SEBASTIAN SHAKESPEARE: Prince Charles throws open mansion to Bad Man of Bollywood 

Perfect setting: Gulshan Grover and Prince Charles at Dumfries House

Perfect setting: Gulshan Grover and Prince Charles at Dumfries House

Not satisfied with spending the Queen’s big day this week with Ant and Dec, Prince Charles is expanding his showbusiness connections.

I can reveal that the heir to the throne entertained a Bollywood villain this week at the Scottish mansion he rescued ‘for the nation’.

The meeting went so well that Charles now plans to allow Dumfries House to be used for a spectacular song-and-dance routine in a Bollywood movie. Spectacularly wealthy Gulshan Grover, veteran of more than 400 Indian films, was welcomed to the Ayrshire stately home by the Prince, who is president of the British Asian Trust.

‘It was an honour to be invited,’ Gulshan tells me. ‘I was really amazed at the royal estate in Dumfries and requested him to make it available for a Bollywood film. It is a perfect setting, I feel.’

The 59-year-old, known as ‘Bad Man’ in India, adds: ‘Being the gentleman that he is, he agreed in principle to let it happen. I am hoping to return to shoot for a movie, or at least all the dancing song sequence of my new film.’

The Royal Family is usually reluctant to allow filming in its residences, but Charles is known to enjoy rubbing shoulders with showbusiness stars. He even went so far as to join The Three Degrees on stage when the singers performed at a charity concert in 1978.

‘I hope he comes to India soon and look forward to taking him to the film studios,’ says Gulshan, whose Hollywood roles include Jungle Book 2. ‘I believe he is making a real difference in the UK and he can do the same in India.’

The dinner came before Charles met TV presenters Ant and Dec, who are filming a documentary about the Prince’s Trust charity, at Dumfries House. 

Screen villain: Gulshan is a huge star in his native India

That encounter took place on the day the Queen became Britain’s longest-reigning monarch. She celebrated with the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge at her Scottish retreat, Balmoral.

A Clarence House spokesman declined to comment on the ‘private’ dinner.

 

Two glasses of rose and I'm in my thong, says Mariella 

Once declared the sexiest voice on TV, Mariella Frostrup caused a furore last year when she admitted she ‘borrowed’ Penny Smith’s partner Vince Leigh to go on a boating holiday as her own husband was unavailable.

Mariella, 52 married to human rights lawyer Jason McCue, now reveals that she likes to dress skimpily on vacation. ‘Two glasses of rosé and a blast of Mediterranean sun and I’m happily sporting little more than a thong, to my daughter’s horror,’ she says.

Mariella, 52 married to human rights lawyer Jason McCue, now reveals that she likes to dress skimpily on vacation

Mariella, 52 married to human rights lawyer Jason McCue, now reveals that she likes to dress skimpily on vacation

‘My most embarrassing bikini moment was in Lake Como at seven months pregnant. I found myself among the cast of Ocean’s 12, including a trio of the world’s most attractive men, Brad Pitt, Matt Damon and George Clooney. 

While Lisa Snowdon and Jennifer Aniston, honed and toned, were sensibly wearing cover-ups, I was in a wholly inappropriate bikini on a boat.

‘The pictures that emerged [in print] listed everyone on the boat on my giant, pregnant belly.’

 

Headbanging Culture Secretary John Whittingdale gave an insight into his diary at the AGM of music industry body BPI.

‘Judas Priest on Tuesday, Madonna on Wednesday, Deep Purple on Thursday. 

Headbanging Culture Secretary John Whittingdale gave an insight into his diary at the AGM of music industry body BPI

Headbanging Culture Secretary John Whittingdale gave an insight into his diary at the AGM of music industry body BPI

'I can’t think of a better way to spend a week,’ said the minister, who received a platinum disc of his favourite LP, Iron Maiden’s The Number Of The Beast. 

‘There are people whose only knowledge of the English language is the lyrics to this album. That’s soft power,’ he said.

 

Hedgehogs were discussed in the House of Commons yesterday. During questions to the Environment Minister Rory Stewart, his Tory colleague Philip Hollobone lamented: ‘It is a pretty miserable life being a hedgehog — they are covered in fleas, they are asleep for most of the year.

‘When they do wake up, they are splattered on the road, and they are the favourite food of badgers.’

From the Labour backbenches a heckler shouted spikily: ‘They should try being an MP.’ 

 

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