TALK OF THE TOWN: Crisis at Tatler Towers is averted as editor Richard Dennen is lured back after handing in his notice… thanks to a schnitzel sandwich
In the three years he has been editor of Tatler, he has delivered some of the magazine’s biggest scoops in decades.
Now Richard Dennen has sparked a major drama at the society glossy by sensationally handing in his notice.
But in a tale so madcap it can only be from Tatler Towers, he was lured back with the help of a schnitzel sandwich and a promise that he’ll answer only to Anna Wintour – the formidable editor-in-chief of sister title Vogue and ‘global chief content officer’ for the magazines’ publisher Conde Nast.
Richard Dennen has sparked a major drama at the society glossy Tatler by sensationally handing in his notice over planned changes at the magazine
Anna Wintour was tasked to do ‘whatever it takes’ to make Richard withdraw his notice
Richard was the man behind the Royal scoop that Meghan and Kate had fallen out over the wearing of tights at the Sussexes’ wedding and the scandal of the dizzying cost of the Downing Street redecoration.
But two weeks ago he fired off an email of formal resignation to Jonathan Newhouse, Conde Nast’s billionaire chairman, and the publisher’s UK boss Albert Read in the face of planned changes that would have meant him answering to a faceless manager in New York.
Richard, 39, then turned his phone off and retreated to his Belgravia mews house dubbed ‘the chauffeur’s cottage’. Emily Hallie, the company’s communications director, was dispatched at 7am the next day ‘to lure him out with food’ but he still refused to come to the door.
Says my source: ‘She only gained entry when a giant box containing a Peloton bike arrived and she snuck in behind the delivery men to access the porch. Then she shouted through a window begging Richard to come out. Eventually he did and she took him for a schnitzel sandwich and juice.
‘Initially she made things worse by telling him he had to stay because he didn’t have another job lined up, but he said he didn’t care. He is a man of integrity and is very stubborn.’
A source said Richard was lured out of his house on the promise of a Schnitzel sandwich and some juice
Finally, Ms Wintour and British Vogue editor Edward Enninful were drafted in and asked to do ‘whatever it takes’ to make Richard withdraw his notice.
His demands were met and my source says Anna now speaks to him several times a week. Although his phone was off during the drama, she texted him to say: ‘Richard, the thing about me is I never give up.’
They now have a great rapport, I’m told.
The source adds: ‘Edward also makes a lot of time for Richard and took him for a walk after the incident. He and Anna were called in as the big guns to seal the deal.’
Tatler’s ‘tightsgate’ revelation was, it is believed by bosses at Conde Nast, a major turning point in Meghan’s relationship with Kensington Palace, whom she accused of briefing against her. Another Tatler scoop about the thousands spent by Carrie Symonds on gold wallpaper led to a political scandal.
The source adds: ‘Tatler has been setting the agenda and its online traffic has increased from 300,000 unique users a month to 1.6 million since Richard took over. Now Anna is mentoring him closely.’