The new Prince of Wales will play a key role during his father’s reign, but one of his close friends will not be by his side.
I learn that the Marquess of Cholmondeley has lost his job as Lord Great Chamberlain.
The Marquess, also known as film-maker David Rocksavage, had the role, in which he had to walk backwards in front of the monarch at the State Opening of Parliament, as long as the Queen was on the throne.
Now we have King Charles III, his job will be taken by the 7th Lord Carrington, whose late father served as Foreign Secretary under Margaret Thatcher.
Yesterday, Rupert Carington, 73, carried out his first duties as he greeted the King and Queen Consort Camilla when they arrived at Westminster Hall for His Majesty’s speech to Parliament.
He will play an important part in the Coronation, which is likely to take place next year.
The Prince and Princess of Wales pictured greeting David Cholmondeley, Marquess of Cholmondeley and Rose Cholmondeley, the Marchioness of Cholmondeley as they attend a gala dinner in June 2016
William and Kate (centre foreground) walk alongside the Marquess and Marchioness of Cholmondeley at the dinner in King’s Lynn
‘David always knew he would not have the job for life,’ one of his friends tells me.
‘It was an honour to carry it out for as long as he did.’ David and his wife, the former model Rose Hanbury, now Marchioness of Cholmondeley, live near Anmer Hall, Prince William and Catherine’s country home in Sandringham, Norfolk.
Rose, 38, married Rocksavage in 2009. He is 24 years her senior and friends had almost given up hope that he would ever marry.
Rose soon produced an heir and spare, in the form of twins Alexander and Oliver. Like Catherine, she has since given birth to a third child, Iris.
While Kate and William stay at ten-bedroom Anmer Hall, which was previously rented out to a kitchen timber boss, the Marquess and Marchioness live in splendour two miles away at Houghton Hall, one of the country’s finest Palladian houses, surrounded by 1,000 acres of parkland.
Royalist Geri calls off 50th birthday bash
It’s the big social dilemma of the week: do you go ahead with a party during National Mourning?
I hear Spice Girl Geri Horner has decided to cancel her lavish 50th birthday party this weekend.
Geri Horner (pictured with husband Christian) has decided to cancel her lavish 50th birthday party this weekend
Ginger Spice is an ardent royalist whose tribute to the Queen was broadcast as part of the Party At The Palace during the Platinum Jubilee celebrations.
Her bash at the Oxfordshire home she shares with her husband, Formula One team boss Christian Horner, pictured together, was expected to see a full reunion of the girl band, with guests due to include Victoria Beckham.
Bodyguard star Keeley takes another leading role
Keeley Hawes starred in Bodyguard but I’m not sure if her pooch would be much of a guard dog.
The Durrells actress, 46, showed off her chestnut-brown labradoodle, Buster, while going for a stroll in Chelsea, West London.
Hawes is married to Succession star Matthew Macfadyen, 47. The couple have just filmed Stonehouse, their first tv drama together since they met on the set of Spooks in 2002.
Bodyguard and Line of Duty actress Kelley Hawes spotted walking her dog in Chelsea, west London
‘People often say to me, ‘When do you see each other? You’re both always working’,’ Hawes admits.
She adds: ‘It’s infuriating because we see so much of each other. We’re not particularly social. I prefer going to bed than going out.’
Scobie’s royal blunders
The Duchess of Sussex’s biographer and cheerleader Omid Scobie does not appear to be a details man.
The Finding Freedom author has provoked a flood of complaints after making a string of factual errors on American television.
Talking about the arrangements for the Queen’s coffin, he suggested that Scotland was not part of the United Kingdom and that there was a fleet of royal trains.
Omid Scobie does not appear to be a details man. He provoked a flood of complaints after making a string of factual errors on American television. Pictured: The Queen and Meghan arriving by Royal Train at Runcorn station in Cheshire in June 2018
The Queen, the ‘royal expert’ loftily told viewers, ‘will end up laying at rest at the smallest palace in Edinburgh before [the coffin] makes its journey on one of the royal trains over to the UK’.
In fact, there’s only one royal train.
Scobie later described his UK comment as a ‘slip of the tongue’.
Topless Jack models a new career with girlfriend Roxy
He has a reputed fortune of £15 million and is the toast of Hollywood, but comedian Jack Whitehall is unhappy that he doesn’t get asked to do any modelling work.
Royal pal Whitehall, 34, is going out with mannequin Roxy Horner, 31, and he’s been showing off his body in holiday snaps from Greece.
Comedian Jack Whitehall has been showing off his body in holiday snaps from Greece with girlfriend Roxy Horner
‘It is crazy to think that only one of us poses for photographs as a profession,’ jokes Whitehall, educated at £43,000 per year Marlborough College.
‘With these moves I’m surprised I don’t pick up more swimwear campaigns.’
Jeremy Clarkson’s criticism of the ‘utter uselessness’ of today’s teenagers has annoyed Ruth Marvel, chief executive of the Duke of Edinburgh’s Award, the highly successful scheme which Prince Philip created to support young people.
Marvel says D of E volunteers have shown ‘remarkable resilience and generosity’ during the pandemic.
In a cutting reference to Clarkson, who once punched a Top Gear producer after he failed to provide him with a hot dinner, Marvel adds that D of E volunteers would ‘appreciate the delicious irony of a lecture on arrogance and entitlement from that particular quarter’. Ouch.