With his brother Albert, Michel Roux transformed the British restaurant scene. Now, he’s transformed the life of his former secretary from beyond the grave.
I can disclose that the celebrated chef left £200,000 in his will to Claude Grant, who worked for him at The Waterside Inn, in Bray, Berkshire, for more than 30 years.
‘It was an extremely generous bequest and has got everyone talking,’ says a friend of Roux, who died last year aged 78.
Grant, 63, who worked her way up from administrator to restaurant director, declines to discuss her windfall.
With his brother Albert, Michel Roux (pictured) transformed the British restaurant scene. Now, he’s transformed the life of his former secretary from beyond the grave
According to the website, she accompanied Roux on many fine wine buying trips to France. She is also an executor of his will and was given her choice of his personal effects, cars, and business accessories.
Roux’s second wife, Robyn, died in 2017 and he left most of his £2.3million estate to his three children.
The French chef came to Britain with his brother in the Sixties and they opened Le Gavroche.
One of their first visitors was Charlie Chaplin, and the acclaimed London restaurant won three Michelin stars.
Roux appeared on MasterChef alongside his nephew Michel Junior, and on Saturday Kitchen with his son Alain.
Miranda Hart – who told of her ‘excruciating sadness’ at the death of her beloved shih tzu-bichon frise cross, Peggy, this year – is now said to be searching for a country hideaway where she can grieve, for up to two years.
The comedienne has apparently placed an advertisement online explaining: ‘I am looking for a quiet place to rent, where I can rest on sabbatical. It would be myself (48, single, professional, nice!!) and occasionally being joined by friends (quiet & respectful ones!).’
She wants to move from mid-June for between six months to two years, adding, ‘(could be longer term if it becomes a place to call “home”)’. It should be somewhere in an ‘area of beauty with views, and the dream would be some water nearby too’.
Thankfully, the Call The Midwife star actress, who’s more than 6ft tall, hasn’t lost her sense of humour, adding of her desired property: ‘No low ceilings!’
Back in the days when Prince Harry enjoyed partying with pals, the ‘Hardcore Harbords’ were usually to be found revelling nearby.
Now Harry’s cut off in California, his old friend Davina Harbord has got engaged — and surprised chums by revealing that she popped the question.
The 34-year-old Pilates teacher — whose sister Astrid, 39, grew close to Harry after his split from Chelsy Davy — is to marry Old Harrovian financier Freddie Streeter, 33.
‘It was one of the most nerveracking things I have ever done,’ Davina admits. ‘I got an instinct and went with it, and even though I was in tears throughout, I proposed to my life lover on the eve of Valentine’s. I now have a very proud fiance.’
Inviting a comedian onto Songs Of Praise has led to an unholy row. The BBC asked Frank Skinner to appear next month to discuss A Comedian’s Prayer Book he’s written. But producers banned him from recording the interview at the Catholic church where he worships, he claims.
‘My dad wouldn’t let us watch Songs Of Praise when we were children ’cos he’d say it was too Protestant,’ Skinner explains.
‘So they said, “We wanna interview you. Have you got any ideas for a venue?” I said, “Why don’t you use the Catholic church I go to?”
‘And then I got a call saying, “Oh, um, would you mind if it was a non- Catholic church?” And I thought “My dad, who we laughed at, was spot on.”’
A BBC spokesman says Skinner’s church was too small for social distancing, ‘but Songs Of Praise is committed to representing Catholicism’.
(Very) modern manners
British tourists have been forbidden from entering Italy since December but Sir Mick Jagger can get satisfaction from having sneaked into Sicily before the ban.
And he’s been there ever since. The island’s bigwigs have rolled out the red carpet for the Rolling Stones singer who was spotted visiting Palermo’s Royal Palace last weekend accompanied by his interpreter and bodyguards.
The head of the Sicilian parliament, Gianfranco Micciche, showed him round the 12th century Palatine Chapel, one of the most beautiful churches in the world.
Saturday visits to museums have been banned to hoi polloi since last autumn. According to local reports, he visited Monreale Cathedral the next day during hours when it’s normally closed.
It hasn’t been all sightseeing, though: Jagger was recently seen having lunch at a beach restaurant, bringing in an outside chef, Damiano Ferraro. Talk about la dolce vita!
Broke child star Olivia Hussey: I lost my home
She shot to stardom after winning the coveted role of Juliet in Franco Zeffirelli’s Oscar-winning Romeo And Juliet at the tender age of 15.
But Olivia Hussey has revealed that she’s now broke, despite her three marriages and roles in hit dramas such as Jesus Of Nazareth.
‘I’ve had terrible luck,’ says Hussey (inset in 2018). ‘It was the business manager I had. I had a pension plan and a beautiful home that I owned completely and I had to sell due to debts.
‘I went from being comfortable to having nothing and going overdrawn.
‘I just think people can take advantage if you have a good heart.’
She adds: ‘I would like to see some financial security where I don’t have to worry about paying my bills all the time.
‘I’d like a release from the stress of money problems.’
She shot to stardom after winning the coveted role of Juliet in Franco Zeffirelli’s Oscar-winning Romeo And Juliet at the tender age of 15. But Olivia Hussey has revealed that she’s now broke
Lady Amelia shows off her spring pins…
Lady Amelia Windsor, who’s the 25-year-old granddaughter of the Queen’s cousin the Duke of Kent, posed for her thousands of admirers online in one of the brand’s mini-dresses
Princess Anne was hailed as the inspiration for Italian fashion house Philosophy di Lorenzo Serafini’s latest collection.
And now the label’s won the patronage of the woman crowned the ‘most beautiful member of the Royal Family’ by society magazine Tatler.
Lady Amelia Windsor, who’s the 25-year-old granddaughter of the Queen’s cousin the Duke of Kent, posed for her thousands of admirers online in one of the brand’s mini-dresses.
At £880, the gingham tulle frock has a suitably regal price tag.
I bet the Duchess of Cambridge envies her freedom: Kate has to follow strict guidelines when it comes to the length of her skirt.
Erstwhile Queen of the Jungle Georgia Toffolo is hitting her literary stride after the publication of her Mills & Boon bodice ripper, Meet Me In Hawaii.
‘I’d like to write a Westminster crime whodunit set in the Commons,’ the Tory-supporting star tells me.’
Could the thriller be a joint enterprise with Stanley Johnson, Toff’s great friend from I’m A Celebrity… and a prolific author himself?
‘He’d be far too domineering. He’d take over and I’d never get a look in,’ says Toffolo.
Perhaps Stanley can content himself with feeding Toff gossip from inside his son Boris’s No 10?
Furlough the hardest word for Sir Elton John
Sir Elton John considered using government bailouts when his farewell tour was abruptly cut short by the pandemic
Sir Elton John considered using government bailouts when his farewell tour was abruptly cut short by the pandemic.
But, unlike others who were slammed for using taxpayers’ money to furlough staff, the singer ‘opted’ against it.
The superstar’s decision is revealed in newly published accounts for his business J Bondi, which showed his tour made £17.5 million before lockdown halted the British leg.
Company assets went up from £2.3 million to £19.8 million in the 12 months to last April.