He produced a laser show for Kate Moss’s 40th birthday party, created an ‘immersive, multi-sensory’ exhibition for his friend and neighbor the Prince and Princess of Wales, the Marquess of Cholmondeley, at Houghton Hall in Norfolk, and created what the National Portrait Gallery called ‘pictures the most exciting palace by any artist’ with a holographic depiction of Queen Elizabeth.
But has Chris Levine now lost his chance to repeat his magic on King Charles?
I ask because the innovative Levine – whose celebrated portrait of the late Queen is, uniquely, with her eyes closed – is now the subject of legal action launched by the charity that created the portrait in 2003.
There are many in stock. The Jersey Heritage Trust, which asked Levine to create a portrait of the Queen to celebrate the island’s 800 years of loyalty to the Crown, calculated that, since November 2017, Levine had sold or ‘exploited’ 223 copies of the ‘blindfolded’. image, titled Lightness of Being.
The Jersey Heritage Trust, which commissioned artist Chris Levine to create a portrait of the Queen to celebrate the island’s 800 years of loyalty to the Crown, claims he has sold or ‘exploited’ 223 copies of the ‘eyes closed’ image, titled Lightness. of Being (illustrated)
Levine (pictured in 2012) has issued a counterclaim, insisting that the trust only funded the first sit-down with the Queen in 2003, while he funded the second, in 2004, from which almost all of his published works – including Lightness of Being .
In the process, the trust says, they generated sales of at least £3 million.
But that’s not all. The trust also reckons that, in the same period, Levine has sold at least 66 copies of the first portrait he made – a more conventional one, titled Equanimity, in which the Lord’s eyes are open – thus bringing in at least £585,000.
It said that, under the terms of a settlement reached in 2015, Levine agreed to pay a 20 percent royalty on all net income derived from the two portraits.
Claiming that the portrait brought in more than £3.7 million – and more than £1.2 million in 2022 alone – Levine is said to be owed at least £650,000 by November 2022.
In response to the fact that the amount must be paid in full on that date, Levine has issued a counterclaim, insisting that the trust only financed the first sitting with the Queen in 2003, while he financed the second, in 2004, for £50,000.
The sitter, he claimed, ‘from which almost all his published works’ – including, most famously, Lightness of Being.
The trust declined to comment. Levine has reportedly been commissioned to produce a portrait of the King.
Levine said he could not comment on the commission. Of course his fate depends on the outcome of the mediation process which, he said, is imminent.
Bruno is the king of cha-cha-ching
HE may have left the ballroom behind, but when it comes to money, ex-Strictly judge Bruno Tonioli is still on champion.
Italy has reported a profit of £ 500,000 in Fulvia, the company where they channel their TV income.
Recent accounts filed at Companies House report £3.9 million in shareholders’ funds caught by him.
Tonioli founded the company in 2010 and his most recent figure included his first year on the judging panel on Britain’s Got Talent.
He may have left the ballroom behind, but when it comes to money, former Strictly judge Bruno Tonioli (pictured) is still a champion.
Keira revealed that her daughter has dyslexia like her
Keira Knightley, who has struggled with dyslexia since the age of six, has revealed that her daughter has also been diagnosed with the condition, which causes difficulty in reading, writing and spelling.
Speaking about how she memorized her lines, the actress, 39, said: ‘I still have a hard time reading them.
‘It’s really bouncing (the text) but actually I’m recording and listening, and listening, that’s how I learn.
‘But now we have a dyslexic kid and he’s doing the same thing, and his memory is amazing.’
Keira has two daughters – Edie, eight, and Delilah, four – with her husband, former Klaxons singer James Righton, 40.
Speaking on the podcast Table 4 Ruthie, Righton said about the girl: ‘She will look at the book and will memorize the book and it’s amazing.’
Keira Knightley, who has struggled with dyslexia since the age of six, has revealed that her daughter has also been diagnosed with the condition.
Serious time for comedy
Hollywood film director Paul Feig, whose hits include Bridesmaids and The Heat, said that changing tastes in comedy is not funny.
‘Audiences have become very sensitive,’ he told a screening of his new film, Jackpot!, at the Ham Yard Hotel in London’s Soho.
‘You have to be very careful when you go too far.
‘If you look at 1990s comedy, it’s very broad and over the top in a very funny way.’
Online history of Meghan’s friends
The Duke and Duchess of Sussex’s campaign against online bullying has raised eyebrows in California, I hear.
This is because Meghan has made it a point to reaffirm her friendship with model Chrissy Teigen, who was forced to apologize after sending abusive messages to a teenager online.
Teigen, 38, who is married to singer John Legend, told the teenager, ‘I hate you’ and, in another message, said, ‘I can’t wait for you to die.’
He didn’t apologize until a decade later, after the message was made public, prompting many brands, including the luxury department store chain Bloomingdale’s, to drop him.
Apparently, this isn’t a big deal for Meghan, who sent Teigen a jar of American Riviera Orchard jam earlier this year.
Meghan Markle’s online bullying campaign has made it a point to emphasize her friendship with model Chrissy Teigen (pictured) – despite being accused of bullying teenagers online
A campaign by the Duke and Duchess of Sussex against online bullying has apparently raised eyebrows in California
King Charles has found a new harp – behind bars
‘It is an honor to be appointed Harpist to His Majesty,’ said Mared Emyr Pugh-Evans, who works as part of the restaurant and bar team at Wigmore Hall, a West London concert hall.
‘It is a responsibility I have not taken lightly, but one I am committed to fulfilling wholeheartedly and I hope to put my own personal stamp on the role.’
Water in a G&T string?
Isn’t the star of Dad’s Army a stupid kid?
Constantly called ‘You idiot!’ by Arthur Lowe Captain Mainwaring in Dad’s Army, Ian Lavender may have been a little savvy when it came to finances.
The actor, who died aged 77 in February, left the estate with just £164,803.
‘The relatively low figure may be due to prudent planning,’ said a source.
Not quite destined: Lavender, who played the evil Private Frank Pike in the BBC sitcom, left his entire estate to his wife, Michele
Lavender, who played Private Frank Pike in the BBC sitcom, left his entire estate to his wife, Michele.
Lavender’s co-star Frank Williams, who plays the vicar, said in 2017: ‘Repeatedly it means it’s been a good retirement.
‘We negotiated a good deal with the BBC, so I got a lot more in repeats than the original fees.’