Marchioness of Bath's social diary: partying with Lady Kitty Spencer and attending Wimbledon with Princess Kate
The Marchioness of Bath, HELLO!'s Social Editor at Large, shares an exclusive peek inside the hottest parties in town in her monthly column.
Take it away Emma...
My jam-packed July began in impeccable style. Sunshine and la dolce vita reigned supreme at the Dolce & Gabbana fashion shows in Sardinia, where Domenico Dolce and Stefano Gabbana showered their guests with abundance – or abbondanza – in their passionate Italian manner.
Christina Aguilera performed her hits, to the delight of Lady Kitty Spencer, Naomi Campbell, Rosie Huntington-Whiteley, Alessandra Ambrosio and a host of other familiar faces as the most intricately imagined couture pieces of womenswear, menswear and jewellery were showcased.
The roots of the brand's heritage shone through in the intensely personal, handmade creations, and guests felt relaxed at the family favourite resort of Forte Village, which was taken over for the entire week.
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Getting glammed-up with Lady Kitty Spencer
Between trips to the spa, with its six consecutive thalasso detox pools, and the pristine white beach, Kitty and I caught up over thin crispy margherita pizzas and plates of burrata. Getting our glam done together was just as much fun as the evenings themselves.
A particularly fond memory was dancing with Mr Dolce himself in my long lace gown, which was expertly hitched up into a mini dress so we could spin around and keep the long train intact.
Royal invitation to Prince Michael of Kent's birthday
After that whirlwind of fun, I was up at the crack of dawn to fly back to London to meet my manager and friend Elaine Foran for another busy day.
After attending the lovely All Love Luncheon with Emirates x HELLO! at Wimbledon and catching the action on Centre Court, we sped off to stunning rooftop restaurant Joia as guests of luxury watch company IWC.
As we gazed out over the River Thames, marvelling at the panoramic views of the London skyline, we met Formula 1 star Sir Lewis Hamilton and caught up with my friend, actor Damson Idris.
Our day ended in regal fashion at Kensington Palace, attending Prince Michael of Kent's 82nd birthday party at the invitation of Lord and Lady Frederick Windsor. The party took place in their beautiful garden, where we all chatted around the pond.
Not having had time to change out of our kitten heels, we were worried about destroying their lovely lawn, so Elaine decided we should try to walk on the balls of our feet. It was quite a workout for our calves, from which we've only just recovered!
Sophie and Freddie kindly invited my husband Ceawlin and I to watch the Wimbledon men's semi-finals. It was a glorious day, topped off by tea in the Royal Box with actors Damian Lewis, Hugh Grant and Rami Malek.
Prince Michael encouraged me to try the famous coffee cake, which was delicious, and of course, there were the best strawberries and cream imaginable.
Princess Kate's emotional entrance at Wimbledon
I was thrilled to be invited to the men's final by Ralph Lauren. The atmosphere when the Princess of Wales entered Centre Court to take her seat was electric and brought tears to my eyes. It was such a joy to see her there, looking radiant with her adorable daughter Princess Charlotte.
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After the match, tea and scones turned into a party and spontaneous photoshoot with the inimitable Grace Jones and actress Zawe Ashton, whose dream of meeting her icon came true in that moment. Glenn Close and her chic canine companion were also in the Ralph Lauren suite, along with ever-dapper James Bond star Pierce Brosnan. Actor Luke Evans was there too, and we managed a quick kiss hello while running back to our seats between sets.
Meanwhile, my London home became base camp for friends returning from Silverstone or on their way to the BST concerts in Hyde Park.
I hosted a spontaneous summer soirée in a pink Indian tent in the garden, where guests including rapper Tinie Tempah and actress Naomie Harris gathered for a BBQ.
Before heading off to watch Kylie perform, Ceawlin, Elaine and our friend Esme Drummond gathered in the tent again for Aperol spritzes and Lebanese food.
Hanging out with Alan Carr
The first person we bumped into in our VIP suite at Hyde Park was the hilarious Alan Carr. He explained that his tickets were meant to be in the standing area with the main throng of screaming fans. Having clearly underestimated his popularity among Kylie's fanbase after doing hundreds of selfies, he needed respite – and the AEG/Amex lounge came to his rescue.
We had a blast as Kylie's honorary backing dancers as she delighted 80,000 fans with her best tunes. We sang along and danced, Spinning Around to the pop princess's hits all night!
