MasterChef star and his dishy young lover to wed
WHEN MasterChef judge William Sitwell left his wife and mother of his two children and then met a woman 18 years his junior, he faced the inevitable snide suggest i ons t hat t he new romance wouldn’t last.
But I’m happy to reveal that, just three months after admitting his 18-year marriage to aristocratic wife Laura McCorquodale was over, William, 48, is set to tie the knot with new love, sports sponsorship PR girl Emily Lopes, 30.
William popped the question last weekend during a trip to Paris, with am 18-carat gold and amethyst ring. But Emily made him sweat, and didn’t agree until four days later during a champagnefuelled Spear’s magazine party at exclusive club 5 Hertford Street.
A friend said: ‘ William made the proposal as romantic as possible. It wasn’t quite under the Eiffel Tower, but in sight of it.
‘ Her reply went something along the lines of, “I’ll think about it” – and was not too far off a flat no.
‘They had rather an awkward Eurostar journey home. But on Wednesday they went to a fabulous party and Emily’s tearful yes came at last.
‘Not every girl makes up her mind on a bridge in Paris – some people take minutes, some days.’
Laura was still William’s wife – though they were estranged – as he was falling desperately in love with Emily last year.
William, understandably keen to protect his children, hoped to keep Emily’s presence in his life a secret from them until he and Laura had formally separated.
William – who is editor of Waitrose food magazine – finally admitted in March at the launch of his culinary history book Eggs Or Anarchy that a divorce was on the cards. Now it is finalised and William is being kept busy by Emily, who has introduced him to new young friends.
They include her pal Prince Harry, his girlfriend Meghan Markle and her cousin, Harry Lopes, who is married to Laura Parker Bowles, daughter of the Duchess of Cornwall.
A close friend told me last week: ‘ William i s having a second innings. He’s over the moon and thrilled to have a hot young wife.’
The happy couple will divide their time between Emily’s London townhouse and Weston Hall, William’s family pile in Northamptonshire, where he hosts regular supper clubs.