Queen Camilla was crowned with a starring role in Peter James’s forthcoming novel, The Hawk Is Dead, in which fictional detective Roy Grace looks for a killer in Buckingham Palace.
And Her Majesty’s favourite crime writer has been chasing villains in real life.
I can reveal James took matters into his own hands after learning that scammers were posing as him to leave unwitting victims out of pocket.
‘I was alerted by an American fan in Florida, telling me she was surprised to see I had branched out from writing thrillers and gone into real estate,’ he tells me.
‘She then sent me screenshots of a number of extremely elaborate social media posts by a company purportedly owned by me, trading under the name of Peter James Timeshare Real Estate.’
The best-selling author, whose late mother, Cornelia James, made the gloves for the then Princess Elizabeth’s 1947 wedding, divulges: ‘The posts featured photographs of myself, my wife Lara, the Royal Warrant held by my family business as glovemakers to the late Queen Elizabeth, cosy photos of us with our dogs and the bold announcement from ‘me’ giving a personal guarantee of satisfaction that no one would regret purchasing my quality apartment timeshares in Orlando and Tallahassee.’
James, 77, turned to a retired friend from the digital forensics team at Sussex Police, the force for whom Detective Superintendent Roy Grace works.
‘My friend, who helps me a lot in my research, managed to get these posts down fairly rapidly,’ he explains, though he confirms the criminals remain at large.
Queen Camilla was crowned with a starring role in Peter James’s forthcoming novel
In the book, fictional detective Roy Grace looks for a killer in Buckingham Palace
Ahead of his book’s release in October, James ponders: ‘It has left me wondering if the scammers are going to be back soon, showing me offering timeshares in the Palace.’
Besotted Esme shows beau’s strength
Esme Bertelsen being lifted by her boyfriend Luke Moreton
Tatler cover girl Esme Bertelsen is clearly being swept off her feet by her boyfriend Luke Moreton.
The festival producer displayed his impressive strength by carrying the daughter of television personality Susannah Constantine for this snap, which was shared online.
‘Every strong woman needs a strong man,’ says Esme of Moreton – an alumnus of £60,000-per-year Milton Abbey School in Dorset.
The 24-year-old, whom the society magazine listed as one of Britain’s 100 most eligible women, tells me: ‘I basically made him do this photo because I thought it was beautiful – it’s angelic but strong.’
Moreton, also 24, began dating Esme after meeting her in Barcelona this year.
Artist Alison Jackson’s doppelgangers proved too uncanny at Edinburgh Festival Fringe last week – where she hosted her new show, Faking Famous.
‘Some people attacked me and my actors thinking they were real,’ the Bafta winner says. ‘My Trump actor’s Maga hat and his kilt were stolen. We had to run.’
It’s the Adriatic paradise where Prince Harry plunged into a nightclub swimming pool – and now Ed Sheeran’s been making waves in Hvar, Croatia. I can reveal the singer, 34, was filming a music video there last week, reportedly alongside Bridgerton actress Phoebe Dynevor, 30.
Restaurateur Visko Viskovic tells me filming took place in Kiva, the alleyway bar close to Hvar’s harbour.
‘We bumped into Ed who was lovely, he even let us appear in the video,’ says a backpacker at nearby Dink’s Place hostel.
Nathalie’s defiant dance over Notting Hill Carnival
Game Of Thrones star Nathalie Emmanuel at Notting Hill Carnival
Game Of Thrones star Nathalie Emmanuel – who came to a sticky end as Missandei – was in her ‘happy place’ as she partied at Notting Hill Carnival in London during the bank holiday weekend.
The Essex-born actress, 36, paid homage to her West Indian roots in a picture she shared on social media – wearing a bejewelled costume draped with the flags of St Lucia and Dominica.
Amid calls for the controversial three-day street party – which saw some one million revellers in attendance – to be moved to a smaller location, Emmanuel said: ‘Carnival was always about resistance, defiance and liberation. I could cry at the joy and love that I experience at Carnival every year. And, by the way, we’re not going anywhere.’
Levison’s trip is not so picture perfect
Having just become a father, TV explorer Levison Wood faces many sleepless nights.
But shut-eye isn’t always a good thing, as the former Parachute Regiment officer discovered in Mexico.
‘I took an overnight bus where they give you a lunch box and a bottle of water – it was drugged,’ he tells me. ‘Ten hours later, I woke up deprived of my belongings, including my brand new camera. It’s a well-known scam, drugging and robbing unsuspecting tourists on buses.’
Levison, 43, whose workshop The Art of Exploration is being held this week, was in Mexico to practise photography. After the robbery, he was aided by local snapper Alberto Caceres – who became his ‘mentor’.
Looking on the bright side, Levison adds: ‘I’ve never slept so well in my life.’
Tipped to become a judge on MasterChef, restaurateur Robert Walton, dubbed ‘the Godfather of hospitality’, may have another TV gig lined up.
I can reveal Walton is in talks with broadcasting giants including Netflix to create a reality TV contest for budding chefs, waiters and mixologists.
‘We would take a group around the world,’ he tells me at the Young Chef Waiter Mixologist England 2025 awards at Fortnum & Mason in Piccadilly.
Walton, 69, explains: ‘You’ll have judges from here and a celebrity judge in each country. All judges would do it because they want to support the future of hospitality.’
