EDEN CONFIDENTIAL: Is Prince Andrew hoping to relaunch his Pitch@Palace project?

Prince Andrew’s friends have been few and far between since his infamous interview with Newsnight’s Emily Maitlis, but one man has proved a loyal ally.

He is sports tycoon Johan Eliasch, who’s been pals with the Queen’s second son since Andrew was photographed aboard his yacht off the Thai island of Phuket surrounded by a bevy of topless beauties. 

Now, I hear the billionaire is helping to pave the way for the Prince’s return to public life.

Prince Andrew’s friends have been few and far between since his infamous interview with Newsnight’s Emily Maitlis, but one man has proved a loyal ally

This week, Swedish-born Eliasch was appointed as director of Pitch@Palace Innovations, part of the Dragons’ Den-style project set up by Andrew that brokers deals between tech start-ups and wealthy investors. A big relaunch for Pitch@Palace is planned for next spring.

‘Johan is very much involved in the Pitch@Palace relaunch,’ a source tells me. ‘Although His Royal Highness has temporarily stepped back from royal duties, he hopes to resume his public life as soon as possible.

‘Pitch@Palace was a huge success and helped so many young entrepreneurs. It’s exactly what we need to help the country get out of an economic crisis.’

As director, Eliasch will replace Amanda Thirsk, who stepped down as Andrew’s private secretary in January after more than 15 years. It’s not his first involvement with the network as he was already a director of Pitch@Palace Global.

He is sports tycoon Johan Eliasch, who's been pals with the Queen's second son since Andrew was photographed aboard his yacht off the Thai island of Phuket surrounded by a bevy of topless beauties

He is sports tycoon Johan Eliasch, who’s been pals with the Queen’s second son since Andrew was photographed aboard his yacht off the Thai island of Phuket surrounded by a bevy of topless beauties

The FBI still wants to question Andrew over his close friendship with convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein, who killed himself while awaiting trial on further charges last summer. Pressure on Andrew, 60, intensified following the arrest in the U.S. of his close friend, Epstein’s ex-girlfriend, Ghislaine Maxwell.

When Andrew was pictured on Eliasch’s yacht, Epstein and Maxwell were also said to be in Phuket.

Andrew has worked with Monaco-based Eliasch as directors of a mysterious company, Naples Gold Ltd, for 18 years, which was revealed only a few months ago, when it was disclosed by this newspaper that the Prince had registered as a director using the name Andrew Inverness.

Fowl past of PM’s plucky Allegra…

You don’t have to dress like a chicken to work for Boris, but it does seem to help.

Allegra Stratton, chosen by No 10 to front its daily briefings, once donned a chicken suit on the BBC. 

She follows in the avian footsteps of Boris’s spin doctor Lee Cain, who wore a chicken suit during his days as a reporter at the Daily Mirror. Cluck cluck! 

Allegra Stratton has been chosen by No 10 to front its daily briefings

She once donned a chicken suit on the BBC

Allegra Stratton, chosen by No 10 to front its daily briefings, once donned a chicken suit on the BBC

Prince Charles has four grandchildren and another five step-grandchildren, but he’s keen to expand the population further. The heir to the throne is re-starting fertility classes at his Ayrshire stately home, Dumfries House. 

Couples who are struggling to conceive, and are often forced to pay thousands for private treatments, will receive ‘holistic’ lessons in how to have a ‘fertility mindset’. The classes include advice on treatments, nutrition, acupressure, rest, sleep and movement.

That should cheer up those chilly Scottish nights.

He belted out Drive My Car with The Beatles, and Sir Paul McCartney’s revealed he’s escaped speeding fines after police realised he was at the wheel. Once an officer even ignored the smell of cannabis. 

‘I had a Mini with blacked-out windows and they stopped me,’ he says. 

‘As I recall, there was a definite herbal smell. But I wound the windows down and the copper looked at me and said, ‘Oh, it’s you. Go on — get off!’ And he let me go. I must admit, I was panicking for a second.’ 

Read more at DailyMail.co.uk