‘Princess Diana’s favourite’ London restaurant Le Caprice will not reopen


A restaurant beloved by Princess Diana and and a host of A-list stars including Mick Jagger and Elizabeth Taylor will not be reopening after lockdown is lifted. 

Le Caprice, in Piccadilly, London, described as Princess Diana’s ‘favourite’, is now permanently closed after shutting its doors when lockdown was announced.  

It is one of several exclusive London restaurants that will not be reopening post-lockdown. 

The restaurant was initially opened in 1947 by Mario Gallati, a former maitre d’ at The Ivy, who ran it until 1975.

In 1981, Chris Corbin and Jeremy King – now of The Wolseley and Brasserie Zedel fame – took over the restaurant and restored it to its former glory.  

It went onto become a haven for the stars like Elton John and Tom Cruise, as well as royals like Princess Margaret and Princess Alexandra before being bought by its current owner, businessman Richard Caring.   

Princess Diana was a regular customer at Le Caprice, here pictured leaving the restaurant in January 1994

The exclusive Le Caprice, in Piccadilly, London, beloved of Princess Diana, is now permanently closed after shutting its doors when lockdown was announced

The exclusive Le Caprice, in Piccadilly, London, beloved of Princess Diana, is now permanently closed after shutting its doors when lockdown was announced

Richard Caring (L) and Kate Moss

Princess Diana

Richard Caring (pictured left with Kate Moss) is the owner of the restaurant, having bought it after dining at the establishment, a favourite of Princess Diana (right)

It would lead to his Caprice Holdings restaurant empire, which includes the likes of The Ivy, Sexy Fish and Scott’s. 

Though there are ‘early plans’ to open the restaurant in a new location, they are thought to be at a preliminary stage. 

Caring launched a blistering attack on the government yesterday, warning that Boris Johnson’s ‘weakness and indecision’ on reopening restaurants, pubs and cafes will cost more than two million workers their jobs. 

In a rare interview, restaurateur and private members’ club mogul Caring – whose empire also includes the famous Annabel’s club – warned the Prime Minister he was ‘killing the country’ by failing to outline when hospitality venues could reopen and whether they would have to abide by the two-metre social distancing rule. 

Caring, whose staff have now delivered a million and one freshly cooked free meals to NHS workers and vulnerable people in lockdown, said ministers had grossly underestimated the permanent damage being done to Britain’s 26,000 restaurants. 

He told The Mail on Sunday that thousands of businesses and their employees were in the ‘eye of a storm’ – surviving thanks only to the Government’s taxpayer-funded furlough scheme that pays staff wages, and a pause on rent and business rates tax bills. 

As soon as state aid measures are withdrawn, Caring warned, as many as ’50 per cent or 60 per cent’ of the four-million-strong hospitality workforce could be laid off and restaurants, cafes and bars shuttered for good.

Princess Margaret pictured as she leaves Le Caprice restaurant in London with Ned Ryan in 1995

Princess Margaret pictured as she leaves Le Caprice restaurant in London with Ned Ryan in 1995

Stephen Fry outside Le Caprice Restaurant in the 1980s

Elton John at Le Caprice Restaurant in 1994

Stephen Fry leaving the restaurant in the 1980s (left). Elton John visiting the establishment in 1994

Hollywood star Tom Cruise pictured visiting the exclusive restaurant in 1994, one of several stars to have dined there

Hollywood star Tom Cruise pictured visiting the exclusive restaurant in 1994, one of several stars to have dined there

Duchess of Kent Princess Alexandra and Sir Noel Coward pictured leaving Le Caprice together In 1959

Duchess of Kent Princess Alexandra and Sir Noel Coward pictured leaving Le Caprice together In 1959

He said the wave of redundancies would be ‘like a volcano’ erupting, with the worst of the pain coming in September and October when the furlough scheme ends.

Bloomberg’s Richard Vines revealed on Twitter that Le Caprice, a Caprice Holdings property, would not reopen after lockdown.

Other restaurants in the empire, Scott’s, Sexy Fish and 34 Mayfair are all offering delivery services for the first time.  

The closure has not been explicitly linked to the pandemic, though several high profile restaurants have been forced to permanently close their doors amid the crisis.   

Among them is the two Michelin-starred restaurant The Ledbury, with chef Brett Graham admitting he cannot operate the establishment with social distancing measures. 

The landlord and the suppliers have been paid in full and the staff have been made redundant. 

Siren at the Goring, a seafood restaurant inside the Belgravia hotel, will also not be reopening, despite only launching last year. 

Elizabeth Taylor

Mick Jagger

Le Caprice, in Piccadilly, London, is a favourite of several stars. Elizabeth Taylor and Mick Jagger are known to have dined there

Several exclusive and popular restaurants across central London will not be reopening following the lift of lockdown

Several exclusive and popular restaurants across central London will not be reopening following the lift of lockdown

The restaurant was initially opened in 1947 by Mario Gallati, a former maitre d' at The Ivy, who ran it until 1975

In 1981, Corbin & King – now of The Wolseley and Brasserie Zedel fame – took over the restaurant and restored it to its former glory

The restaurant was initially opened in 1947 by Mario Gallati (left), a former maitre d’ at The Ivy, who ran it until 1975. In 1981, Chris Corbin and Jeremy King (right) – now of The Wolseley and Brasserie Zedel fame – took over the restaurant and restored it to its former glory

After arriving in the capital after much fanfare last year, Wahlburgers, the London branch of Hollywood star Mark Wahlberg’s burger chain, will also not be coming back.  

Texture, a Michelin-starred Scandinavian-influenced restaurant in Marylebone run by Agnar Sverrisson, has also closed permanently. 

The Frog Hoxton, run by critically-acclaimed chef Adam Handling, has also shut its doors.

Meanwhile, away from food, the historic Ritz Club and Casino will also not be reopening after lockdown is lifted.