Londoner’s Diary: Is this Boris Johnson’s last gift to the nation?

In his last week as Prime Minister, Boris Johnson has been tying up loose ends, with the expected approval of new nuclear power stations and a forthcoming honours list to reward allies. But has he delivered a parting gift to his friends in the art world, too?

Joshua Reynolds’ painting Portrait Of Omai, valued at £50 million, is up for sale. But yesterday the Government extended an export ban on the artwork to stop it going to a foreign collector, The Art Newspaper reports.

The extension looks like a favour to the National Portrait Gallery, currently under renovation, which is scrambling to raise funds to buy the painting before it reopens next year. David Ross, chair of the gallery, is a close friend of Boris and his wife Carrie. He was at their wedding party last month and facilitated their 2019 holiday to Mustique. The extended ban, which lasts until March, should give the gallery enough time to seal the deal.

Gender neutral GB News

Anti-woke GB News throws itself into many a culture war battle, including the row over gender-neutral toilets. When the Government recently decided to ban them in public buildings the channel’s star, Nigel Farage, tweeted: “Good to see common sense prevail.” So The Londoner was shocked to discover that the loos for guests at the channel’s Paddington studios are… gender neutral.

Madonna loves a showtune

The Queen of Pop is also a master of showtunes, and she likes to perform them for free to the public. “Madonna knows every musical there ever was,” her friend William Orbit tells us. He recalls a day out with Madge: “There’s all these billboards of musicals with tourists and she’s singing the songs from them! M is quite diminutive when she wants to be, in a hoodie, singing.”

Last night in town

Londoner’s Diary 1st September

Ronnie Scott’s tried to get a younger crowd in last night with the drum and bass of Goldie, who played at the legendary Soho jazz club. Actor Reggie Yates, model Rosie Huntington-Whiteley and actors Stephen Graham and Hannah Walters were there. Meanwhile, Cressida Bonas was at Pippa Vosper’s book launch for Beyond Grief at chic restaurant 34 Mayfair. At Somerset House, scions Gaia Wise, Zoe Zimmer and Lady Amelia Windsor celebrated the launch of the new Omnes Collection.

Annoying Anna Wintour

Also at Ronnie Scott’s was Sally Greene, who is producing a stage version of The Devil Wears Prada, about a battleaxe editor allegedly based on Vogue’s Anna Wintour. So when Sally met Anna at a recent party she told her the show was moving to Broadway. Anna released a loud groan and turned her back.