Rupert Everett's conversation and prose is as seductive as his stage presence. And the show goes on, with a new book, film and role in Emily in Paris. Delilah Khomo catches up with the greatest wit of our time Oscar Wilde once wrote that ‘divorces are made in heaven’.
Did he have me – and my fellow social diarists – in mind? It’s easy to forget that marriage breakdowns used to carry such a social stigma that divorcees were banned from entering the Royal Enclosure at until 1955, lest the monarch be embarrassed by bumping into one. Now, both the King and Queen are divorcees themselves. And divorce has not only lost its disgrace; in some ways, it has added a certain appeal to society figures.
It’s not just that a huge settlement might attract suitors – divorce or estrangement can also enhance a singleton’s charms. Not only does it suggest someone who’s willing to admit they made a mistake, but it also shows that they’ve lived a bit. Perhaps even learnt something, too.
Take Queen Elizabeth II’s eldest grandchild, Peter Phillips, once regarded as one of the dullest members of the Royal Family. His divorce from his Canadian-born ex-wife, Autumn, has arguably afforded him a raffish charm that’s helped attract a succession of beautiful women. Among the nobility, the Marquess of Northampton demonstrates that previous marital mishap is no deterrent to further adventure.
Nicknamed the Mystic Marquess – by elements of the press, that is – for his fascination w.