What a difference as Green goes low-key to mark his 65th
SIR Philip Green’s 65th birthday party was a low-key affair for a billionaire who loves the limelight and the company of glamorous women.
With many celebrities steering clear of the tycoon since the BHS pension scandal, he would be gratified to see supermodel Kate Moss, pop star Alesha Dixon and Strictly’s Tess Daly and her husband Vernon Kay loyally turn up in support.
Sir Philip has agreed to pay £363million to plug the black hole in the BHS pension scheme after months of outcry but his fall from grace could be measured by the few stars at his landmark event this week.
Ms Moss, 43, arrived fashionably late at the Dorchester in London’s Mayfair with the party in full swing.
The model, who has designed collections for Topshop, wore a Mandarin-style ensemble to join 100 guests at the hotel’s China Tang restaurant – a favourite with the stars and where, on a normal day, its birds nest chicken soup is an eyewatering £80.
The guest list, however, was not quite as glittering as at Green’s 60th in Mexico which cost him £6million.
Five years ago Hollywood stars Leonardo DiCaprio and Gwyneth Paltrow were among the guests who danced to Stevie Wonder, Robbie Williams and the Beach Boys.
This time Sir Philip, reportedly worth Vernon Kay and wife, Strictly host Tess Daly, on hand to toast Sir Philip, below £3.2billion, was anxious to avoid publicity. Other guests included Jamie and Louise Redknapp, boxer Chris Eubank and Mike Ashley, the controversial founder of Sports Direct. Daly walked arm-in-arm with Green as he entered to be greeted by cheers from guests. Ex-BHS employee Jean Costello, 52, said: “I’ve got friends struggling to find work. Everything is so hard, much harder yet he is just living the high life.” Her ex-BHS colleague Yvonne Meeks, 56, said: “It just seems as though he is getting away with everything and nobody seems to be confronting him.”