Night Andrew took his ‘plus one’ Ghislaine to meet elite of Hollywood

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As someone who’s followed Hollywood for years, I remember a lot of whispers about a particular awards season night. It seems like everyone involved in the industry has a long memory, and lately, people are starting to talk again about when Prince Andrew – now, of course, things are very different – introduced Ghislaine Maxwell to some of the biggest names in Hollywood. It was a night a lot of us haven’t forgotten.

In November 2000, Andrew was a special guest at the Britannia Awards in Los Angeles, a Bafta event where he presented an award to Steven Spielberg.

Bafta has about 700 members in Hollywood, and the Britannia Awards are their biggest event of the year. This event took place before Andrew became a trade envoy; he attended as a representative of both his mother and the UK, and presented Steven Spielberg with the Stanley Kubrick Britannia Award for his outstanding contributions to film.

During the event, Andrew honored Steven Spielberg and playfully remarked that he hadn’t been in Los Angeles long, but had already witnessed a lot of networking among Hollywood’s top players – which he called ‘schmoozing’.

Let me tell you, things got a little tense behind the scenes. Andrew unexpectedly requested to bring a guest – Ghislaine Maxwell, of all people – and he was adamant she be seated right at the top table with him. It created quite a stir, naturally!

According to a source, all the seating arrangements were finalized when Andrew’s team requested that his guest, Ghislaine, be seated with him and next to Spielberg. BAFTA refused the last-minute request, but Andrew brought her along anyway.

Pictures from the event feature Ghislaine Maxwell, daughter of the late Robert Maxwell and known for her connection to Jeffrey Epstein, standing with actresses Denise Richards and Jessica Capshaw, who is Steven Spielberg’s stepdaughter.

Her being there showed just how important their friendship had been to the prince, and how willing he was to use his position and power to help her – and, according to rumors, a former romantic partner – Maxwell.

I’ve followed this case for years, and it’s heartbreaking to learn more about just how long Epstein was abusing young girls – the evidence suggests it started way back in the mid-1990s. It’s a small comfort to see Ghislaine Maxwell finally facing consequences, serving a 20-year sentence for helping him groom and traffic those girls. It doesn’t undo the harm, but it’s a step towards justice.

Okay, so I’ve been following this for years, and it’s just been confirmed – Andrew and Ghislaine definitely ran in the same circles. I mean, it wasn’t just a casual acquaintance! Apparently, about a week before that Bafta LA event everyone’s talking about, he was actually her guest at this unbelievably wild party in New York. Heidi Klum threw it, and it was… well, let’s just say the theme was ‘hookers and pimps’ – a full-on fancy dress thing. It’s just… shocking, honestly. It really paints a picture, doesn’t it?

In June 2000, he invited over 600 guests, including Maxwell and Jeffrey Epstein, to the Dance of the Decades at Windsor Castle. The event celebrated several royal birthdays, notably Prince Andrew’s 40th.

In 2001, a now-notorious photo was taken at Ghislaine Maxwell’s home. It shows Andrew and Maxwell with Virginia Roberts, who was 17 at the time and alleged that Jeffrey Epstein had brought her to London for sexual encounters with the prince.

Honestly, it’s been awful watching everything unfold with Prince Andrew. Over the years, all the truly terrible details of his connection to Epstein and Maxwell have come out, and it’s just… heartbreaking, in a way. He’s lost everything – all his titles, his roles, even his home at Royal Lodge. Now he’s just Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor, living a much quieter life on the Sandringham estate in Norfolk. Those glamorous red carpet appearances? They feel like a distant dream now. It’s just… sad to see.

Fragile Liza forgets her lines in front of 2,000 adoring fans

Liza Minnelli’s autobiography, Kids, Wait Till You Hear This!, has received excellent reviews and is a surprisingly humorous and candid account of her life.

I have to say, I was a little concerned seeing the superstar at a recent event in Los Angeles. They just didn’t seem themselves – appearing quite frail and having a real struggle to find the right words. It was definitely noticeable, and honestly, a little worrying.

