Laurence Llewelyn-Bowen to build a new home

Makeover king Laurence Llewelyn-Bowen owns a £1.6million manor house in Gloucestershire, a barn conversion he bought from Prince Charles and a holiday home in Cornwall.

But he has still complained about struggling financially ‘in a middle-class way’.

‘We are extremely well off, but it’s in property,’ he said. ‘We’re at a critical point.’

Now the Changing Rooms star is planning to expand his empire still further. Laurence and wife Jackie have filed plans to build a three-bed house in the garden of their Jacobean mansion near Cirencester, Glos.

Laurence Llewelyn-Bowen pictured with his wife Jackie at the 2009 Classical Brit Awards in London

The proposed 5,000 sq ft house will be designed in an Arts and Crafts style, connected to the couple’s grand 16th-century home.

They had hoped to sell the main house but took it off the market last year after buyers weren’t tempted — even though Llewelyn-Bowen toned down its garish decor to make it more appealing.

The home of Laurence Llewelyn-Bowen, pictured, has his personality stamped all over it

The home of Laurence Llewelyn-Bowen, pictured, has his personality stamped all over it

The plans say: ‘The proposed dwelling will be physically separated by a 1.5m-high natural stone wall, although a pedestrian gate will allow access between the two dwellings.’

The interior design guru owns his holiday home in Port Isaac, north Cornwall, and has urged others to follow his example. 

He said: ‘I’m all for people coming here and buying second homes.’ However, his view enraged Cornish locals, who said: ‘The Llewelyn-Bowens and their ilk are destroying local communities.’

Chopper job with the royals

Prince Charles and Camilla had a ‘hairy experience’ when their helicopter was forced to make an emergency landing en route to Wales in 2014 — so they are keen to avoid further such drama.

The Royal Household’s travel department is recruiting a landing site officer to provide ‘the highest standards of helicopter service’ as the royals jet about on official engagements.

The ad says: ‘Joining this team, you’ll be responsible for providing high-quality landing site support services for a Sikorsky S-76 helicopter or AgustaWestland 109S.’ 

Based at RAF Odiham in Hampshire, duties also include landing site surveys, refuelling and ‘on-site support for the aircraft and crew’.

Some say royal travel budgets are sky high — yet the pay is a maximum of £26,000 a year.

‘We are recruiting to replace a retiring member of staff,’ says a spokesman. ‘It is official travel funded by the Sovereign Grant.’

Even the heir to the throne is not immune to the giddiness of Black Friday. 

Shoppers at Prince Charles’s Highgrove stores were offered big money savings with £10 off whisky and fizz. 

Emails even went out promoting yesterday’s annual sales event. 

Nothing’s sacred when it comes to earning a buck for the Prince and his charitable foundation. And it’s not just Black Friday — the Highgrove offer lasts all weekend.

Koo Stark, pictured, is an American born soft-porn actress who fell in love with Prince Andrew

Koo Stark, pictured, is an American born soft-porn actress who fell in love with Prince Andrew

Rapunzel-esque Koo Stark sports stunning locks at 61 

Prince Andrew’s ex-girlfriend, Koo Stark, still knows how to turn heads — with the help of her trademark mane of grey hair, now longer than it’s ever been.

Model-turned-photographer Stark, 61, was snapped at her latest exhibition this week in London. 

Koo, who founded a cancer awareness agency after surving the disease, is naturally grey and refuses to cut her hair short, despite the trend among older women. 

‘Hair is central to a woman’s identity, that’s especially true for women with long hair,’ she says.

Stark’s 18-month romance with Prince Andrew ended in 1983 when it emerged she had starred in the 1976 erotic film Emily. 

Her daughter, Tatiana, who is the Duke of York’s goddaughter, was the subject of a legal battle aged three. 

Koo unsuccessfully attempted to sue Tatiana’s father, financier Warren Walker, for breach of contract, loss of earnings and emotional distress. 

Read more at DailyMail.co.uk