Wills and Harry go it alone

Updated: 19:00 EDT, 4 January 2009

Princes William and Harry will take another step in their growing public roles by setting up their own offices, I can disclose.

'The Boys': Princes William and Harry hope that setting up their own offices will allow them independence within the Royal Family

An official announcement  -  to be made later this month  -  will illustrate their increasing independence from Prince Charles and, significantly, reflect their desire to ensure their mother's influence is not forgotten.

Already employing their own private secretary and with a newly hired press secretary, the boys' offices are to be established at St James's Palace, emphasising their break from their father's court at Clarence House, and where for the first time their staff will report directly to them.

They are also to start using their own headed notepaper, which will be unveiled this month. William, 26, will incorporate into his writing paper the crest he unveiled last year. It includes a red seashell taken from Princess Diana's Spencer family coat of arms as a tribute to his late mother.

It means that for the first time since Diana's death her existence will be formally sanctioned by the Royal Household  -  albeit only on her son's official correspondence. After her divorce from Charles, Diana's notepaper showed a 'D' over a coronet.

According to aides, there are no plans for William or Harry, 24, to recruit more staff, but the move signifies their intention to establish their own personalities within the Royal
Family.

'They are often referred to as "the boys", but they are young men in their mid-20s with their own ambitions,' I am told. 'They see themselves as no different from Prince Edward, say, who has long had his own office.

'The thinking is that now they have taken on more engagements, they need the backup an office can provide. In a way, it's a natural evolution.

'It's mainly cosmetic, but it shows the boys are growing up and taking control of their own destinies.'

But while the move means the palace will have less control over their lives, the Princes will still rely on their father for the one thing that could guarantee their independence  -  money. His Duchy of Cornwall money will finance the new arrangement.

A nice girl for a lucky Oldman

Hitched: Gary Oldman married singer Alex Edenborough last week

He is hardly a heart-throb, but brooding Hollywood actor Gary Oldman, 50, has still attracted some of the world's most beautiful women  -  among them actress Uma Thurman, who became his second wife.

Now I can reveal the London-born star has married for a fourth time after tying the knot with girlfriend Alexandra Edenborough, 31, in a secret ceremony in California.

A former music scholar at St Mary's Wantage, Somerset-born Alex enjoyed her own brush with stardom in her 20s when her debut single as sleek pop star Alex E became a number one hit in Asia.

She is now based in Harry Potter star Oldman's adopted city of Los Angeles, where she is a jazz singer. Rumours of the couple's engagement circulated after their appearance at the LA premiere of Brad Pitt's film The Curious Case Of Benjamin Button three weeks ago.

But despite his red-carpet ties, teetotal Oldman opted for a low-key ceremony last week. 'Yes, they were married in Santa Barbara,' says the actor's agent Douglas Urbanski, adding: 'I was best man.'

Oldman's marriage adds another twist to his already complex family life. He has a son from his first marriage to actress Lesley Manville and two sons by his third wife, former model Donya Fiorentino.

Burglar gives a top tip to McCririck

The downside of fame  -  and of exposing one's domestic life on reality TV  -  was made only too clear to racing pundit John McCririck and his wife Jenny.

Returning from racing at Cheltenham on New Year's Day, they discovered their London mews home had been ransacked.

Worse still, no sooner had they begun sifting through the debris than the phone rang and, to his amazement, McCririck found himself being taunted by the thief.

In a surreal 15 minutes, McCririck had an illuminating conversation with the burglar who, he believes, had 'cased' his Primrose Hill home after seeing it when the eccentric presenter appeared on Celebrity Wife Swap with Edwina Currie.

'There was no shouting,' says McCririck. 'I was very calm and found myself saying things like "How many bottles of champagne did you take?"

'I also told him the jewellery he took wasn't worth anything, but that it was of great sentimental value to my wife. He said he would give it back and call again to tell me where he would leave it  -  not that he has.

'He also told me it could have been worse and that he hadn't taken my racing awards, which was true.'

All the same, the burglar relieved McCririck of around £800 and $1,000 in cash, as well as two flat-screen TVs and his gold shirt-studs.

His public offensiveness led to him quitting Radio2, but when the microphones are off Russell Brand's behaviour is that of a model citizen.

Accompanying his girlfriend, Sydney Jo Jackson, to designer Nicole Farhi's fashionable store in Hampstead High Street at the weekend, Brand was the epitome of good manners.

As he paid an assistant, he told her: 'Will you tell the other girl at the changing room how very nice and helpful she was.'

The compliment was returned, I gather. Says the assistant: 'He was charming.'

A fellow customer tells me: 'I didn't hear a single smutty word.'

Thorny claim over racing champ

Handsome, brave and impulsive, he was the golden boy of motor racing. But as fans prepare to mark the 50th anniversary of the death in a road accident of Britain's first Formula One champion, Mike Hawthorn, pit lane chatter has turned up a new theory as to why it happened.

According to a former mechanic at Hawthorn's Tourist Trophy Garage in Farnham, Hawthorn was goaded into racing a pal, Rob Walker, across the Hog's Back in Surrey.

Walker, who died six years ago, always insisted it was a coincidence that the two men were on the same stretch of road.

But mechanic Brian Taylor says a Mercedes like Walker's drove past the garage on the fateful day and an arm came up 'in the time-honoured salute'.

Hawthorn roared after him in his Jaguar, but lost control on the Guildford bypass, dying when he hit a tree.

Kylie hits a snowy peak

Wrapped up: Kylie Minogue is enjoying an Alpine break with Andres Segura

After a gruelling world tour, she could be forgiven for putting her feet up, but instead Kylie Minogue whisked her new toy-boy lover to the French Alps for New Year.

Pop princess Kylie, 40, and Spanish model Andres Velencoso Segura, 30, who met in October, are on a snowboarding holiday in Chamonix, where they have rented a £10,000-a-week chalet.

'Kylie loves snowboarding and is pretty proficient,' says a friend of the singer. 'One of the reasons is because she doesn't get recognised.

'She reckons she looks like a teenage boy once she's in her goggles and hat.'

On New Year's Eve, the couple were seen dancing in No Escape, a bar in the centre of town. They also ate at La Cabane des Praz.

PS

Retail tycoon Gerald Ratner, whose 'total crap' comment is one of the most famous gaffes in corporate history, is braving a public comeback  -  on the next series of Sir Alan Sugar's Celebrity Apprentice.

Ratner, 59, leads a men's team against the women led by lingerie entrepreneur Michelle Mone.

'We're not allowed to say how well he did, but although he had fun it was a bit disappointing,' says a source mysteriously.

Let's hope there weren't any motivational speeches.