Some photographs linger in the public mind—and this has quickly become one of the most striking images of 2026.
Yet the picture of Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor marking his 66th birthday in February may soon be replaced by a more relaxed scene. In that unforgettable image, his expression is one of disbelief and indignation, starkly illuminated by a flash as he was driven away from Aylsham police station after spending 11 hours in custody.
I understand that some of north Norfolk’s leading figures have decided the former Duke of York should not be excluded indefinitely, as though he were an outcast from another age.
‘The view is that things have gone too far,’ says one society source.
The source points to an incident three months after Andrew was arrested on suspicion of misconduct in public office, when he reportedly had to escape a would-be attacker. The man, wearing a balaclava, had parked close to Marsh Farm, Andrew’s home on the King’s Sandringham estate.
‘The feeling is that Andrew needs to be welcomed back, at least to some extent.’
Among the so-called ‘Turnip toffs’ said to be setting the tone are the Earl and Countess of Leicester. Their Holkham estate covers 25,000 acres—making it larger than the King’s property—and Holkham Hall’s Palladian grandeur arguably outshines Sandringham’s pseudo-Jacobean style.
‘Tom and Polly [the Earl and Countess] have had Andrew to dinner,’ my source tells me.
Andrew Mountbatten Windsor pictured leaving Aylsham Police Station in a vehicle on the day he was arrested on suspicion of misconduct in public office
Pictured: Holkham Hall, the stately home in North Norfolk, East Anglia
The Leicesters are close to the Royal Family. Queen Elizabeth was a regular visitor to Holkham, where her corgis were often seen on the nearby beach.
The Earl, a former Scots Guards officer, has declined to comment. However, he has a long record of being prepared to take the lead.
‘Tom and Polly won’t be fawning over anyone,’ a friend says. ‘It was probably a very informal kitchen supper.’
The friend believes others—including ‘the Buxtons, the Barclays and the Buscalls, all the north coast lot’—are likely to follow their example.
Trinny Woodall once made a career out of telling women what to wear as co-host of the 1990s fashion series What Not To Wear.
Now the make-up entrepreneur is offering advice to women building careers later in life: turn to AI.
Some may regard that as taking a shortcut, but Woodall, 62, says: ‘Look at your job application and ask Claude and ChatGPT, “Tell me the things that are really crucial to bring out in me, that will give me the opportunity to sit in front of those people.” You want to beat the system, and the system is using AI.’
Lila’s Throne another posh party…
Was it Lila Moss or Lila Lannister? Kate Moss’s lookalike daughter attended a Game Of Thrones-themed party last week, taking on the persona of a member of House Lannister—one of Westeros’s richest and most influential fictional families.
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The model was joined at the dinner by influencer Olivia Neill, model Stevie Sims and Stella Jones, the daughter of Clash guitarist Mick Jones. The celebration took place at the fashionable members’ club House of Koko in Camden.
The guests arrived in a bright pink limo, donning gold crowns and jewelled dresses and spent the evening fighting over the Iron Throne.
Kate Moss’s lookalike daughter attended a Game Of Thrones-themed party last week
Jamie Lowther-Pinkerton is looking forward to sharing a pint with his godson Prince George… when he comes of age, of course.
The former SAS man, who was private secretary to Princes William and Harry between 2005 and 2013, reveals: ‘I really enjoy being godfather to people but I like it when you can have fun with them, which is about 18 or 19 as far as I’m concerned.’
So Jamie will have to be patient as George only turned 13 in July. ‘The time will come when I’ll have a lot of fun, I think,’ Jamie says.
Guitarist’s new pick!
This newspaper revealed that Friends star Courteney Cox had split from musician Johnny McDaid in June – and now the Snow Patrol guitarist has moved on with glamorous finance executive Rosanna Konarzewski.
While collecting the BMI President’s Award last week, he doted on his new girlfriend: ‘Rosie, thank you for all your support and I love you.’
Meanwhile, Cox sparked dating rumours by dining with US actor Geoff Stults.
Johnny McDaid and Rosanna Konarzewski at the 2026 BMI London Awards at The Dorchester in London on September 28, 2026
David Walliams was dropped by his publisher HarperCollins amid harassment allegations against him last year – which he denies – but that hasn’t stopped the comedian raking in a hefty profit.
Accounts filed for his TV production company, King Bert Productions, reveal that the star, 55, made £500,000 last year.
The firm, which specialises in comedy, children’s and family programming, has produced shows including Gangsta Granny Strikes Again! and Malory Towers.
Last month, Walliams’ entire children’s book catalogue was dropped by HarperCollins and the physical copies are being phased out of bookstores.
Full Fat fire
A-listers were aghast when their beloved Chiltern Firehouse went up in flames last year.
Now another haunt almost suffered a similar fate: the restaurant at The Fat Badger in Notting Hill, where the King has dined, was evacuated last month when it ‘filled with smoke’ from a chimney fire. Abandon cocktails!