Crooner Blunt’s heartache over Ibiza burglary

Gang raids villa for heirlooms and T-shirts

HIS military service saw him deployed to the Balkans during the Kosovo war before finding global success with the hit single You’re Beautiful.

But now James Blunt has a new and urgent mission on his hands — to retrieve his late grandfather’s ‘irreplaceable’ pocket watch.

The heirloom, I can disclose, was among a haul of personal belongings ransacked from Blunt’s hillside villa in Ibiza last week. The former Household Cavalry officer and his wife, the Duke of Wellington’s niece Sofia, spent several months on the island during lockdown last year, but were not at the house, recently renovated, at the time of the raid in the early hours of last Thursday night.

Every single one of the balladeer’s shirts and T-shirts were taken from the property — bought by Blunt for £1.7 million in 2006 — as were a pair of gold cufflinks, and numerous items, including a bayonet from his time in Kosovo.

Their loss has prompted him to issue a heartfelt appeal. Stressing that he’s aware that it is a ‘difficult time for many people on the island’, he adds: ‘My only real sadness is that they took some cufflinks and an old pocket watch that belonged to my grandfather, and a bayonet from my time as a soldier in the Kosovo war in 1999. I would gladly pay a reward for their return.’ Blunt characteristically retains his sense of humour. ‘The thieves took about 100 items, including a black and white cowhide rug that my wife didn’t like, so I suspect she could be involved,’ he jokes.

‘They also took all my T-shirts and shirts. They can’t have a very good sense of aesthetics.’

A search for fingerprints has led local police to conclude that there were three intruders, who gained entry undetected even though Blunt had ensured that the house was occupied in his family’s absence.

A friend offers sympathy. ‘Blunty’s lovely. He invites people back to the house all the time for dinner,’ she tells me.

‘That’s where he does the parties, with people dancing till the early morning.

‘Will he get the watch and cufflinks back? I doubt they’re still in Ibiza.’