Local Couple Liked at Home

Prince Harry was one of the British Royal Family’s most popular members, but his decision to move to Montecito and publicly criticize the historic institution has seen his popularity plunge.

On October, 2019, the Duke of Sussex was liked by 71 percent and disliked by 22 percent of the British public.

But data from last August shows only 30 percent had a favorable opinion of him, while 60 percent disliked him according to data from Statista.

A spectacular fall from grace after he launched a barrage of criticism at his own family with the controversial Oprah Winfrey interview in 2021, a Netflix docuseries in 2022, and his tell-all memoir Spare in 2023.

However, in contrast to the British public, Americans remain fairly positive about King Charles III’s youngest son, with more than half of them – 53 percent – revealing favorable views, according to YouGov.

But things could be changing, according to an old friend Ingrid Seward, editor-in-chief of Majesty Magazine, with whom I have appeared on TV many times.

She tells The Standard: “I give a lot of talks to Americans and they all dislike Harry and Meghan. They hate that they let the Queen down.”

Stay tuned…

Local Mom Shares Parents’ Faith

Montecito actress Gwyneth Paltrow says her parents’ interfaith marriage was “scandalous” for their respective families when the twosome first tied the knot.

The Goop founder, 52, is the daughter of Meet the Parents actress Blythe Danner and the late director Bruce Paltrow.

Blythe, who is a Christian, and Bruce, who was Jewish, exchanged vows in 1969 and remained together until he died of cancer in 2002 aged 58.

As a little girl, the Oscar winner was raised celebrating holidays from both traditions and has apparently continued to do so in adulthood.

Now she has shone more light on her ecumenical upbringing in a video – with Israeli artist Noa Tishby – about Hannukah.

“I grew up in a time in the ‘70s when interfaith marriage was kind of a big deal. And so it was very hard for both of my parents that they were marrying each other. It was a bit scandalous.

“Nobody was happy about it, but they appear to have accepted it later in life, and we’ve learned to get used to all of that.”

Remembering Jimmy Carter

On a particularly poignant note, I remember President Jimmy Carter, who has died at his Georgia home at the age of 100.

I had the great pleasure of having a one-on-one with Carter for nearly half an hour before he was joined by First Lady Rosalynn, when I was invited to the sprawling Manhattan apartment for a dinner party in the ‘80s hosted by the late celebrity realtor Alice Mason. 

Carter was an absolute delight, charming and self-deprecating in his famous southern drawl.

But I did note one sartorial faux pas. As it was a black-tie occasion, the president was wearing cuffs on his trousers.

Maybe acceptable in his hometown of Plains, but a definite no-no in the heady social circles of Manhattan.

Sightings

Kevin Costner skiing in Aspen, Colorado… Jane Lynch breakfasting at the Montecito Coffee Shop… Actor Josh Brolin at Pierre Lafond.

Pip! Pip!