![\"Southern](\"https:\/\/news2.watchtowatch.top\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/Southern-Charm-s-Patricia-Altschul-Explains-Why-It-Was-Important-to-Honor-Late-Butler-Michael-in-Memoir-.jpg\")
<\/p>\n<\/p>\n
It was a no-brainer for Patricia Altschul to spend a good portion of her new memoir honoring her late butler, Michael Kelcourse.<\/p>\n
\u201cHe was a family member,\u201d Altschul, 84, exclusively told Us Weekly while promoting her memoir, Eat, Drink, and Remarry: Memories from a Lifetime of Art, Class, and Southern Charm, released on Tuesday, November 11.<\/p>\n
\u201cHe was the consummate professional, but we also felt like he was a member of our family,\u201d she continued. \u201cHe lived here and was with us practically every day. Even on his days off, a lot of times, he wouldn\u2019t want to go any place or do anything but come over and make dinner or play with the dogs.\u201d<\/p>\n
Altschul announced Kelcourse\u2019s death in October 2024 with an emotional Instagram post. Kelcourse\u2019s death came years after he suffered a rare acute spinal stroke in February 2021.<\/p>\n
\u201cHe deserved to be memorialized, and I wanted to do that,\u201d she told Us. \u201cHe was with me [for] 18 years. 18 years is a long time.\u201d<\/p>\n
Altschul recalled hiring Kelcourse in 2004, after the death of his former boss, who she described as \u201can ancient dowager who maintained an enormous estate\u201d in New York.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe met, and I liked everything about him,\u201d she wrote, revealing that Kelcourse was her companion when she was looking at new properties, including Altschul\u2019s iconic Charleston mansion. When Southern Charm premiered in 2014, Kelcourse became a breakout star.<\/p>\n
\u201cMichael became the resident expert on cocktails and everything domestic, and so many fans wrote to him for his housekeeping advice that we had to incorporate an \u2018Ask Michael\u2019 button on my website,\u201d Altschul recalled.<\/p>\n
She also made it clear that they never had a romantic relationship.<\/p>\n
\u201cI have trouble writing the words. Did I ever have a romantic relationship with Michael? No \u2026 God, no,\u201d Altschul shared. \u201cThe relationship between an employer and a butler is completely professional and built on trust and mutual respect. Period. Please don\u2019t ask again.\u201d<\/p>\n
All joking aside, Altschul got real when she recalled the morning that Kelcourse had his stroke in her book.<\/p>\n
\u201cAs he fell to the floor, he pulled the phone down with him and managed to press the \u2018All page\u2019 button. \u2018Call an ambulance,\u2019 he said into the speaker. \u2018I\u2019m having a stroke,\u2019\u201d she wrote. \u201cI was asleep upstairs but woke up when I heard his panicked voice and immediately dialed 911.\u201d<\/p>\n
Altschul\u2019s son, Whitney Sudler-Smith, \u201craced\u201d to Kelcourse\u2019s room and \u201cput a pillow under his head\u201d until the ambulance arrived. The spinal cord stroke left him paralyzed.<\/p>\n
\u201cThe news of his condition \u2014 and the terrible uncertainty of his future \u2014 was devastating,\u201d she wrote.Kelcourse moved to a full-time care facility in Florida to be \u201cclose to his family\u201d in the years preceding his death.<\/p>\n
\u201cWonderful, dedicated, kind, and exceptional-these were the words people used to describe Michael,\u201d she wrote. \u201cHe was all that and so much more.\u201d<\/p>\n
Prince William made a surprise appearance on Dancing with the Stars recently\u00a0to show his support for Robert Irwin.<\/p>\n
Robert, son of the late, legendary conservationist and TV personality Steve Irwin, is currently competing on the hit US version of British show Strictly Come Dancing.<\/p>\n
During Tuesday\u2019s edition of Dancing with the Stars, Robert, 21, received a message of support from the Prince of Wales.<\/p>\n
In a video, during preparation for his foxtrot with pro dance partner Witney Carson, William wished the star the \u201cbest of luck\u201d.<\/p>\n
William and Robert have developed a close bond after the prince named the 21-year-old an ambassador for The Earthshot Prize last year.<\/p>\n
\u201cWhile your twinkle toes are going off elsewhere, I need him down here. Witney, I need you to get him in as much glitter as you can,\u201d William said in the video message.<\/p>\n
\u201cGuys, you\u2019ve got a seriously good chance of winning it, so the best of luck on the show,\u201d he then added.<\/p>\n
Robert was blown away by the message, admitting it meant \u201cthe absolute world\u201d to him.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe are doing this dance for Bindi [his sister] and we are doing this dance for Prince William,\u201d he said. \u201cSo let\u2019s not mess this up.\u201d<\/p>\n
William and Robert joined forces a few years ago, during a video interview in 2021 hosted by Australia Zoo.<\/p>\n
They discussed conservation, climate change and The Earth Shot Prize.\u00a0The Earthshot Prize is an initiative\u00a0launched by William in 2020. It aims to \u201cmobilise a decade of environmental action to repair the planet\u201d.<\/p>\n
Meanwhile, after a meeting in South Africa last year, Robert gushed over their bond during an interview with\u00a0US Weekly.<\/p>\n
He said: \u201cI think\u00a0Prince William has been such an amazing person to work with, and there is such an incredible synergy between what he does and who he is and who we are.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cHe is a true environmental hero, and so working with him has been a great privilege. We\u2019ve definitely compared a lot of notes. And plus, he\u2019s just a great guy. When you have a conversation with him, he\u2019s the most lovely, intelligent person to talk to and is just so easy-going, so much fun. And I love working with him. He\u2019s a really, really, really good guy,\u201d he added.<\/p>\n
Tuesday wasn\u2019t the first time William made a surprise cameo on a show Robert was doing.<\/p>\n
Back in June, William left Robert a special message during the star\u2019s appearance on BBC Radio 2.<\/p>\n
\u201cI know you\u2019ve got the fantastic Robert Irwin on the show this morning, a brilliant ambassador for The Earthshot Prize,\u201d William said in the message.<\/p>\n
The prince then went on to warn that Robert likes to \u201cpull random terrifying animals and creatures out of his pockets while he\u2019s on anyone\u2019s show\u201d.<\/p>\n
I think Prince William has been such an amazing person to work with.<\/p>\n
On\u00a0their friendship, Robert said: \u201cI talk to him about animals, and he is on it. He knows exactly what\u2019s going on. In most conversations I have with His Royal Highness, I learn something. I really do.<\/p>\n
\u201cIt\u2019s this genuine sense of passion. I love that passion. Like that\u2019s what I seek. I seek out people that feel like kindred spirits, you know? So it\u2019s really awesome. Really is.\u201d<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
It was a no-brainer for Patricia Altschul to spend a good portion of her new memoir honoring her late butler, Michael Kelcourse. \u201cHe was a family member,\u201d Altschul, 84, exclusively told Us…<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":4827,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-4828","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-hot-news"],"aioseo_notices":[],"aioseo_head":"\n\t\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t