RICHARD EDEN: Prince William's Kenya guru quits wildlife role in fury
Few, if any, families matter more to Prince William. Partly because he remains bewitched by 'the Balmoral of Africa' — as Lewa, their 62,000-acre patch of Kenya, is sometimes known.
And undoubtedly because of his personal bonds with Jessica 'Jecca' Craig, often considered his first serious girlfriend, and her father, Ian Craig, on whom he personally conferred his eponymous Award For Conservation in 2022.
So the Prince will be distraught to hear of Craig's abrupt and anguished departure from the Northern Rangelands Trust he founded in Kenya 20 years ago. Since then it has created one of Africa's most successful rhino sanctuaries and persuaded governments to ban the sale of ivory, thereby sparing innumerable elephants from slaughter by poachers.
In an excoriating letter announcing his resignation from the Trust — a network of 43 previously separate groups which he painstakingly stitched together — Craig makes a series of damning allegations.
Prince William meets armed rangers at the Lewa Wildlife Conservatory in 2016
William pours water to cool down an elephant at the wildlife service in Kenya
Lewa Wildlife Conservatory is located in Kenya. William and Kate got engaged at the camp 'amongst the elephants and rhinos' in 2010
Prince William has personal bonds with Lewa Wildlife Reserve founder Ian Craig (left) and his daughter Jessica 'Jecca' Craig (right), who is often considered to be his first serious girlfriend
He claims that the Trust's financial controller was removed 'without good reason' and roundly criticises the way the board has behaved.
Describing himself as 'utterly disheartened,' he also alleges the decision to move to a new headquarters 'disrupts' a communications hub 'where hundreds of thousands of dollars have been invested' and accuses the CEO of making 'inappropriate statements'.
William will be dismayed. It was in 1998, on one of his earliest trips to Africa, that he met Craig who inspired his fascination with conservation. William's youthful romance with Jecca, a dazzling brunette, intensified his passion for Africa.
Although the relationship cooled when William went to the University of St Andrews, their friendship remains strong.
Jecca attended William's wedding to Catherine Middleton — to whom he proposed while staying at Lewa in 2010.
The Trust rejects all of Ian Craig's allegations. But he has fierce support.
'We as a community will stand by him,' one Kenyan ally tells me. Another assures me that Craig 'has been the backbone of the organisation'.
Time, surely, for Wills to plan a peace-making visit to the place which has such a hold on his heart?
Murray's daughter shares a wizard plan to help him relax
Despite losing the last match he will ever play at Wimbledon, Andy Murray is already limbering up for the Olympic Games in two weeks.
Rallying to his aid is his eldest daughter Sophia, eight, who suggests a healthy dose of evening reading to help her tennis ace dad unwind.
Two-time Wimbledon champion Andy Murray poses with a wizard hat while playing Harry Potter with his daughters
'At the moment, I'm reading Harry Potter before bed — my daughter's recommendation,' the two-times Wimbledon champion discloses.
When Murray crashed out of the Australian open, Sophia and sister Edie, five, insisted they play Harry Potter dress-up, with him as 'Dumbledad,' he shared online.
Calling it a night? No, Lola has a street party!
Summer's here and the time is right for dancing in the street! Teetotal party girl Lady Lola Crichton-Stuart was out for dinner this week with fashionable friends Lady Mary Charteris (daughter of the Earl of Wemyss) and Tigerlily Taylor (daughter of Queen drummer Roger Taylor) — but the evening did not end after dessert.
The daughter of the late Marquess of Bute — racing driver Johnny Dumfries — turned heads as she twirled around in a sequinned floor length dress on the side of the road.
Teetotal party girl Lady Lola Crichton-Stuart wore a sequinned floor-length dress while out for dinner this week
Lady Lola plugs her nose in a video taken by her half-sister, actress Jazzy de Lisser, as a car appears to arrive for them
In a video taken by her half-sister, actress Jazzy de Lisser, a car appears to arrive for them.
Next stop, Chiltern Firehouse? Lady Lola was carried out of the private members' club and sat on the floor by the dustbins after a night out there last month.
Andrew Castle's tennis commentary may not appeal to everyone — Aussie Nick Kyrgios blasted him this week for describing a match as 'not the most captivating tennis' — but he has won a property grand slam.
Tennis commentator Andrew Castle poses at Wimbledon in June 2013
His move to Cobham in Surrey seven years ago proved a game changer. He paid £1.63 million for a home then demolished it to build a five-bedroom mansion with a games room and staff accommodation. Now, I can reveal, he has sold it for £7,250,000.
Perhaps the only thing the former British number one forgot to install was a tennis court.
He served in Afghanistan before bellowing scripted insults at celebs for a living in Channel 4 series SAS: Who Dares Wins.
So it may come as a surprise that ex Special Forces soldier Jason Fox became terrified on a funfair ride. 'I was on a Ferris wheel in the Place de la Concorde in Paris,' recalls Fox, 47.
Jason Fox (pictured) served in Afghanistan before bellowing scripted insults at celebs for a living in Channel 4 series SASL Who Dares Wins
'I lost it, I ended up with my head between my legs panicking like crazy — obviously with my loving wife laughing at me.'
For nearly 40 years Henry Sandon radiated benevolence on the Antiques Roadshow, and delivered life-changing news to those who subjected their chattels to his expert scrutiny.
For example, the owners of 'Ozzy the Owl' who casually used the object — dating from 1680 and worth £30,000 — as a vase. Now Sandon, who died last year at 95, has pulled off his final flourishes, in his £600,000 will, showering bequests of £500, £1,000 and £1,500 on nephews, nieces and grandchildren — and £2,000 on his daughter-in-law Kristin.
It's not all happy families for model Abbey Clancy. The wife of footballer Peter Crouch no longer speaks to her cousin after he 'stole' a baby name.
'I wanted to call my daughter Honey, but my cousin had his baby before me and nicked it,' Abbey, 38, tells broadcaster Jonathan Ross and his daughter, screenwriter Honey Ross, on The Therapy Crouch podcast.
Abbey Clancy attends the Brit Awards in March 2024
'That's snakey behaviour. Do you still speak to him?' asks Honey.
'Not really, no,' says Abbey, whose daughters are named Sophia Ruby and Liberty Rose.
Sorry, honey...
Edited by Lara Olszowska
