How wonderful! I had a free morning. I asked Miss B to shove all my meetings and appointments back to the afternoon. Not that I was canoodling with the wonderful Miss B, mind. Went for a long, leisurely breakfast at my club in St James's and then toddled over to Trumper's in Curzon Street to get polished up.
I must say, the men of Mayfair have that unique air of elegance and gravitas. Bespoke sober-coloured suits. Polished, expensive shoes. Crisp, handmade shirts and smart ties. Battered briefcases. The very antithesis of fashion. These men turn the wheels of this nation. Without them, the much-heralded creatives in our society would be mere 'bedroom geniuses'.
I love walking through the area's historic streets. Mayfair holds many secrets behind its large, ornate doors. It's simply impossible to ever be bored by this place! Regarding style, I'm afraid that the British woman has rather less of it than her male counterparts. It's either clownish 'edgeiness', cheap department store mundanity or 'tranny chic.' The Duchess of Cambridge, however, is always beautifully dressed. I simply adore her! She certainly has had her critics, but she has shown that class comes from within - it is not an automatic birthright as her brother-in-law has demonstrated.
How sad that Abu Hamza is finally being booted out of the UK! I don't know a single other personage with a hook for a hand! He really is a comic-book villain and his loss will be mourned by many - his leaving means it will be highly unlikely that we wll ever have the opportunity to lynch the fat b*****d from the nearest lamppost.
I must tell you this. I was just riding in the back of the Rolls, lost in my thoughts, on the way to lunch at Wiltons. As we turned into Piccadilly, I saw the most incredible woman! I can't even begin to describe her to you. Above average height. Slim but shapely. Beautiful, intelligent face. Stunning hat, and wearing a boucle tweed cape. Can't remember anything else. She simply had the most incredible mystique about her. I only mention it because it's so rare to witness!
There's very little mystique in the world today. Personally, I find that my soubriquet of The Duke of Snarlborough affords me a cloak of anonymity. I can be as naughty as I like! The movie stars of yesteryear adopted a profile for the public that projected glamour, sophistication and a fair amount of mystery. Take Marilyn. We never would have loved Norma Jean in the same way as we loved 'Marilyn Monroe'. Would you really wsh to see her cutting her toe-nails? Movie stars today like to 'keep it real' yawn, yawn. Likewise, the Haute Couture houses in Paris. The camera crews have access all areas! Even Savile Row has lost much of its mysterious image of old. The problem with publicity is that the private and the esoteric becomes rather everyday. There is nothing left to discover. No surprises. I still remember the first day that my father took me to Huntsman. A new world opened up before me!
Cancel your Twitter account. Make yourself scarce on Facebook. Dress like you have somewhere better to go. Always hold a little back for yourself. In short, raise your glass to the wonderful and rarified charms of 'Mystique'!
More anon
The Duke of Snarlborough
