He’s disclosed that his friends, Prince Harry and Meghan Markle, are struggling to come to terms with the gulf that’s opened between them and the Royal Family in the wake of their sit-down with Oprah 

Winfrey and the publication of Harry’s memoir, Spare.

But Deepak Chopra, the Indian-American alternative medicine practitioner who Meghan regards as her ‘spiritual guru’, sees a way to close the chasm – through spiritual guidance.

The key figure in such a process, says Chopra, is undoubtedly the King.

‘It would help if there were close alliances between the royals and spiritual help,’ Chopra, who has 3million followers on Instagram, tells me on his most recent visit to London, during which he led a meditation at a ‘conscious dinner’ held at Jugad restaurant in Camden.

‘I’ll be glad if [the King] did get spiritual advice to solve the problems between him and Harry.’ It could be argued that though Chopra, 78, is two years older than King Charles, he has as good an insight into the couple’s thinking as any of their younger friends.

Aside from his role as Meghan’s guru, Chopra has also engaged with the couple professionally, appearing on their first Spotify podcast.

Though his was a characteristically contemplative contribution, it was not enough to dissuade the audio giant from axing the series, after which an eminent Spotify executive, Bill Simmons, summarised Harry and Meghan as ‘f****** grifters’.

It’s not the sort of language that Chopra favours. Indeed, he emphasises that releasing antagonistic feelings is particularly beneficial for those contending with medical challenges, as the King is with cancer.

‘We know now that all chronic disease is accompanied by three things: inflammation, stress and depression,’ he reflects.

‘Low-grade inflammation leads to every possible chronic disease, including cancer. Less than five per cent of diseases are genetically determined. Ninety-five plus are epigenetic and can be influenced [by] what we eat, breathing, digestion… the voice of thoughts, feelings, relationships, social interactions.’

The King and his converted Aston Martin that runs on white wine 

It was many years ago that the King converted his Aston Martin DB6 – a 21st birthday present from the late Queen – so that it ran on ‘surplus’ English white wine and the whey produced during cheese-making. 

But these days his appetite for ‘going green’ runs along more mainstream lines: I can disclose that he’s sanctioned the installation of 14 electric-vehicle charging points at Kensington Palace. 

Parents’ night for TV’s vick

Presenter Vick Hope turned heads on the Mobo Awards red carpet this week – where she was joined by none other than her mum and dad.

The former Strictly star, 35, who is married to DJ Calvin Harris, posed in a plunging black Deme by Gabriella gown with sun-shaped brooches at the Utilita Arena in her native Newcastle.

She took along her father Nigel Hope and mother Adeline ‘Ady’ Nwosu, who opted for traditional Nigerian attire.

‘The Mobo [Music of Black Origin] Awards celebrate Black British culture, so of course my mum and dad were in the house,’ says the Cambridge alumna.

Former Tory MP has started a ‘defence technology’ firm in Ukraine 

His political career collapsed when he got caught in a racy online sting.

And now I hear former Conservative MP Brooks Newmark is using technology for another end.

I can reveal that he is moving to Ukraine to start a ‘defence technology’ firm in the war-torn country. ‘I’m going to do what I can to support start-up businesses with a particular focus on defence technology,’ the 66-year-old tells me.

‘The company’s called Trypillian; it will focus on drone and anti-mining technology.’

Brooks adds: ‘I will do whatever the Ukrainian government tells me they need support with.’

New love makes Ofoedu ‘younger’ 

Vanessa Feltz’s ex Ben Ofoedu appeared full of vitality as he performed his 1999 hit Turn Around at the launch of Hayley Palmer’s Saturday Night talk show in London this week. 

The Phats & Small star, 52, credits his fresh vigour to his new fiancee, Vanessa Lana Brown, 29. ‘The right woman can reverse the ageing process,’ he tells me.

Presenter Feltz, 62, ended their 17-year relationship in 2023. Ofoedu says he feels healthier with the younger Vanessa: ‘I’ve lost three stone since I’ve been with her.’

Janet finds joy in solo trips

Former Blue Peter presenter Janet Ellis is finding solace in travelling solo around the world – following the loss of her husband, TV producer John Leach, to cancer in 2020.

Last autumn, Ellis, 69, embarked on a Just You tour, designed for single holidaymakers, to South Africa for two weeks. She tells me: ‘I learnt that I still love being elsewhere in the world… I was much more open to this experience than I feared because in the four years since losing John, my world had closed.

‘It opened the world to me. I discovered that wine tasting at 9.30am is fine.’

Dustin Hoffman: The doting grandfather 

The Graduate star Dustin Hoffman, whom I bumped into yesterday in London, is a doting grandfather.

The US actor, 87, revealed his delight at his grandchildren following in his footsteps.

‘I’m off to see them in The Lion, The Witch And The Wardrobe,’ he tells me.

Hoffman won the Academy Award for Best Actor twice in the 1980s for roles in Kramer Vs Kramer and Rain Man.

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