Revealed: Beatrice’s hunk in a hoodie is a British lawyer who’s a friend of the A-listers
THE nation’s tongue went into full wagging mode when Princess Beatrice was spotted with a hoodie-wearing hunk in Los Angeles on Friday night.
But the big question on everyone’s lips was: who was this mystery man in a Bentley putting a spring in the princess’s step?
Now it can be revealed he is a high-flying lawyer, business consultant and action man trainer to the stars who actually comes from Surrey.
James Williams, 37, moved out to the US several years ago and is certainly no stranger to the high life. A clear thrill- seeker, he regularly posts pictures of himself enjoying such activities as riding horses bareback, diving with sharks, swimming with dolphins and surfing.
Last year he became boss of boxer Floyd Mayweather’s new gym business venture, Mayweather Boxing & Fitness, and has worked as fitness trainer to a string of celebrities including Robbie Williams.
He graduated from Leeds University in 2001 before attending law school in Nottingham and joining top London law firm Clifford Chance as a corporate lawyer.
He then moved to management consultancy Bain & Co, advising clients on business strategies for eight years, while also completing a master’s at the University of Pennsylvania. Mr Williams is also co-founder of business consultancy Ivy Venture Partners and has worked with stars including Britney Spears, rapper Snoop Dogg and actress Eva Longoria.
Speaking from the family’s £1million, five-bedroom home in Walton-on-the-Hill, his mother Patricia Williams, 66, said she was taken aback to see photographs of her son with Beatrice, admitting: ‘I had quite a surprise.’
She added: ‘I can’t really make any kind of comment until I’ve spoken to him and I haven’t done that yet.’
Mr Williams was spotted with Beatrice as they left swanky West Hollywood Italian restaurant Madeo. Strangely, while Beatrice appeared happy to have her picture taken by waiting photographers, Mr Williams tried to cover his head with his grey hood.
He has recently been romantically linked with US model Lucinda Aragon, a contestant on
‘I had quite a surprise’
American reality show The Bachelor who describes herself as a ‘hippy’ and often posts pictures online of herself naked.
But sources close to Beatrice, 29, last night told the Mail that her dinner date with Mr Williams was not a romantic one.
‘He’s an acquaintance, nothing more. She stopped off in LA on her way back to work, as she now has a full-time job in the States, and they met up for dinner,’ the friend said.
Beatrice is believed to have been single since she broke up with American boyfriend Dave Clark in August 2016 after ten years together, reportedly when she gave him an ultimatum to marry – although friends say they had been ‘drifting apart’. Months later the 33-year-old became engaged to New York advertising executive Lynn Anderson.
Beatrice is pursuing a career in America but is often spotted partying with friends in LA.
She now has a full-time job as Vice President of Partnerships and Strategy at Afiniti.com, a Washington DC-based computer software company.
Her outing in LA was the end of a jet-setting week which saw the princess at a Buckingham Palace engagement with the Duchess of Cambridge on Monday and a charity ball with her mother, Sarah, Duchess of York, in London the following day. Friends say she is currently dividing her time between the US and London, where she still retains an apartment in St James’s Palace.
Beatrice is also expected to be maid of honour at the wedding of her sister Eugenie to wine merchant Jack Brooksbank in October at Windsor Castle.