Who is Nikolai von Bismarck? Inside the world of the blood-drinking count who has dated Princess Beatrice, done photo shoots with Duchess of Cambridge... and is now wooing Kate Moss
- Socialite Count Nikolai von Bismarck has close links to the royal family
- The 28-year-old is a photographer and has worked with Annie Leibovitz
- Is said to have met supermodel Kate through his mother Debonnaire
Despite his exotic-sounding name, close-knit circle of royal friends and A-list connections, Count Nikolai von Bismarck is not yet a household name.
However, all of that could be about to change if the rumours he's trying to 'woo' supermodel Kate Moss are true.
The 28-year-old photographer has said to have grown close to the catwalk icon following her alleged split from musician husband Jamie Hince.
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Count Nikolai von Bismarck, pictured left, at a Halloween party in London with Pixie Geldof, right, in 2005
Kate Moss, pictured left, is said to have grown close to Nikolai, right, amid claims she has separated from her husband Jamie Hince
While mother-of-one Kate is remaining tight-lipped on reports that blazing rows have led her to call time on her four-year marriage, she is said to have been 'spending a lot of time' with the aristocrat - who once said that he drank cows' blood.
A source told The Sun: 'They've been seeing each other casually over the past couple of months. Nikolai has been spending a lot of time with Kate in the Cotswolds and in London.'
Croydon-born Kate, who has not been photographed with The Kills guitarist Jamie since April, is said to be still wearing her diamond wedding ring so no one suspects she 'might have moved on'.
Count Nikolai von Bismarck, pictured centre, is said to have dated Princess Beatrice, right, pictured together with friend Freddy Ryecart, left
Count Nikolai von Bismarck, pictured left, Debbie von Bismarck, centre, and Count Leopold von Bismarck, right, attend the exhibition launch party of 'In Ethiopia by Nikolai von Bismarck' in 2013
Mother-of-one Kate is remaining tight-lipped on reports that blazing rows have led her to call time on her four-year marriage to rocker Jamie Hince
A well-connected friend of the Delevingnes, Jaggers and Princess Beatrice, Nikolai has known Kate for many years through his 56-year-old mother, Countess Debonnaire von Bismarck.
Debonnaire - or Debbie as she is known to pals - owns a fashion boutique in London and Kate is a regular at the parties she throws at her £7 million Belgravia mansion.
She is reportedly 'fine' with the pair's budding friendship despite the 13-year age gap.
It isn't the first time Nikolai, the great great grandson of Prince Otto Von Bismarck, the 19th-century Iron Chancellor of Prussia, has dated a famous woman.
In October 2004 he was spotted holding hands with Princess Beatrice while at a Mayfair party thrown by society jeweller Theo Fennell.
A source at the time told MailOnline: 'Their families are as close as two families can be. But in recent months, Beatrice and Nikolai have become much closer as friends.
Nikolai von Bismarck, pictured left, and Count Leopold Von Bismarck, right, attend the private view of Isabella Blow: Fashion Galore! Party in London
Nikolai is said to be friends with the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge, pictured left, and Prince Harry, right
Nikolai met the Duchess of Cambridge - then Kate Middleton - when she headed to New York to do two weeks work experience with him in his photography studio
'There is certainly no question of romance - not for now, anyway.'
He also hiked the Inca Trail in Peru with Beatrice while she was on her gap year.
After developing an interest in photography while on a family holiday in Kenya, at 18 Nikolai was commissioned to take snaps of late fashion editor Isabella Blow. And, until 2010, he worked as a muse for legendary photographer Annie Leibovitz.
During this time he met the Duchess of Cambridge - then Kate Middleton - who headed to New York to do two weeks work experience with him. He is also close to Princes' William and Harry.
Nikolai, pictured left, and Count Leopold von Bismarck, right, at an exhibition opening in London
‘Nikolai worked with the legendary fashion photographer Mario Testino when he was 16 and is now focusing on portraiture with Annie Leibovitz,' a friend told MailOnline at the time.
'He is well connected on the photography circuit and Kate is thrilled to be gaining some valuable advice.'
In 2013, Nikolai, who studied at Parsons in Paris, staged an exhibition of pictures he had captured in Ethiopia, where he immersed himself in the culture of the locals. The opening was attended by Princess Beatrice, Pixie Geldof and Ronnie Wood.
Kate Moss, clad in a leopard print coat and fringed black boots, arrives at her local pub in the Cotswolds for Sunday lunch on 11 October
Get it spot on in Kate's leopard print coat by Burberry
Nobody can pull off a leopard print coat quite like Kate Moss, so it's lucky she has got an extensive collection. They do say a leopard never changes its spots!
The supermodel was pictured going for a spot of lunch (geddit?) in the Cotswolds this weekend looking like she had just come straight from a fashion show. She teamed this dreamy leopard print fur coat by Burberry with some of her signature skinny black jeans, a checked shirt and her favorite Saint Laurent fringed ankle boots.
This time her topper is by Burberry and we love the bracelet sleeves and black shearling collar. The perfect thing to add some glamour to your winter wardrobe, if you fancy a splurge then click (right) to buy it now. But be warned - the credit card bill will be big!
Or make like Mossy for less with the help of our edit below. Take a walk on the wild side in this Topshop version, or this Asos style is super dramatic. Alternatively, this Alice + Olivia coat is where high street meets high end and has been worn by countless celebrities.
Of the time spent in the country he told Daily Telegraph: 'For three weeks I drank cows' blood for breakfast, washed in the river and slept in a tent that was guarded by kids with AK-47s. I took a lot of photographs, I painted with them, drank ouzo with them, fired guns with them — I became one of them.'
Meanwhile, as well as Kate's approval Nikolai has also been vetted by upmarket magazine Tatler who voted him one of Britain's most influential high society members.
The magazine's profile of him said: 'Super-hot, in a young Bob Dylan-ish way, he once drank goat's blood, but these days prefers to stick to cocktails.'
Last week Nikolai and Kate attended the launch of new London restaurant Sexy Fish, and enjoyed Sunday lunch at a pub near her Cotswolds home.
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