EDEN CONFIDENTIAL: Prince William's school chum snaps up rebellious Devon village

When Nicholas Johnston bought the idyllic Bantham Estate 'on a whim' in 2014, he insisted that he had no development plans.

But only three years later he unveiled proposals to build new houses, a beach club and subterranean car park.

The 760-acre estate in Devon has a village, a vineyard, a golf course and a stretch of South Devon coast.

Locals, who held a referendum in which 93 per cent objected to his plans, may feel uneasy when I disclose that Johnston, who reportedly snapped it up for £11.5million, has sold it to a Buckinghamshire firm, one of whose three directors is, like Johnston, an Old Etonian and whose occupation is 'property promotion and development'.

But before Bantham residents panic, I can offer them reassuring news. The incoming buccaneer is one of the Prince of Wales's closest friends.

Indeed, William holds Harry Aubrey-Fletcher – son of Sir Henry Aubrey-Fletcher, 8th baronet – in such high regard he's appointed him an adviser to the Duchy of Cornwall.

The two have been friends since their prep school days at Ludgrove and through Eton. 

The friendship has never faltered, whether Aubrey-Fletcher was accompanying William to Cornwall, for a boys' weekend of surfing, or shooting, or skiing in Klosters with Wills and Catherine before their marriage – or even playfully tugging the prince's left ear while at Cheltenham races in 2013.

It was no surprise that William was an usher when Harry married Louise Stourton, eldest daughter of the 24th Lord Stourton, nor that Aubrey-Fletcher was named as one of Prince Louis's godfathers.

His family firm, Chilton Home Farms, of which his parents are co-directors, describes Bantham as 'a truly unique gem, celebrated for its stunning beauty and estuary ecosystem'.

It's also a stupendously expensive gem, for which Johnston's asking price was £30million in September.

It will be intriguing to watch Harry preserving it while trying to secure a good return on the latest family investment...

How Phoebe’s family were in on the act when Cam proposed

American actor Cameron Fuller clearly knew that the way to Phoebe Dynevor’s heart was via her family.

The 29-year-old Bridgerton star’s sister, Hattie, also an actress, has revealed that Fuller, 29, proposed while the family were enjoying a holiday together in the English countryside last May.

‘She got engaged at the Cotswolds, and it was so beautiful,’ Hattie tells me at the TV Choice Awards at the London Hilton on Park Lane. ‘All the family were there. She was crying her eyes out – it was tears of happiness.’

Their mother, the Coronation Street star Sally Dynevor, shared a photograph at the time.

There does not yet appear to be a date fixed for the wedding.

‘I’m not sure when she’s getting married,’ says Hattie, 21. ‘I think they’re just enjoying the engagement at the moment. Their engagement was such a lovely weekend. She’s not even thought about [the wedding] yet. She’s not even started thinking about anything yet.’

Asked if she would be a bridesmaid, Hattie replies with a chuckle: ‘She’s hasn’t asked me yet, but I hope so.’

It's the teddy and the Ivy 

Ivy Getty must know her bear necessities, given that she took a trendy teddy on the catwalk.

The great-granddaughter of oil tycoon J. Paul Getty was modelling Lingua Franca designs at New York Fashion Week in collaboration with the city's Bowery Hotel, whose mascot is Bo Bear. Appropriately, Ivy, 30, wore a £342 Getty keyhole cardigan.

One year on: Dave Myers' legacy 

Hairy Bikers star Dave Myers died a year ago at 66 after a two-year battle with cancer, but his legacy lives on.

The last series of his hit BBC Two cookery show won the Best Food Show prize at the TV Choice Awards this week. 

'There will be a private memorial,' co-star Si King tells me at the ceremony in London, referring to the anniversary of Dave's death on February 28.

King, 58, has ruled out making any more shows without Myers, saying there was no Punch & Judy without Punch and 'there's no Hairy Bikers without Dave'.

Peter Crouch's new career 

Asked what he'd have been if not a footballer, Peter Crouch joked: 'A virgin.' 

Now, the former England striker aims to prove himself in a new career. I can reveal that Crouch, 44, has set up a food company named Crouchys Foods. 

This may surprise his wife, model Abbey Clancy, who said he 'has never made me a meal' in 20 years together. 

Suki's not so high-brow beauty routine 

Most stars retain an air of mystery about their looks, so Suki Waterhouse's latest post is sure to raise a few eyebrows.

The model, singer and actress, 33, left, who won praise for her performance as a 1970s rock star in hit drama Daisy Jones & The Six, posted this picture of herself on Instagram, right, with bleaching cream on her brows.

Roger Whittaker's Last Farewell 

He sold around 60million records during his long career and had a huge hit with his song The Last Farewell which shifted 11million copies, but Roger Whittaker left surprisingly little in his will. 

New probate documents reveal that the singer, who died in 2023 aged 87, left just over £68,000. 

In a handwritten will made three years before his death, he left his estate to his wife, Natalie, with whom he had five children.