Godfather Guy, the Princes’ very racy pal
Controversial Guy Pelly and the ‘Turnip Toffs’ line up to guide Louis
ONCE again the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge eschewed the good and the great in favour of choosing their closest friends and relations as godparents.
The six-strong group offers an intriguing glimpse into the couple’s social strata and family ties.
They range from William’s official ‘ court jester’ – and keeper of the secrets – Guy Pelly to Kate’s solicitor cousin Lucy, who unsuccessfully represented former chief whip Andrew Mitchell in his failed libel action over the notorious ‘Plebgate’ affair.
Some are ‘Turnip Toffs’, the slightly excruciating nickname given to their set of landed gentry friends from Norfolk, and all have been members of the couple’s inner circle for years.
Their most notable common trait is that have demonstrated their discretion and loyalty without question.
Hard-partying bar owner Pelly is the most notable among them.
As an exuberant college student, he was once stopped by police after breaking into an exclusive girls’ boarding school ‘looking for totty’ and was wrongly blamed for introducing Prince Harry to cannabis.
But he has recently settled down with an American heiress, who last year gave birth to their first child, a daughter. His inclusion is widely being seen as a thank you from William for loyally ‘carrying the can’ for himself and Harry for so many years.
Other friends include his childhood confidants Nicholas van Cutsem, Harry AubreyFletcher and Lady Laura Meade.
From Kate’s side there is her legal eagle cousin, Lucy Middleton, and her housemate from Marlborough College Hannah Carter, whom she inexplicably used to call Percy – it is apparently something to do with her hair.
Lucy is the niece of Kate’s father, Michael Middleton. Her brother Adam is a godfather to Princess Charlotte.
Unlike Kate’s mother’s family the Goldsmiths – notably Carole’s ‘ black sheep’ younger brother Gary – the Middletons have remained very much in the loop since Kate became an HRH.
With six godparents in total, Louis sits comfortably alongside brother George, who has seven, and sister Charlotte, who has six – members of the Royal Family always tend to pick several.
But what is notable about William and Kate’s selection is that there are no distant relatives or ‘names for show’ among them.
These are close friends who see them and their children on a regular basis and will always remain part of their lives.
‘Will always be part of their lives’