She first captured the attention of a young Prince William and formed a friendly bond with Prince Harry, often being included in the inner circle that enjoyed gatherings at Highgrove, the King’s retreat in Gloucestershire.

Despite being among many attractive young women who mingled with the bachelor princes at the Beaufort Polo Club, Natalie Hicks-Lobbecke stood out beyond her appearance. She later demonstrated her dedication by running an aid program in Africa and managing post-conflict reconstruction projects in Iraq and Afghanistan.

Today, Natalie—now known as Lady Milbank after marrying baronet Sir Edward Milbank in 2008—faces a new challenge requiring all her diplomatic skills and resilience.

It has come to light that she is confronting a rebellion involving nearly 500 individuals at her husband’s Barningham estate. This estate spans a stunning 7,000-acre stretch of pristine moorland on the border between North Yorkshire and County Durham.

Sir Edward Milbank and his wife Natalie nearly 500-strong rebellion at his Barningham estate, whose 7,000 acres encompass a breathtaking expanse of unsullied moorland straddling the North Yorkshire and County Durham border

However, the term ‘pristine’ might soon be in jeopardy. A large group of critics are up in arms over the proposed Hope Moor Wind Farm by Norwegian company Fred Olsen. The project seeks to install 20 wind turbines, each towering over 650 feet, on the moorland. The critics have condemned the plan as ‘criminal’ destruction. “If the project moves forward, the turbines will be visible from the Yorkshire Dales and Pennines all the way to the Lake District,” a local resident shared with me, criticizing the proposal as completely inappropriate for the area and threatening a wildlife sanctuary that has been preserved for centuries.

It’s a landscape whose beauty Natalie, 47, called ‘blissful’ after her work in war zones. ‘The families and community who live in the area are truly remarkable,’ she added. ‘They have such fabulous insight, we learn so much from them, and I am taken aback by how friendly everyone is.’

That, alas, won’t be the case if Hope Moor is foisted on the ‘remarkable’ community by the Labour Government – abetted, fear locals, by Sir Edward, 53, and Natalie. ‘It’s a hugely expensive estate to maintain, so the Olsen golden goose would certainly help the situation,’ reflects a steadfast opponent.

Sir Edward and Lady Milbank decline to comment, but Natalie has previously conceded that Barningham Park, the baronial family seat, dating from the 14th century, presents costly challenges.

‘Water was coming up through the floor, structural timbers were rotting, and the walls were going green,’ she explained, recalling urgent restoration work on Barningham’s medieval core.

Could a soothing word from the Prince of Wales pacify the locals? ‘He has, on occasion, flown himself up to Barningham Hall by helicopter,’ I’m told.

Red-cheeked Tom’s most embarrassing cropper…

As his fans eagerly await tomorrow’s finale of BBC hit drama The Night Manager, Tom Hiddleston confesses his heroic character’s dramatic motorbike chase began with embarrassment.

‘In episode four, there’s quite a complicated bit where I have to steal and jump on a bike and give chase,’ explains Old Etonian Tom, 44, pictured above.

‘We were doing it in Medellin, Colombia, after a thunderstorm. That ground was completely slick from the rain… I sprinted full tilt and then tried to stop with my dress shoes on. I slid right past the bike, past the camera and on to my bottom.’

He chuckles: ‘It looks a little smoother in the final cut.’

Bond star’s sartorial secret revealed by his daughter 

Daniel Craig’s daughter, model and actress Ella Loudon, says the James Bond star dressed her in boys’ clothing when she was growing up – and it’s had a lasting impact on her style.

‘As a child, he took me to the boys’ section for clothes,’ recalls Ella, 33, whose mother is Daniel’s ex-wife, actress Fiona Loudon. ‘The quality tended to be higher and lasted longer. Men’s trend cycles are much longer than women’s… I’ve noticed my friends and I are increasingly drawn toward sexless clothes.’

Ella, pictured above with Craig, said her favourite item is a white wool jumper from her father. ‘I’ve had [it] since my early teens, with the words “Salty Dog”. It’s shrunk a bit, but still looks and feels chic.’

A-ha! It’s grandpa Coogan 

All change in the life of Steve Coogan, who recently voiced his ‘antipathy’ to the British flag after securing Irish citizenship.

Now, the Alan Partridge star has become a grandfather at the age of 60.

His only child, London-based chef Clare Cole, 29, has given birth to a daughter with her boyfriend, Fleabag star Jamie Demetriou, 38. Jamie is busy juggling new fatherhood while promoting Charli XCX’s new mockumentary, The Moment, in which he stars opposite the pop singer as her manager.

Confirming the birth of his daughter, Jamie said this week: ‘She’s good and gorgeous.’ Clare is Coogan’s child with ex-girlfriend Anna Cole, a solicitor.

Being named as the official biographer of the late Queen Elizabeth is one of the most prestigious – and lucrative – prospects in the publishing world.

One of the names linked to the role is, however, out of the running. Professor Jane Ridley, 72, who’s written biographies of Edward VII and George V among others, is, I hear, too ill to complete her unofficial biography of the late Queen’s earlier life, that was commissioned in 2022. It was due to be published this year to mark the centenary of her birth.

‘She isn’t well and, though the contract is not cancelled, it will be,’ her agent tells me. Jane is the daughter of Margaret Thatcher’s late environment secretary Nicholas Ridley.

Was honeymoon first sign Rani and ex weren’t suited? 

Anita Rani has suggested that she realised her marriage was doomed on her honeymoon.

Bhupinder Rehal and Anita before they separated

The Celebrity Race Across The World star, 48, pictured above, separated from technology executive Bhupinder Rehal in 2023 but discovered that he did not share her sense of adventure 14 years earlier in Cambodia.

‘On my honeymoon, I woke up very early and went, “Wake up, wake up”. And he went, “The sun is just rising”. I went, “Yeah, now’s the perfect time to swim.” And he went, “Who are you?” I’m like, “Welcome to your new life”.’

She married Bhupinder six months after they first met. Speaking at Destinations: The Holiday & Travel Show at Olympia London, the Countryfile presenter adds: ‘Who wouldn’t love a sunrise swim? Adventure is in my bones.’

She has since found love with Alex Lavery and has said of their compatibility: ‘He’s not just good-looking, he’s a beautiful soul.’

Maxine Peake was embroiled in a planning row with a neighbour over her plans to create a rehearsal space for her acting company, but the Shameless star insists that the rest of her Herefordshire village have embraced her.

‘I love it because you can’t shake a stick without bumping into someone,’ she says. ‘Everyone is so friendly. Sometimes we go and help the local farmer when it’s lambing.’

Prince William declared, ‘I absolutely love pubs’, as he visited The Goth in Fallin, near Stirling, earlier this month. He said: ‘This is the best place to come and get to know each other.’

Clearly, his stepmother agrees, as I spotted Queen Camilla at The Blue Stoops, in Kensington, West London, on Thursday evening. The pub was opened last year by Jamie Allsopp, cousin of TV’s Kirstie, after he revived his family brewery. The Queen, who was with her son, Tom Parker Bowles, stuck to red wine.

Hollywood star Bradley Cooper’s new film, Is This Thing On?, tells the story of an aspiring comedian, based on John Bishop, trying to save his marriage while pursuing stand-up. Liverpudlian Bishop’s marriage has lasted 33 years, but he jokes of his wife: ‘Melanie’s an only child – don’t marry one of them. She’s great, but they have never had to compromise. [Only children] never had a dead leg for no reason, and you can’t start giving them one when you’re married, saying, “This is what my brother did to me”.’