‘Furious row’: Goldsmith and wife Julie-Ann (pictured). A taxi driver claims he saw Goldsmith, 52, attack his wife Julie-Ann in the street outside their £1.5 million home in Marylebone, Central London
The Duchess of Cambridge’s uncle was last night banned from seeing or talking to his wife after he was charged with assaulting her in a drink-fuelled row.
Friends say Gary Goldsmith, the multi-millionaire younger brother of Carole Middleton, was bailed to an address in London after being quizzed by police over the argument, which took place in the early hours of Friday.
A taxi driver claims he saw Goldsmith, 52, attack his wife Julie-Ann in the street outside their £1.5 million home in Marylebone, Central London.
The 47-year-old, Goldsmith’s fourth wife, is understood to have hit her head on the pavement, knocking her out. Police have now banned the couple from contacting each other while the claims – which Goldsmith is understood to deny – are investigated.
But friends said both had been left upset by the public bust-up, which could cause intense embarrassment to the Royal Family and the Middletons.
A friend of the pair told The Mail on Sunday: ‘I’ve spoken to both of them and they are obviously extremely distressed.
‘It is very hard as they can’t talk to each other or contact each other until the court case.
‘They are holed up in separate locations considering their options. Gary is taking legal advice about his situation.
‘They are getting loads of supportive text messages and emails from their friends.’
Friends also expressed astonishment at the incident, which came just hours after Goldsmith – who attended the weddings of the Duchess of Cambridge and her younger sister Pippa – successfully bid £5,000 at auction for a luxury holiday to Mount Kilimanjaro.
One friend said: ‘He and Julie-Ann looked really happy at the party and Gary bid £5,000 to the Last Night A DJ Saved My Life charity for the Bucket List Challenge.’ Just hours before the alleged incident, Goldsmith posted a selfie of the couple on his Twitter account showing them pulling faces for the camera.
The 47-year-old, Goldsmith’s fourth wife, is understood to have hit her head on the pavement, knocking her out. Police have now banned the couple from contacting each other while the claims – which Goldsmith is understood to deny – are investigated
The Goldsmiths were returning from the auction at private members’ club Home House in Portman Square when they began arguing in the back of a taxi.
The cab driver, named as Daniel Shepherd, said that the row became increasingly heated and that he believed he had seen Julie-Ann strike the first blow.
The fight continued after the pair got out of the taxi outside their home, with Mr Shepherd reportedly having to restrain Goldsmith after he allegedly struck Julie-Ann in the face.
Mr Shepherd told The Sun: ‘He was screaming and swearing at her. She slapped him round the face and his glasses fell off.
Until this point, Goldsmith’s relationship with his wife – who bears an uncanny resemblance to his sister Carole (pictured) – has appeared to be very happy
‘It kicked off as they tried to unlock the front door. She fell and cracked her head on the pavement. I started ringing 999 and he began taking pictures of my cab, saying: “I’m going to report you.” ’
Julie-Ann is thought to be recuperating at the couple’s flat.
Until this point, Goldsmith’s relationship with his wife – who bears an uncanny resemblance to his sister Carole – has appeared to be very happy.
The pair met while walking their dogs – Goldsmith his chihuahua and Julie-Ann her two St Bernards – in London’s Regents Park. He recalled in one interview: ‘I was wearing pink Gucci loafers. She thought I was gay.’
They moved in together in 2011, shortly before Kate’s marriage to Prince William, which Goldsmith attended with his ex-wife, and married ‘under the radar’ in July the following year. Neither Carole nor the Royal couple attended.
‘The wedding was a very quiet affair,’ he revealed at the time. ‘There were just four very close, dear friends.’
Julie-Ann, who was born in Stockport, has appeared to have a calming influence on her husband, known as the ‘black sheep’ of the family on behalf of his former hard-partying days.
A newspaper sting at his Ibiza party pad, Le Maison de Bang Bang, in 2009, exposed cocaine use and revealed his boasts about his Royal connections.
Since then, he has smoothed his way back into sister Carole’s good books. He may now have his work cut out.
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