I didn't see any of you at Petra's wedding last Saturday. It was huge. Petra Ecclestone, 33, who is the daughter of Bernard Charles Ecclestone, 91, late of St Peter South Elmham, now of Gstaad, Gnomeland, married Sam Palmer, 38, former used car salesperson of Essex and now real estate salesperson of Los Angeles. It was an intimate affair at Petra's $460m Sloane House in Chelsea. The day before, Petra and a few buds had a stylish hens' party at 22 Mayfair, London's new hotel for "the creative and curious" incorporating a private member's club ($3k a year). While not a hen myself I can report the pink-themed soiree included topless butlers, a pink and white floral display, champagne and masks with Petra's face on them. Also last week, father of the bride, Mr Ecclestone, 1.59m, the former chief executive of Formula One, was told he would face charges of fraud by false representation after an investigation by UK tax authorities that allegedly found undeclared assets worth more than $700m overseas. Mrs Fabiana Ecclestone, 46, Mr Ecclestone's partner, is 1.78m and vice-president of the world motorsport council of the FIA. Petra's ex-partner, James Stunt, 40, is one of eight defendants accused of being part of a scheme that saw $466m deposited in the account of a Bradford gold dealer from 2014 to 2016. Talking of celebrities, Keanu Reeves, 57, late of Beirut, then Watsons Bay in Sydney and now of Hollywood, owned and loved a black, 1990s 911 Carrera 4S, which was nicked. So, after a period of mourning, the Reever approached the Porker Customer Consultation Centre in Beverly Hills to discuss how his new 911 could be personalised for him. His new Porker has black anodised interior trim panels, a 12-o'clock centre marker on the steering wheel and sits in the matrix garage next to his Bugatti Veyron. Yes, sports fans with heaps of cash, there's four auctions in and around the Pebble Beach area this year. Anyway, I'll be at the RM Sotheby's auctionathon at the Monterey Conference Centre ready with the Bankcard to bid on anything from the Oscar Davis collection. Oscar, 95, of New York, was the world pool and spa king, queen and other. When he headed off to that giant hot tub in the sky in February, he left behind one of the world's great car collections. Value around $140m. My tips are the 1953 Ferrari 375MM Spider, for $15m, the 1957 Maserati 450S Spider for $14m and the 1937 Beemer 328 Mille Miglia Bugelfalte, a snip at $10m.
John Connolly Cars — johnconnollycars.com
Originally published in The Weekend Australian
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