TALK OF THE TOWN: The Wifelets of the 7th Marquess of Bath face the elbow after his death from Covid-19
After the death last month of the eccentric 7th Marquess of Bath, nicknamed ‘the Loins of Longleat’ for his amorous escapades, his ‘wifelet’ lovers fear they face a new heartbreak – losing their homes.
Alexander Thynn kept his harem in grace-and-favour cottages on his 10,000-acre estate and lion park in Wiltshire. But it’s now likely the women will be asked to leave, with many understanding this would be the case in the event of his death.
The aristocrat died aged 87 after contracting coronavirus. His title has now passed to his son Ceawlin, who never approved of his father’s unorthodox love arrangements.
The Marquess of Bath, pictured left, died aged 87 after contracting coronavirus last month and his title has now passed to his son Ceawlin, pictured right with wife Emma, who never approved of his father’s unorthodox love arrangements
However, I can reveal that it may be some time before the wifelets pack their bags. New legislation to tackle the effects of coronavirus bans tenants from being evicted for at least three months. A Longleat spokesman reassures me: ‘I can confirm there have been no eviction procedures in 2020.’
My source adds: ‘The women always feared they would be asked to leave in the event of Alexander’s death. Ceawlin doesn’t have any loyalty to these people but ultimately it is now his decision.’
The 7th Marquess once claimed to have about 70 wifelets but only a few remain on the site, including Trudie Juggernauth-Sharma and Amanda Doyle. They hit the headlines in 2011 when they were embroiled in a fist-fight over who got to sleep with the aristocrat one night, and police had to be called.
Despite his many relationships, Lord Bath remained married to Anna Thynn, the mother of his children – Ceawlin and Lenka.
He once asked that people ‘are understanding of those of us who choose to lead our lives in a slightly different way. We too want to love and be loved and need a structure to enable us to do that’.
Despite being educated at Eton, he sent his two children to the local comprehensive – much to the chagrin of Ceawlin, who signed up for the exclusive boarding school Bedales at 16. My source adds: ‘Anna spent a considerable amount of time away from Longleat, but she was loyal to Alexander until the end.’
Ceawlin has more conventional views on relationships, having married Strictly star Emma McQuiston in 2013.
Sarah Ferguson’s foray into becoming a YouTube star isn’t going tremendously well, I understand. The Duchess of York has been keeping busy in isolation at Royal Lodge, Windsor, by reading stories for children on her new channel, Storytime With Fergie And Friends.
She explained: ‘I woke up this morning and I said to myself, ‘You know, I would love to just go to a rainbow and go to the top of the rainbow all over the world and find a place where I could just wave, wave to all the children.”
Sadly, with an average of around 2,000 views for each of her readings, it appears that not many children are waving back.
Jade Holland Cooper, pictured with a tiny portion of her shoe collection, post updates on Instagram about her luxury lifestyle
Superdry co-founder Julian Dunkerton wasn’t too happy when his fashion designer wife, Jade Holland Cooper, invited thousands of strangers on a tour of their £50 million home – and now she’s had to make an embarrassing U-turn.
Jade posts updates on Instagram about the couple’s luxury lifestyle at Dowdeswell Court, their Georgian mansion in the Cotswolds, and promised her 44,200 followers a look behind the scenes.
But after a word from the notoriously private Julian, she had to backtrack: ‘Sorry guys, I can’t give a tour of my house or my wardrobe for security reasons.’
I can understand security concerns over the house… but the wardrobe? What on earth does she hide in there?