The ‘society swans’ of 2023: Tatler unveils its ‘modern muses including the Spencer twins

Successful, attractive and with the world at their feet, these people are society’s new ‘modern muses’, according to Tatler magazine. 

The July issue of the British society bible highlighted a new exhibition which features 25 newly discovered works by 20th century pioneering photographer Madame Yevonde.

The images, which are set to go on display at the National Portrait Gallery, depict society swans of the day.

And in a tribute to the exhibition, the society bible has recreated the images in the series ‘Goddesses and others’ with the help of modern day muses. 

Alongside the household names featured, there are some socialites most readers probably won’t recognise – from wealthy heirs and heiresses to budding fashionistas. 

Among those featured on the list are Delphi Primrose, who is the 19-year-old daughter of Sotheby’s boss Lord Dalmeny, and has been labelled a TikTok phenomenon and supermodel in the making. 

Elsewhere, Lady Amelia and Eliza Spencer also made the list – after Lady Amelia’s chic South Africa wedding in March. 

HON DELPHI PRIMROSE 

Delphi, who has spent the last five years in Scotland at Lady Dalmeny’s house in Earlston, amassed 7.4million views on one of her recent TikTok videos and finally signed with well-known modelling agency Storm in 2018, after being repeatedly scouted.

Her father, Lord Dalmeny, is the chairman of auctioneers Sotheby’s in the UK, while her family seat is the impressive Gothic Revival mansion Dalmeny House, to the west of Edinburgh, and which is currently home to Delphi’s grandparents the 7th Earl and Countess of Rosebery.

Caroline and Harry Dalmeny, only son and heir of the 7th Earl of Rosebery – and great-grandson of the 5th Earl who famously achieved his three ambitions of owning a winner of the Derby, marrying an heiress and becoming Prime Minister – share four daughters and a son. 

Delphi is interested in art and architecture, as well as sewing, embroidering, trampolining, skiing and tennis. 

Speaking to Tatler in June 2021, Delphi spoke about her current success on the social media platform TikTok, recalling: ‘I had a couple of videos that just blew up and it kind of goes from there.’

She now posts up to three times a day, adding: ‘Everyone can find something entertaining on there, because it’s spookily good at finding out what you want to see.’

But it’s not only TikTok which inspires the A-level student, who is soon to turn 18, with Delphi revealing her love of fashion and textiles.

‘Lockdown gave me a lot of time to be creative,’ she said. ‘I take old clothes and cut them up to make them into new things. I basically took all my mother’s tweed coats, so I have a huge collection.’

LADY ELIZA AND AMELIA SPENCER 

They may have been born into one of the UK’s most famous aristocratic families – but Lady Amelia and Eliza Spencer’s upbringing was anything but smooth sailing.

After losing their aunt at the age of five, the models, 30, also had to deal with the fall-out of her parents’ high profile separation.

When the twins were just four years old, the family moved from the Althorp estate in Northamptonshire to Cape Town in South Africa in a bid to give their children more privacy. 

In 1998, Earl Spencer moved back to the UK – leaving Victoria to raise their family in Cape Town.

During their 1999 divorce hearing, a letter Charles had written to a girlfriend was read out in court in which he described himself as ‘vicious, cruel and a bully’ towards Victoria.

Speaking to The Telegraph in 2021, Lady Amelia and her sister Eliza explained how they don’t use their titles outside of the UK and had a ‘normal, happy childhood’. 

They said: ‘Growing up, the house would always be busy, full of extended family and friends.’

Meanwhile they also described volunteering at a local crèche for orphans, ‘just giving them love’, and remembered walking the streets selling artwork to raise money for food for stray cats and dogs. 

Discussing her move to London two years ago, Amelia added: ‘Cape Town was all about the sea, hiking, horse riding, tennis, netball… After high school and university we were so happy that we didn’t feel the need to move.’ 

After leaving £14,000-a-year Reddam House School in 2010, the sisters moved into a luxurious waterfront apartment, which was paid for by their father. 

In 2010, Lady Amelia reportedly met her now-husband Greg Mallett while they were both studying at the University of Cape Town. 

The 32-year-old estate agent is the nephew of former South African national rugby coach Nick Mallett.

Meanwhile Lady Eliza also has a long term boyfriend, Channing Millerd.

Both Lady Amelia and her sister Eliza have followed their elder sister Lady Kitty – who is a ambassador for Dolce & Gabbana – into the world of fashion.

Amelia hopes to become a wedding planner and Eliza dreams of being an interior designer. 

ARI REID

Ari Reid is a property expert and ‘everybody’s favourite Chelsea girl’, according to Tatler. 

