King Charles strips Princess’ ex-husband and PR smoothie Anthony Bailey of his OBE – as he claims he’s already ‘lost everything he ever had’ to the bitter divorce
He was the ultimate Mr Fixit, who bought a £6million mansion in south-west London and a £4million mansion in Portugal, knew everyone from popes to prime ministers and married a princess – having previously his buddy Tony Blair had received a handwritten letter of congratulations from him.
Not bad for a boy from the metropolitan suburb of Ruislip who once sold menswear.
But his glory days can only be a dim memory for PR smoothie and Labor donor Anthony Bailey, who I can reveal had his OBE stripped by King Charles this week. The award was presented to him in 2008 by the late Queen for “services to interfaith relations and charity”.
It’s hard to think of anything more painful for 53-year-old Bailey.
In his pomp, he congratulated several members of the royal family, including the then-Prince of Wales, and even facilitated the wedding of the Duke of Kent’s younger son, Lord Nicholas Windsor, at the Vatican – the first time a British king had done so in 400 years married there.
PR smoothie and Labor donor Anthony Bailey (pictured in 2016) had his OBE revoked by King Charles this week. The award was presented to him in 2008 by the late Queen for “services to interfaith relations and charity”.
In his pomp, he complimented several members of the royal family, including the then Prince of Wales. Bailey is pictured with then-Prince Charles in 2001 during a visit to Saudi Arabia
But last year Judge Peel sentenced Bailey to 12 months in prison after convicting him of contempt of court for breaching a divorce agreement with his ex-wife, Princess Marie-Therese von Hohenberg. The former couple are pictured together on their wedding anniversary in 2007
But last year Judge Peel sentenced Bailey to 12 months in prison after finding he had contempt of court for breaching a divorce agreement with his ex-wife, Princess Marie-Therese von Hohenberg, a great-granddaughter of Archduke Franz Ferdinand who was murdered triggered World War I in 1914.
600 guests attended the couple’s wedding in Austria in 2007. But 12 years later, Marie-Therese initiated divorce proceedings that culminated in high-court drama last year that left Bailey in Portugal.
The judge ruled that he had “obstructed the court in almost every possible way” and “deliberately left the country”, noting that his conduct raised “substantial doubts”.
Bailey remains in Portugal, from where he tells me he was “not notified” of the loss of his OBE, or that such a process is even underway.
He adds that as a result of the “bitter” divorce proceedings, I “lost everything I ever had in the UK: my home, my job and even access to my beloved son.”
“This latest news will no doubt bring great joy to my ex-wife. It is yet another example of what is fundamentally wrong with the UK’s deeply flawed divorce process and why its overhaul is long overdue.”