Londoner's Diary: Truth surfaces about Damien’s undersea world

THE art world is abuzz over Damien Hirst’s forthcoming exhibition Treasures From the Wreck of the Unbelievable. Opening in Venice next month, it’s tipped to restore Hirst’s status as darling of the British art scene and comprises sea-aged bronzes supposedly from a shipwreck. But when art critics asked if the boat and its loot were found or placed, Hirst refused to clarify. A little deep-sea diving into old newspaper cuttings will tell them everything they need to know.

The Londoner reported 18 months ago that Hirst’s nearest and dearest had all been obliged to sign non-disclosure agreements. However some details of the bronzes had already surfaced.

Hirst’s conceit is that the vessel, carrying classical creations, was lost in a storm, only to be rediscovered as a barnacle-encrusted Atlantis of art. (We were originally told it sank in Devon, but it now appears to have surfaced in East Africa, according to the FT). We also found an old interview with Dutch model Dioni Tabbers, who spoke to a magazine and mentioned Hirst had taken a cast of her head a couple of years ago to be made into the head of Medusa.

The Financial Times says the Pangolin foundry was helping to retrieve and preserve items from the seabed but, back in 2010, journalist Nicholas Glass noted of Hirst’s next project: “As usual, the work will be made at Pangolin in Gloucestershire.”

The Londoner wrote in 2015: “It’s thought he plans to stage the discovery of the ship, which would involve sending divers down to recover its treasures and record the process for posterity.” And lo, it came to pass. Sorry for the spoiler. Hirst’s representatives had no comment this morning.

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Congratulations to Andy Coulson, the former editor of the now-defunct News of the World and new PR for The Daily Telegraph. Coulson’s PR firm, Coulson Chappell, will be tasked with promoting the paper as a source of truth and authority, with the appointment made by Murdoch MacLennan, a defence witness at Coulson’s trial. “We have a good working relationship with Andy, who has written for us a couple of times,” MacLennan says. You gotta have friends.

Messages for May from Walpole

Theresa May sat beneath a portrait of Sir Robert Walpole, Britain’s first Prime Minister, as she signed a letter notifying the European Council of Britain’s intention to leave the EU last night. The Times gave it a positive spin: “Though reviled as corrupt by historians, Walpole’s defenders say he kept Britain out of European continental wars for 20 years.”

But here’s another take: in 1739, Britain declared war on Spain and bells rang across London. Walpole was fully against it, but the public clamoured for it. “They may ring their bells now. Before long they will be wringing their hands,” he said.

Quote of the day: ‘Admittedly nothing is truly worthy of comparison to the Resurrection but it is a great day and one of renewal’

Tory MP Jacob Rees-Mogg looks forward to the Second Coming of Britain

Portrait gallery welcomes two fresh faces​

To the National Portrait Gallery last night, for its annual fundraising gala. Guests including Alexa Chung and Samantha Cameron viewed the Gillian Wearing and Claude Cahun exhibition sponsored by William & Son. Even gallery patron The Duchess of Cambridge was on hand. But where were the kids? Upstairs, actually. The gallery was selling postcards by famous artists but without their name for £250 a pop — buyers will find out who they’ve bought later. On offer were portraits of Prince George and Princess Charlotte. Whoever it was, has had the honour of being the first to paint the young royals — but who was it?

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LAST year Margot Robbie, Australian star of The Wolf of Wall Street, confessed that she still lived in a flatshare in Clapham. But is she about to upscale? Glentree estate agent Freddie Gershinson gives an interview to the Ham & High, and is asked to name his most interesting client. “Margot Robbie,” he says. “I showed her four properties in Hampstead, we had such a laugh.” Clapham locals will despair: Robbie has been a glamorous addition to Saturday nights at Infernos.

Sexism story has got legs

THE legs have it. Yesterday’s sexism row surrounding the Daily Mail’s “light-hearted” takedown of Theresa May and Nicola Sturgeon, put the Prime Ministerial pins under scrutiny. And the topic was the talk of the town yesterday. Lawyer Nancy Dell’Olio despaired.

“I’ve said on so many occasions that this country is very, very sexist,” she told us last night. “Sometimes I find that male friends, intelligent men, are surprised when I say that. But it is. More than any other country. It shouldn’t be, but you hear so many stories. We don’t care about women.”

But for actor Richard E Grant, it’s the men’s legs now doing the rounds that we need to worry about: he told guests at yesterday’s Debrett’s Future of Fashion and Etiquette event, held in partnership with Bicester Village at the Royal Academy, while in conversation with Mary Portas, above, that men shouldn’t wear shorts past the age of 45. “They seem to be dressed in toddler wear,” he said. “I think you should still be shaggable: don’t expose your knees over the age of 45 if you want to get laid.”

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Tweet of the Day: “Enough with the demeaning front pages. Let’s focus on the real issues... like how to hold a pint glass in a manly fashion”

Zac Goldsmith weighs in on #Legsit with a reminder of his unique drinking technique.

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TATTOO of the day: Dr David Butterfield has set up a tattoo translation service, spurred by clients inked incorrectly. “Latin is a language that when wrong is inescapably wrong,” he says.

Cara’s on a roll in Nevada

Model and actress Cara Delevingne was in Nevada yesterday, power-dressing at a CinemaCon presentation of her new film Valerian and the City of a Thousand Planets, directed by Luc Besson. Did the pair hit the casinos afterwards? What happens in Vegas stays in Vegas.