The Instagram sensation, 34, reportedly splits her time between Chelsea and Wimbledon – or enjoys surfing in Cornwall. 

Last March, she briefly hit headlines when she was mocked online after sharing a 12-second tutorial on ‘how to draw a bath the English way’ on TikTok, where she shares ‘luxury lifestyle’ tips.

The video showed the property consultant simply putting a plug in the bath before turning on both of the taps under the advice of her grandmother, who lived in Oxfordshire. 

However people were underwhelmed with the advice, sarcastically teasing that the influencer was ‘very lucky’ that she was taught such a valuable lesson while others ‘have to learn the hard way’ to put in the plug. 

‘You want to make sure you put the plug in,’ she said in the video.  ‘My grandmother in Oxfordshire taught me and my sister growing up, when we used to come visit from Hong Kong.’ 

Users were predictably baffled that the video had ended without more information on how to perfect a bath, with one writing: ‘Did the video get cut off? Cliffhanger! What’s the secret?’. 

Others joked about the simplicity of the tutorial, sarcastically teasing that the influencer would need to do a ‘step by step guide’ to explain how to put the plug in the bath.  

SARAH & VIMBAI MASIYIWA

London-based Zimbabwean Strive Masiyiwa – dubbed the ‘Bill Gates of Africa’ – became the first black billionaire to make The Sunday Times Rich List last year.

He and his jet-setting wife Tsitsi, 57, and his six children split their time between his homes of London, Surrey and New York.

Their daughters, businesswomen Sarah and Vimbai Masiyiwa are among those included by Tatler on the elite list.

The Zimbabwean entrepreneurs are often pictured on Instagram in standout dresses and statement headpieces.

Vimbai is a mental health activist, while her sister Sarah works as a documentary maker. 

Vimbai recently posted a photo of herself wearing a vibrant yellow off-shoulder dress on her Instagram page. The caption read: ‘When you can’t find the sunshine, be the sunshine.’

She paired the dress with black stilettos with spikes.

While she certainly knows how to pull off an occasion frock, Vimbai also pulls together casual outfits with style.

Whether it’s a white linen shirt and jeans combination or a flannel overshirt paired with Hunter wellington boots, Vimbai always looks her best for walks in the countryside.

LADY CAMILLA DE LA POER BERESFORD

Lady Camilla de la Poer Beresford, 26, daughter of former professional polo player Henry Beresford, the 9th Marquess of Waterford, was also included on the list.

The stylist was 19 when her parents took up residence in the 855-year-old stately pile, which is one of Ireland’s oldest residencess and the home of the Marquess of Waterford and his ancestors since the 12th century.

Nestled in 2,500 acres, the historic house boasts an exquisite collection of art and furniture and looks out over sprawling grounds including tiered lawns, a lake and arboretum.

But living in such luxurious surroundings comes at a price and the family have had to sacrifice their privacy to pay the bills. The house and gardens are open for tours, meaning the family have to deal with tourists traipsing through their home. 

Lady Camilla studied fashion design at Bath Spa University, paying her way with a part-time job at Jigsaw and shifts behind the bar at a catering firm. 

While there she founded an eponymous clothing brand which was enjoying some success when she was asked to take part in six-part Made In Chelsea-style MTV reality series called The Royal World. 

The show, which featured a group of well-heeled aristos and royal-adjascent figures, was cancelled after one series but it was enough time for Lady Camilla to feel the sting of negative public perception and become the victim of viscious trolling. 

LADY GINA HOPE

Lady Georgina Hope, 24, has previously been described as Tatler as ‘one of Britain’s most eligible’ singletons.

The Hope family has a long and honourable record of service to Crown, country and the military, dating back several hundred years.

Her father, Andrew, Earl of Hopetoun, was a former Page of Honour to the Queen Mother. He was later educated at Eton and Oxford University and stands to inherit Hopetoun House, where he lives, and its 20,000-acre grounds.

Meanwhile, the youngster’s grandfather is the fourth Marquess of Linlithgow, who lives on the Hopetoun estate.

In 1993, Andrew married Skye Bovill, daughter of an army major and the couple had three children.

Her brother Viscount Aithrie will become the twelth Earl of Hopetoun on the death of his grandfather, and subsequently the sixth Marquess of Linlithgow on the death of his father. 

She graduated with BA (Hons) in Acting from Arts Educational Schools in 2008 and received an award for Excellence in Drama from Sir Alan Acykbourn after performing with National Theatre Connections.

She is an actress and writer who has performed in commercials, short films, and voiceovers.

Meanwhile Lady Gina previously told Tatler that her family use avatars to play each other on the virtual game World of Warcraft.