Heiress Petra Ecclestone’s new partner has slammed her playboy ex-husband James Stunt – joking about his ‘fake art’ as the couple leave a dinner date and taking to Instagram to call him a ‘junkie bully’.
The F1 tycoon’s daughter, 30, was spotted leaving a restaurant in Santa Monica, Los Angeles on Wednesday with her fiancé Sam Palmer, 37, with whom she is expecting a fourth child.
But as they left, the classic car dealer shouted at waiting photographers ‘James Stunt, the c***’ in reference to Petra’s ex-husband who was recently caught up in a scandal over forged paintings.
In footage captured of their departure from the Los Angeles restaurant, Palmer, a former electrician turned salesman, appears eager to rile up the bankrupt gold bullion dealer.
The F1 tycoon’s daughter, 30, was spotted leaving a restaurant in Santa Monica, Los Angeles on Wednesday with her fiancé Sam Palmer with whom she is expecting a fourth child
But as they left, the classic car dealer, 37, shouted at waiting photographers ‘James Stunt, the c***’ in reference to Petra’s ex-husband (pictured) who was recently caught up in a scandal over forged paintings
In footage captured of their departure from the Los Angeles restaurant, Palmer (pictured), a former electrician turned salesman, appears eager to rile up the bankrupt gold bullion dealer
After saying his goodbyes to fellow dinner guests, he wanders past the waiting paparazzi before loudly exclaiming the insult.
Concerned they haven’t heard him however, he asks: ‘Did you get that?’
Before repeating ‘James Stunt, the c***’ as he opens his car door – much to fiancée Petra’s annoyance, who exclaims: ‘Sam, shut up.’
His comments come just weeks after it was revealed Stunt had a number of fake artworks in his collection.
These included artworks lent to the headquarters of Prince Charles’ charity, such as a ‘Monet’ and a ‘Picasso’ actually painted by a notorious American art forger.
The post-restaurant rant is just the latest in a long line of bitter public spats involving Petra and her ex-husband.
Palmer also today posted a statement on his Instagram in which he lays into Stunt for comments the bankrupt gold bullion dealer made about the child he is expecting with Petra, the daughter of F1 billionaire Bernie Ecclestone.
He called him a ‘coward’ for purportedly, not to his face, claiming he feels bad his children will have to share a sibling with Palmer’s upcoming child. Petra and Stunt had three children together before their divorce.
‘James Stunt today claimed he feels bad that my kids have to share a sibling with our new baby,’ he writes on his Instagram story.
‘I didn’t want to come out and even acknowledge you two a***wipes. So I suppose I have to set the record straight on you two junkie bullies again.
‘I’ve called you 35 times in the last week but you’re too scared to answer. Again highlighting what a coward you are.’
Palmer also today posted a statement on his Instagram in which he lays into Stunt for comments the bankrupt gold bullion dealer made about the child he is expecting with Petra, the daughter of F1 billionaire Bernie Ecclestone
Petra and Stunt endured a high-profile acrimonious divorce in October 2017, after six years of marriage.
It was revealed earlier this month that she is said to be ‘overjoyed’ at the news that she is expecting her first child with fiance Palmer.
The couple, who are expected to marry next year, have told family and friends the big news following a 12-week scan.
Petra is understood to be keen to bring up the child in London and Los Angeles, where she owns lavish homes, according to reports.
Recruitment consultant Sam is the best friend of her older sister Tamara’s husband Jay Rutland. Petra started dating him shortly after her divorce was finalised.
Stunt has recently found himself in the firing line after it took an art scholar less than 15 minutes to be certain that the ‘Salvador Dali masterpiece’ in the bankrupt businessman’s office was a fake.
Earlier this month, the Mail on Sunday revealed this particular Dali – Corpus Hypercubus 1953 – had been among three fakes lent by Stunt to Dumfries House in Scotland, the headquarters of Prince Charles’s charity, The Prince’s Foundation.
Recruitment consultant Sam is the best friend of her older sister Tamara’s husband Jay Rutland (pictured left together). Petra started dating him shortly after her divorce was finalised
But the greatest shock came several weeks ago, when Mr Descharnes read an email, written in his name and sent using his home address in the French Loire, which purported to say that both the painting and the sketch were ‘original Dali’ after all.
The bogus email declared the two pieces to be ‘beautiful work and a great discovery’. And it had been sent from Stunt Acquisitions, the office of James Stunt, the ex-husband of the F1 heiress Petra Ecclestone.
Mr Stunt, who was declared bankrupt in June, once boasted of owning 200 supercars and a £5million credit line in every major casino in London, Monaco, Las Vegas and Macau.
He says he is the godson of Terry Adams, head of Britain’s most notorious crime family. But he has clearly treasured his relationship with the prince, framing letters he has received from the palace and displaying them proudly in his office.
In an interview with Tatler last year, Mr Stunt boasted of his work with The Prince’s Foundation and described Mr Fawcett as a ‘lovely man’. He said he had loaned ‘works from the likes of Velazquez, Monet, van Dyck, Dali, Picasso and Constable’ over a two-year period.