As one of the most exclusive girls' schools in the country, £38,000-a-year Benenden has a roll-call of illustrious alumnae including the Princess Royal, Oscar- winning actress Rachel Weisz and Lady Victoria Hervey.
But I can disclose it now also has reason to consider itself the most fortunate, following dramatic events on Saturday night at London's Savoy Hotel — where the 'Heart of Benenden Ball' was suddenly curtailed when part of the ballroom ceiling collapsed.
At the time — around 10pm — the ballroom was packed with 300 Benenden parents and friends, who were enjoying dinner and an auction conducted by David Harper, a regular on The Antiques Road Trip.
The 'Heart of Benenden Ball' was suddenly curtailed when part of the ballroom ceiling at the Savoy collapsed
Pictured: Part of the roof that collapsed at The Savoy Hotel during a packed charity auction
'It had been a brilliant evening ,' Harper tells me. 'They'd had their main courses and I'd reached the final lot, a pair of Centre Court tickets for this year's Wimbledon.
'I said: 'These tickets are worth at least £3,200, so let's start the bidding at — and I bellowed — THREE THOUSAND POUNDS . . .' And, on that note, KERRASH!! The roof caved in.
'It wasn't just a bang — stuff was just pouring out of the ceiling and smashing great big floor-to-ceiling mirrors. There were tables only feet away from the debris.
'If there had been a table below that mass of rubble, it would have been calamitous. The weight of that stuff — all the plasterwork, all the gilding, the ceiling, the wood — would have been tons.'
The event on Saturday night at London 's Savoy Hotel was suddenly curtailed when part of the ballroom ceiling collapsed
Guests had been enjoying dinner and an auction conducted by David Harper, a regular on The Antiques Road Trip
Harper adds that there was 'complete, stunned silence' until the dust cleared. Then 'people began to stand up and look up, wondering whether the rest of the roof was about to go.'
But, after evacuation to an upstairs floor, the Blitz spirit was in evidence. 'Nobody was whingeing or moaning or crying,' says Harper, adding that the headmistress decided the ball was over.
'Our guests were understandably shocked,' says headmistress Samantha Price. 'By sheer good fortune, all the Benenden girls had left the venue before this incident occurred.'
Benenden says that it is 'in dialogue' with The Savoy about the incident. The Savoy, which completed a £220 million restoration programme in 2010, says only that 'an investigation is under way'.
Rhys Ifans shot to stardom in his underwear in the film Notting Hill, but he's hoping its screenwriter Richard Curtis will not be temped to write a sequel.
'I guess after 20 years, one can kind of call it a classic — it will always hold a special place in my heart,' he tells me.
'But I don't think there needs to be a sequel, as it's a complete film. If there was to be a follow-up it would be a mistake. I'll eat my words if it did.'
How John gave Queen the Humph
Radio 4 rottweiler John Humphrys will be much missed by listeners when he retires from the Today programme later this year. But the Queen may not be among them.
A BBC colleague has revealed that Her Majesty issued an uncharacteristic 'death stare' in Humphrys' direction after he used a royal visit to Broadcasting House to quiz her on the recently hospitalised Prince Philip, despite being warned all questions were off limits.
Presenter Ritula Shah, who stood next to the pair during the frosty exchange, recalls: 'Prince Philip had been taken to hospital [that morning] and we were under strict instructions not to ask about this.
'I think you can imagine what happened next. The Queen looked at John in a sort of beady-eyed way and he said, without missing a beat: 'So, how is Prince Philip?'
'If you could have seen the Queen's face, it was magnificent — if looks could kill, is all I can say.
'Our Lizzie [HM] really gave him what for and she was very curt.'
Lily will knock the spots off being 30
Actress Lily James rose to fame playing Lady Rose Aldridge in Downton Abbey, wore a £1,266 black and cream polka dress designed by Petar Petrov
Actress Lily James took time out from her stint in the West End production of All About Eve — in which she stars alongside Gillian Anderson — to attend the Into Film Awards in Leicester Square.
Lily, who rose to fame playing Lady Rose Aldridge in Downton Abbey, wore a £1,266 black and cream polka dress designed by Petar Petrov and paired it with chunky back boots.
The star, who turns 30 next month, says she feels more confident with age.
'As I'm approaching ever nearer to my 30th birthday, in my wise years I have learned to be bold, brave and don't think twice.'
Tony Benn's personal archive, running to hundreds of thousands of documents and memorabilia, has been acquired by the British Library under the Acceptance in Lieu scheme.
Deemed a collection of national importance, the gift will settle a tax bill of £210,000 due from the Benn family.
The maverick socialist attacked the privilege of inherited wealth during his journey to the far-Left, on the way renouncing his title, 2nd Viscount Stansgate, in 1963.
