EDEN CONFIDENTIAL: Olympian Sir Ben Ainslie and spouse to promote house

Winning a single gold medal would be enough for most Olympians — not, though, for Sir Ben Ainslie, who, after victory in Sydney, triumphed again in Athens, Beijing and London, thereby establishing himself as the most successful sailor in the games’ history.

Now he’s focused on winning next month’s America’s Cup, the world’s oldest international sporting competition, which has inspired him since childhood — not least because victory has, so far, eluded Britain since the first ever race in 1851.

The intensity of Ainslie’s ambition — and willingness to push himself beyond what others would consider endurable limits — has earned him the admiration of the Princess of Wales, royal patron of his charity, the 1851 Trust, and the unwavering support of his wife, former Sky Sports presenter Georgie Thompson.

But I can disclose that it’s come at a cost few would be willing to pay: the impending sale of the couple’s magical, nine-bedroom house, with swimming pool and croquet lawn, on the Isle of Wight — with £1million knocked off the original asking price.

‘It’s a real shock because Ben loves the island,’ a friend tells me. And Georgie, 46, a former girlfriend of television star Declan Donnelly, evidently loves the house.

‘We are, sadly, selling our beautiful home,’ she confirms, telling me that ‘work and family commitments’ mean that they’re unable to spend as much time there as they’d like. 

It’s a sacrifice she may have anticipated, not only because of marriage to Ben, 47, but from interviewing other supreme sportsmen. They are, she reflected, ‘focused on their goals to a degree I sometimes find difficult to truly understand’.

The house, set in 30 acres, has beautiful stained-glass windows and a Minton tiled floor. It captivated Queen Victoria, a friend of the man who created it, Crimean War veteran Somerset Gough-Calthorpe, 7th Lord Calthorpe.

When Victoria lamented that a metal pillar on the terrace obscured her view of the Solent, Calthorpe had it removed. 

It’s now yours for £3.5million, though Georgie adds: ‘If we win the America’s Cup this summer and bring it back to home waters, we may change our minds!’

Whinge of the week

How about this for a ‘first-world problem’? Model Abbey Clancy wails: ‘I hate it when I can’t speak to people on the weekend – like my personal shopper at Net-a-Porter.

‘She never answers on a weekend, or past six.’

Speaking about the fashion retailer’s service, the 38-year-old wife of former England footballer Peter Crouch adds: ‘I’m, like, ‘There’s nothing personal about this shopping experience’.’ 

And discussing her personal shopper, Abbey says: ‘She does often text me, ‘I do not work at weekends, as you know’.

‘She’s sent me that a million times.’ Diplomatically, Abbey adds: ‘But to give her credit she is incredible Monday to Friday, nine to five.’

Will Vordeman spill the beans on Strictly sessions?

Could Carol Vorderman be the next former contestant to speak out about her torrid time on Strictly Come Dancing?

The former maths whizz on Channel 4’s Countdown is said to have told friends that she did not enjoy competing in the beleaguered BBC show’s second series 20 years ago, during which she was seriously injured.

‘Carol hated her time on Strictly,’ one of her pals tells me. ‘And the fact she broke a rib made it all the worse.’

Carol, 63, who declines to comment, was paired with professional dancer Paul Killick, 52. 

After they were eliminated in the second round, she admitted: ‘Coming face-to-face with judge Arlene Phillips is an experience I wouldn’t like to repeat. 

‘Frankly, it was almost a relief to be voted off.’

The Duchess of York’s Italian former flame

Look away, Prince Andrew! Sarah, Duchess of York has declared that ‘her most treasured possession’ is a love gift of gold jewellery given to her not by her ex-husband, with whom she still lives at Royal Lodge, but by a former Italian boyfriend, Count Gaddo della Gherardesca. 

Fergie broke off the relationship in 2002 but clearly still harbours fond feelings – at least for the rocks he gave her.

She says: ‘My most treasured possession? A diamond and gold bracelet that an Italian boyfriend had made for me. 

‘I’ve had it for 25 years and it has the names Beatrice and Eugenie on it, which face my heart.’

New gay peer ribs out-of-date Lords

A new Tory peer has complained that his husband will not be given a courtesy title.

