PRINCE George’s teacher is set to marry one of his dad’s best friends – and it sounds like a textbook romance. Lucy Lanigan-O’Keeffe, 31, teaches outdoor learning and mindfulness at Thomas’s Battersea, in south-west London, where George, five, has been a pupil for two years. She got engaged last week to property mogul Thomas van […]
PRINCE George’s teacher is set to marry one of his dad’s best friends – and it sounds like a textbook romance.
Lucy Lanigan-O’Keeffe, 31, teaches outdoor learning and mindfulness at Thomas’s Battersea, in south-west London, where George, five, has been a pupil for two years.
She got engaged last week to property mogul Thomas van Straubenzee, 36, one of Prince William’s oldest friends and Princess Charlotte’s godfather.
The four-year-old princess will be following her brother to Thomas’s in September.
Friends leaked news of their relationship back in April, telling the Mail: “They are very happy and have been going out for some months now. It’s a serious relationship.”
Duke of Cambridge is expected to be an usher at his pal’s wedding, where Charlotte and George will be a bridesmaid and pageboy.
Thomas made a speech at William and Kate’s wedding in 2011, meaning the duke may well return the favour.
Thomas was introduced to Lucy by a mutual friend a year ago, with The Times explaining: “Nobody would be surprised if Prince William or his wife, Kate, were involved.”
The van Straubenzees have known Prince Harry and Wills since their prep school days at Ludgrove School, Berkshire.
Both Thomas and his younger brother Charlie, 31, were ushers at Harry’s royal wedding last year, where Charlie gave a speech.
He’s expected to be one of baby Archie’s godparents – while Thomas joined William in New Zealand for his first solo tour abroad back in 2005.
Thomas was previously married to pro tennis player Lady Melissa Percy, daughter of the Duke of Northumberland, but the couple divorced in 2016 after three years of marriage.
They wed at Missy’s family home Alnwick Castle, the set of Hogwarts in the Harry Potter films.
Lucy, from Co Kilkenny, Ireland, is the sister of Olympic pentathlete Arthur Lanigan-O’Keeffe and an assistant head teacher at Thomas’s Clapham.
Thomas’ older brother Henry died in a car crash aged 18 and the two princes are patrons of a memorial fund set up in his memory.
Earlier today, we revealed how Meghan Markle had plans for her own charitable foundation focusing on women’s issues before marrying Harry.
While the royal matchmaker who set up Harry and Meghan has found love with a restaurant manager – with their own wedding is ‘just a question of time’ of away.
