Homes gossip

Becks in search for posh schools

David and Victoria Beckham have begun house-hunting in central London. Why? Because they want their three sons, Brooklyn, Romeo and Cruz, to attend private day schools and have come to the conclusion that their Hertfordshire mansion is simply too far from the best pre-preps and preps.

David, the Leytonstone-born former England captain, currently on a £24.4 million-a-year contract with Los Angeles Galaxy, recently admitted that he wanted to return to Europe in December.

Pukka schools, such as Sussex House, Hill House, Westminster Under-School and Wetherby, are all within striking distance (literally) of Belgravia, Notting Hill and Chelsea.

Estate agents will be pleased to offload one of their gaudier trophy properties, allowing retired Spice Girl Victoria to transform them into a London version of “Beckingham Palace” near Sawbridgeworth. She recently turned Domaine St Vincent, their South of France château near Bargemon, into a paean to Essex Renaissance taste.

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After months of refurbishment, publishing heir Rupert Heseltine is ready to move into Danvers House, the Georgian home near Banbury that he bought, though Savills, for an estimated £1.8 million.

The Culworth property lies on the borders of Oxfordshire and Northamptonshire, only five miles from his father, Tory elder statesman Lord Heseltine’s magnificent Thenford estate.

Rupert, deputy-chairman of Britain’s largest privately-owned magazine publishers, and his wife Sarah have three children, William, Archie and Hermione. Their London base is a five-storey Chelsea house close to actress Elizabeth Hurley.

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No need for Tory parliamentary candidate Annunziata Rees-Mogg to buy a home in her Somerset constituency, Somerton and Frome. She lodges with her father, former editor of The Times Lord Rees-Mogg, in his 15th century home at Mells.

“It’s great as he lives in the constituency and my wonderful mother can look after me,” says the Eurosceptic financial journalist. But I plan to buy my own home there if I’m elected.”

Wags laugh that Somerset may soon have to be renamed Rees-Moggdom as her brother Jacob is the would-be Tory MP for North-East Somerset. “During the week I live with him and his family in Westminster,” adds Annunziata, who recently parted from management consultant Matthew Glanville after five years.

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With five children aged under 11 and another one on the way, Sky TV presenter Colin Brazier has decided to leave Twickenham and buy more space in Hampshire.

“We couldn’t sell our five-bedroom terrace house in Strawberry Hill so it is on a two-year corporate let,” he says. “We’ve moved to a modern house in Over Wallop off the M3. It takes me just over an hour to drive to work in Isleworth. We bargained the price down from £425,000 to £365,000.”

After five daughters, Edith, Agnes, Constance, Gwendolyn and Katharine, Bradford-born Brazier and his wife Jo are finally expecting a boy. In 2003 he was the first UK reporter to broadcast live from Baghdad airport during the second Iraq war.