As a stunning 23-year-old model, she dazzled the young Prince Andrew and the pair went on to enjoy a whirlwind romance.
But after tiring of the constant attention of the paparazzi, Kate Rabett went on to marry Kit Hesketh-Harvey, an irrepressible cabaret performer and composer.
Now I am sad to report that the couple’s 35-year marriage is over, with friends saying the reasons behind it are ‘complicated’.
‘Kit doesn’t want her to leave but Kate has sadly concluded that it’s over,’ says a source.
A friend adds: ‘Kit has moved to a place in the grounds of their Norfolk home and Kate spends most weekdays at a flat in London.
‘Lockdown has been hard on their relationship. Kit’s a special and talented man. This situation is such a shame for them both.’
Kate Rabett, now 61, pictured at the Gentleman of the Year Launch in London, married Kit Hesketh-Harvey, an irrepressible cabaret performer and composer
Another source says: ‘Kit is absolutely heartbroken after such a long marriage. Kate wants out.’
Kate, a former Hot Gossip dancer and actress, hit the front pages in 1984 after catching Andrew’s eye when they bumped into each other leaving a London gallery.
During their fling, she hosted Andrew’s 24th birthday party at her West London home and was reportedly introduced to the Queen, who indicated her approval.
However, within two years she had married Kit, and they held their wedding reception at Chilham Castle in Kent. They went on to have two children – Augusta, now 33, and Rollo, 31. However, their showbiz careers inevitably made family life less than conventional.
Kate, now 61, became a Bond girl in The Living Daylights opposite Timothy Dalton’s 007, played Cissy Meldrum in the BBC sitcom You
