancer, 55, took over from Bruno Tonioli, who had said he was ‘gutted’ not to be in the judging line-up. But Bruno hasn’t been forthcoming with tips, as Anton says: ‘I haven’t spoken to Bruno, no. He’s busy doing the U.S. show, which has already started.’ Let’s hope excitable Bruno doesn’t think Anton has trodden on his toes.
Their online fame is being consolidated by the Duchess and Duke of Cambridge who are 13 million followers on Instagram. They are advertising on the royal website for a digital communications officer, who will ‘support [their] official social media channels’.
David Watkins was part of the team and assisted Prince Harry and Meghan in growing their Sussex Royal Instagram accounts. The Queen banned the Sussexes from using ‘Sussex Royal’ when they quit royal duties.
Brand new name for Russ’s Mrs
Russell Brand, anarchic anti-capitalist lothario, admitted that he once slept with nine women. He is now accepting convention.
He married Laura Gallacher in 2017, their sister and TV host Kirsty.
His wife confirmed she had taken Brand’s surname and wanted to go by Mrs Laura Brand. Laura, 34, has just filed a change of name for her role as a shareholder in Brand’s personal company, Pablo Diablo’s Legitimate Business Firm.
Brand, 46 years old, has 2 children with Laura. He was once briefly married to Katy Perry. Brand also had ex-girlfriends Jemima and the film producer.
Russell Brand, anarchic anti-capitalist lothario, has finally accepted convention. In fact, he admitted to having slept with nine different women once. He married Laura Gallacher in 2017, the sister of Kirsty Gallacher.
Very modern ways
The Queen’s extended family has the privilege of running some of the finest stately homes in the country, including Broadlands, Hampshire where Prince Philip and the Queen honeymooned. Daisy Knatchbull (29), is bravely venturing into unknown waters. I hear the Savile Row women’s tailor is living on a houseboat on a London canal.
‘She’s loving life on the water,’ one of her friends tells me. The 1st Earl Mountbatten of Burma’s great-granddaughter (above) enjoys defying convention — she once arrived at Royal Ascot in a morning suit and top hat.
Mary Berry serves up a dog’s dinner
Who’d have thought that Mary Berry, of all people, would serve food that had previously been between the slavering jaws of her pet dog?
An ex-Bake Off judge has made an astonishing confession. ‘Once when the family were coming round, I roasted a turkey crown and laid it out with all the trimmings,’ she says.
‘The bell went and as soon as I turned my back to open the front door, Wellington, our black retriever, jumped up and pulled the turkey from the plate to the floor.
‘After a dramatic shout from me I quietly scooped it up, trimmed the edges, covered them with parsley and popped it all back on the table. It would be hard to believe! As you can tell, we love our dogs.’
Mary did not reveal whether Mary had informed her guests.