Lord Booth, making his maiden speech in the upper house this week, noted that spouses of heterosexual lords were entitled to call themselves ‘Lady’ but nothing similar was available for ‘my wonderful husband Kelvin’.

Booth continued: ‘I find it wrong that in this House same-sex legal partners and partners of baronesses get no courtesy title. What recourse is there for that? 

‘In Kelvin’s case, maybe he could self-declare himself as a woman, put on a frock and in the words of Little Britain, shout ‘I’m a lady’, but I don’t think that will happen.’

Why not, sir? He’d be asked on to I’m A Celebrity in a trice!

Ronnie’s boy weds heavy metal bride

Art curator Tyrone Wood, whose ex-girlfriends include top model Rosie Huntington-Whiteley and pop singer Rita Ora, has finally exchanged vows — with another rock’n’roll offspring.

Ty, 41, the son of Rolling Stones guitarist Ronnie Wood, married Faye Harris, daughter of Iron Maiden bassist Steve Harris, at Marylebone Old Town Hall in London.

Perfumier Faye, who wore a white off-the-shoulder mini dress designed by Self-Portrait, posed for pictures with her husband, 68-year-old father and Ronnie, 77.

The Stones star attended with his third wife, Sally Humphreys, 46, and their eight-year-old twin daughters. And he was reunited at the wedding with his second wife, former model Jo Wood.

‘I’m so happy,’ ex-model Jo told me after the couple became engaged before Christmas last year, adding that ‘every time’ she thought of them, ‘I start crying with happiness.’

Kitchen Matt’s spicy revelation

Butter wouldn’t melt in his mouth on BBC One’s Saturday Kitchen, but Matt Tebbutt is actually a ‘very naughty man’, according to his friend and co-presenter, Helen McGinn.

And the author of The Knackered Mother’s Wine Guide should know, as she’s known Tebbutt, 50, since his youthful days at Oxford Brookes University.

‘We’ve been friends since we were 17,’ wine expert McGinn tells me at The Oldie magazine’s literary lunch at the National Liberal Club, where she spoke about her new novel, The Island Of Dreams.

‘My schoolfriend shared a house with Matt when they were at Oxford Poly, as it was back then. When I used to stay with my friend, I slept in Matt’s bed. He was away in London staying with his older girlfriend, dining out in fancy restaurants.’

She adds: ‘He really is great fun, I’ve got the best job in telly, drinking wine at 9am with Matt.’

Private school fees are up for the royals 

This shouldn’t cause too much of a headache for Prince William, who raked in £23million last year, according to newly filed accounts for the Duchy of Cornwall estate he inherited from his father.

But Marlborough College, where he and Catherine may send Prince George, has increased its fees to almost £51,000.

From September, parents of pupils at the Wiltshire boarding school, where the Princess of Wales was educated, will face an increase of £4,000 on last year.

And that’s before the new Labour Government imposes 20 per cent VAT on private schools.

Boris’ niece’s joy as girlfriend says ‘yes’

Boris Johnson once said ‘why not?’ to allowing gay and lesbian couples to wed when he was still London’s Mayor — before it was legalised a decade ago.

Now his niece, Charlotte Dawnay, will become the first member of his family to enter a same-sex marriage. 

I hear that Charlotte, the daughter of journalists Rachel Johnson and Ivo Dawnay, proposed to her girlfriend, Jess Franklin, in Margate, Kent, this week. ‘Jess said yes,’ a pal tells me, adding that Rachel is ‘intensely happy for them and thrilled to welcome Jess.’

Charlotte, 30, is an alumna of the University of Edinburgh who works at property website Rightmove, while Cambridge graduate Jess, also 30, is a barrister specialising in injury, employment and discrimination.

Rushdie is ready to go 

Natalie Rushdie was ‘excited’ to go out weeks after giving birth to her second child, a girl. 

Yet the classical singer’s party spirit has been dampened by criticism she’s received for leaving her children at home. 

‘What irritates me is that when I put on Instagram I’ve gone out, people ask me who’s looking after the kids,’ says Natalie, 37, who is married to Zafar Rushdie, son of novelist Sir Salman. 

Such remarks are sexist, she says: ‘Do you know how many people asked Zaf? None.’