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1. Sir Frederic Hufkens, guest 2. And they’re off! 3. Charlotte Griffiths, India Clarke, Lady Laura Cash, Charlotte Radford 4. William Cash, Lord Bamford, Simon Davis 5. (Dining) tickets please 6. All aboard! 7. Deirdre Brennan, William Cash 8. Deirdre Brennan, Galvin Weston 9. Simon Davis, Lord Greenock, Lady Laura Cash 10. Charlotte Griffiths, Galvin Weston, India Clarke

1.guest 3.Clarke, Lady Laura Cash, Charlotte Radford 4.Bamford, Simon Davis 5.6.Brennan, William Cash 8.Weston Lord Greenock, Lady Laura Cash Griffiths, Galvin Weston, India Clarke

GETTING BUS-Y AT ASCOTWhen Spear’s was invited by The Rosebery’s owner Simon Davis to host a VIP Royal Ascot lunch for sixteen guests on board the most glamorous double-decker bus in the world, never has there been more diary-juggling in the second week of June. CEOs, Belgian private equity barons, Spear’s 500 property moguls, Hollywood blondes, Royal chocolate tycoons and Swiss billionaires all accepted the Spear’s call-up.

Such is the immaculate style of The Rosebery that all Spear’s guests were given Royal Enclosure badges so that they could have a quick look at the social competition, with guests squashed up next to each other in the club tents, and then hurry back to the more rarified 1930s-style comforts of The Rosebery for the rest of the day’s racing.

There aren’t many double-decker buses that have been profiled in Vanity Fair, but The Rosebery has. Vanity Fair described The Rosebery as a throwback to the glamorous Thirties when the magazine reported on the latest interiors of luxury transatlantic liners.

The Rosebery began life as a Routemaster bus which Davis found in a salvage yard and reconditioned and refurbished with the help of such style icons as the late David Collins. Other influences were Davis’s long-term acquaintance with and evening ‘study’ of all three bars of 5 Hertford Street, Harry’s Bar, Mark’s Club, Annabel’s and a conversation with David Linley.

The result is an eclectic club-like atmosphere that has such good word of mouth that I went upstairs after the third race to find Anthony Bamford — of JCB and Daylesford — having an inspection after he had spotted The Rosebery parked in a much

better position for enjoying the actual racing than any of the usual corporate boxes.

Simon Davis wasted no time in giving Lord Bamford a whistlestop tour of the bus, which includes a flat-screen TV downstairs in the bar, so you can watch the racing without stepping off the bus, and its own cigar humidor. (The bar is based on Aristotle Onassis’s yacht, where the stools were made from whale foreskin.)

Guests and fans have included Martha Stewart, when The Rosebery found itself in Cannes; the Maharaja of Jodhpur, who thought it was more luxurious than any vintage Rolls-Royce; and Lord Dalmeny, chairman of Sotheby’s UK, after whose family name the bus has been christened.

The lunch was hosted by Spear’s, with chocolates provided by Charbonnel et Walker. Actress Charlotte Radford, Tatler’s It-girl India Clarke and Charlotte Griffiths were wearing special Royal Ascot hats in the shape of chocolates designed by Laura Cathcart Millinery, as displayed in Charbonnel’s Bond Street window.

Our other guests included Sir Frederic and Lady Hufkens, Galvin Weston, Charles McDowell, Adam Dant, Deirdre Brennan and Lord Greenock.

‘The Rosebery is a private luncheon box unlike any other,’ says Davis. ‘Located in the best position of Car Park Number 1, so you can see the Royal Procession and the winning post, The Rosebery has caused something of a stir. It’s not often that a 1966 diesel bus gets more photos and envious looks than the Bentleys and Rolls at Ascot.’

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Spear’s, December 2015

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1. Mr and Mrs Guy Pelly 2. Jodie Kidd 3. Her Majesty the Queen, Arnaud Bamberger 4. Dame Joan Collins, Stefanie Powers 5. The Marquess and Marchioness of Milford-Haven 6. Jerry Hall 7. Alice Naylor-Leyland

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Cartier may have been sponsoring polo at Guards for 31 years now, but Her Majesty the Queen has been giving out her cup for 55. She did so again this June, ably assisted by Arnaud Bamberger of Cartier, this year to King Power Foxes, who beat Dubai Polo Team 11–10. Observing the chukkas were guests including Dame Joan Collins, Jerry Hall, Mr and Mrs Urs Schwarzenbach and Mr and Mrs Boris Becker.

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Spear’s, December 2015