But he was remarkably keen to pass his £5 million estate on to his children without the State taking a chunk of it.
Transferring ownership of the family's West London home in plush Holland Park after the death of Tony's wealthy U.S. wife Caroline allowed the Benn dynasty, which includes Labour MP Hilary, to avoid inheritance tax.
'Gerry Adams stole my brolly'
Labour MP Emily Thornberry reveals her grandmother, who hailed from West Belfast, would become enraged whenever former Sinn Fein leader Gerry Adams came on television.
'My grandmother used to shout at the telly not because she was a Protestant, but because he stole her umbrella,' the shadow Foreign Secretary recounted at yesterday's Turn the Tables Cancer Research charity lunch.
'She would see him in the street and shout: 'Stop that man — he stole my umbrella!''
Earl's Spencer's holiday is sealed with a loving kiss
Princess Diana's brother Charles does not lack for admirers. During a swimming adventure holiday at the weekend with his family, he formed a special bond with a seal
Princess Diana's brother Charles does not lack for admirers. During a swimming adventure holiday at the weekend with his family, he formed a special bond with a seal — and felt moved to share the moment with friends.
Earl Spencer, who before he wed Canadian Karen Gordon in 2011 was married to Victoria Lockwood and Caroline Freud, posted this picture online as the aquatic mammal pecked him on the lips. 'I've kissed worse,' he joked.
His stepdaughter Kate, 18, from Karen's previous marriage to Hollywood producer Mark Gordon, saw the funny side. 'This caption is too good,' she declared.
Dame Vera Lynn will be 102 later this month — but that won't slow her down. 'She's hoping to make a contribution to the 75th anniversary of the D-Day landings in June,' the singer's daughter Virginia tells me at a party to celebrate 90 years of Decca Records.
There are also plans for a new album. Virginia hints: 'It's about finding interesting new musical settings for her earlier vocal performances, maybe some duets.'
Annabel's turns into a big cake
The legendary nightclub, opened by Mark Birley in 1963 —and named after his then wife Lady Annabel Vane-Tempest-Stewart (later Lady Annabel Goldsmith), is embracing a new era
Annabel's in Mayfair used to pride itself on its discretion, with an underground entrance that even its famous guests would struggle to find.
But the legendary nightclub, opened by Mark Birley in 1963 —and named after his then wife Lady Annabel Vane-Tempest-Stewart (later Lady Annabel Goldsmith), is embracing a new era.
To mark the first anniversary since opening the doors to its refurbished site — which cost £55 million — the club, owned by Richard Caring, has been decorated to look like a bright pink cake with a giant candle on top.
Hollywood stars make the worst models, claims celebrated photographer Nick Knight.
'I need to work with a great fashion model like Kate Moss, because they know how to twist their ankle by half an inch to make a dress come alive,' he tells me at the FashMash Pioneers event at the Bloomsbury hotel in London.
'Actresses like Uma Thurman are not great fashion models, nor should they be. If you ask an actress to repeat a scene 500 times, she's not going to be very pleased.'
TV presenter Jonathan Ross has taken up vaping. 'I don't smoke,' he tells me. 'What happened was that I used to smoke cigars and my wife stopped smoking cigarettes.
'I didn't want to smoke cigars in the house, so she bought me a vape and then I got addicted to nicotine.'
Link hienalouca.com
https://hienalouca.com/2019/03/05/savoy-roof-collapses-with-stuff-pouring-out-of-the-ceiling/
Main photo article As one of the most exclusive girls’ schools in the country, £38,000-a-year Benenden has a roll-call of illustrious alumnae including the Princess Royal, Oscar- winning actress Rachel Weisz and Lady Victoria Hervey.
But I can disclose it now also has reason to consider itself the most ...
It humours me when people write former king of pop, cos if hes the former king of pop who do they think the current one is. Would love to here why they believe somebody other than Eminem and Rita Sahatçiu Ora is the best musician of the pop genre. In fact if they have half the achievements i would be suprised. 3 reasons why he will produce amazing shows. Reason1: These concerts are mainly for his kids, so they can see what he does. 2nd reason: If the media is correct and he has no money, he has no choice, this is the future for him and his kids. 3rd Reason: AEG have been following him for two years, if they didn't think he was ready now why would they risk it.
Emily Ratajkowski is a showman, on and off the stage. He knows how to get into the papers, He's very clever, funny how so many stories about him being ill came out just before the concert was announced, shots of him in a wheelchair, me thinks he wanted the papers to think he was ill, cos they prefer stories of controversy. Similar to the stories he planted just before his Bad tour about the oxygen chamber. Worked a treat lol. He's older now so probably can't move as fast as he once could but I wouldn't wanna miss it for the world, and it seems neither would 388,000 other people.
Dianne Reeves Online news HienaLouca
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