The event was a complete success, selling out to a crowd of 2,000 enthusiastic fans who each paid $90 to attend. It began with a spectacular dance performance. However, when the show ended and Liza appeared, seated in a director’s chair, some audience members were concerned because she seemed unsteady.

People described her performance as hesitant, and she seemed to struggle with her words. She even forgot the lyrics to “Our Love Is Here To Stay,” a song she was scheduled to sing. Video of the performance shared online sadly shows how age and illness were affecting the 80-year-old singer.

According to a review in The Hollywood Reporter, the interviewee responded to questions with pauses and incomplete thoughts, often using just a few words. When asked about her legacy, she simply said ‘No,’ but then quickly added that she focuses on the present moment and the narrative itself.

He noted that when trying to describe how performance relates to her, she eventually just said, “It’s… not good without it.” When discussing being sober, she started to say, “Ask anyone out there…” but then stopped mid-sentence. Even when talking about her family, her thoughts came in short bursts. She repeated, “I thought my mother was perfect. Perfect.”

She wrote the book with her close friend Michael Feinstein, who accompanied her on stage and played the piano. She will be repeating this book event in San Francisco on April 9th.

‘Man crazy’ Kate’s therapy? Give up sex!

Kate Hudson revealed her therapist advised her to stop dating because she was too focused on relationships. The therapist felt Kate needed to learn how to be happy and self-sufficient before finding a partner.

The actress, who didn’t win an Oscar on Sunday, revealed she stopped dating for a while after her difficult breakup with Muse’s Matt Bellamy in 2014. They have a son together named Bing. Before Bellamy, she was with Chris Robinson of The Black Crowes, and they share a son named Ryder.

She revealed that her doctor pointed out a pattern in her relationships: she was the common factor. He advised her to stop dating men altogether. She realized she’d never been single and hadn’t taken time to be alone. After reflecting on why her past romances were consistently problematic, she believes she’s broken the cycle. She began dating musician Danny Fukikawa in 2017, and they are still a couple.

Noor’s bagged her man (but look out for the ex)

Film producer Noor Alfallah, 31, and actor Al Pacino, 85, appear to be back together, sparking congratulations from fans.

She spent two evenings with Roman Polanski – first at the Charles Finch/Chanel party on Saturday, and then at the Vanity Fair Oscars party on Sunday. She shared a photo of them together on Instagram, calling him ‘My favourite person always… Roman’s dad.’ They have a son who is almost three years old.

Mick Jagger and his partner, Melanie Hamrick, were also present at both events, creating an awkward situation since Noor previously had a brief relationship with Mick when he and Melanie first started dating.

The morning after the night before…

After the Academy Awards on Sunday, Timothée Chalamet seemed a little under the weather. He didn’t attend a Dune: Part Three promotional event on Monday morning, instead sending a pre-recorded video that appeared to be filmed in the garden of his girlfriend, Kylie Jenner’s, home in Calabasas. He hadn’t won the Best Actor award for ‘Marty Supreme’ at the Oscars.

It’s no surprise Timothée Chalamet is exhausted from all the Oscar promotion. The upcoming press tour for Dune will be something to watch.

 

Strictly Come Dancing professional Johannes Radebe is excited for his fellow dancers to attend his show, Kinky Boots, at the London Coliseum. He jokingly warned them to arrive early, as he likes to warm up for performances – right on the sidewalk outside the theater!

He explained he really needs some time to himself before a performance. He always goes outside for about twenty minutes before the show starts. Since he’s in full costume, he needs to cover up, and he uses a red blanket for that purpose.

 

Gordon Ramsay is always looking for new business opportunities. He recently partnered with the son of the founder of The Ivy to start a new drinks company.

The celebrity chef is partnering with Ben Caring, who runs the Caprice Holdings restaurant group, to launch a new venture called Krusade Co. Ltd. Ben’s father, Richard Caring – often called the ‘King of Soho’ – owns the popular Ivy restaurants, estimated to be worth around £1 billion. Gordon and Ben haven’t revealed what their new company will offer yet.

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2026-03-20 03:52