Bullingdon brawl ringleader is Princess Diana's nephew
SECRET University drinking society The Bullingdon Club, which caused extensive damage in the dining cellar of a 15th century country pub, was led on the spree of violence by Alexander Fellowes, nephew of Diana, Princess of Wales.
Fellowes, 21, a fourth year Classicist at Trinity, is the first son of Lady Cynthia Jane Spencer, the older sister of the Princess of Wales and the Hon. Sir Robert Fellowes, former private secretary to the Queen.
The chain of events that led to the carnage in The White Hart in Fyfield, ten miles from Oxford, on 1st December began when a man calling himself Colin McKenzie made a reservation for 14 people in the pub's dining cellar.
An investigation by The Oxford Student reveals 'Colin McKenzie' is a pseudonym for Fellowes, who made the reservation on behalf of The Bullingdon Club, Oxford's most exclusive and controversial drinking society, which is made up primarily of old Etonians.
When contacted by The Oxford Student on the telephone number given with the reservation, Fellowes admitted his real identity and confessed he had attended the event, but insisted it was not a meeting of the Bullingdon Club.
"It was not the Bullingdon Club, just a group of friends on an evening out that got out of control," he said.
When he was contacted by The Daily Telegraph in December, on the same number, Fellowes admitted to making the reservation under a false name but refused to reveal his true identity.
Landlord of The White Hart Ian Rogers told this newspaper the man he knows as Colin McKenzie, now proven to be the Trinity College aristocrat, twice admitted to him that the trashing of the pub was an event of The Bullingdon Club, once in the vicinity of two police officers and a second time when the man returned to the pub to pay the balance of the damages, which totalled £490.
Rogers also told this newspaper that on challenging Fellowes on the second occasion, asking: "Were you really The Bullingdon Club?" The man responded: "Yes, even though I told The Daily Telegraph we were not."
He admitted that the violence was premeditated and then added: "I am not currently in the club, I am a prospective member."
The Oxford Student's investigation conclusively reveals the man who booked the restaurant as 'Colin McKenzie' is in fact Fellowes who is the first cousin of Prince William, second in line to the throne.
This newspaper has obtained signed statements from Rogers, an employee at the pub and a customer on the night in question stating that the photograph of Fellowes obtained by The Oxford Student was the man who led the group into the pub and who paid the bill after the rest of the group were ejected by Rogers.
Rogers recounted the events of 1st December: "The group were impeccably dressed in jackets and ties, tweeds and dinner suits and were very polite."
"After filing into the beautiful setting of the underground cellar that had been booked exclusively for their use, the group immediately became boisterous and began to bang their fists on the tables."
After about five minutes, Rogers went into the beer cellar after hearing two glasses smash. He found one member of the club with "a deep cut on his cheek, he was bleeding a lot onto his shirt".
The injured man refused all offers of help and two other members intervened to reiterate that he did not want a plaster or any assistance. In addition to noting this odd behaviour, Rogers commented that despite being extremely polite to him and his staff, the men's language when addressing each other contained "graphic swear words" and was "very antagonistic".
When making their reservation, all the men ordered the same starter and main course; smoked salmon followed by steak.
The reservations book at The White Hart shows the party specifically mentioned they would not be requiring dessert.
Soon after he and his waitresses had delivered the main courses to the men, Rogers said he heard "an eruption of noise".
After running into the cellar he encountered a shocking scene: "All the food and plates had been thrown everywhere and they were jumping on top of each other on the table like kids in a playground."
The experience took on a surreal nature as each time Rogers confronted a member "they apologized profusely but offered no explanation".
The Club also continued its violence as only two wine bottles out of 20 remained intact as the rest were smashed on the walls and thrown across the room.
Rogers shouted at the group and managed to herd them out of the fire exit that leads from the cellar and as they left, one of the group smashed the adjacent window with a wine bottle.
However as Fellowes made to leave Rogers "grabbed hold" of him and marched him back to the bar.
Fellowes paid the £596 bill in cash and then offered a further £500 in notes for the damages. Rogers only accepted £100 for damages although Fellowes tipped the waitresses a further £200.
Rogers, who recently renovated the beamed 15th century pub, added: "At no time did I have fear for the safety of myself, they were almost over-polite when I first served them with the wine."
After the police arrived at the scene, the sergeant on duty ordered the arrest of all 14 men before realising that only four cells were available, a situation described by Rogers as "absolutely ridiculous".
The four men who were arrested on suspicion of causing criminal damage were all interviewed the following morning and released after being given £80 fixed penalty notices.
Rogers expressed frustration to The Oxford Student that the students were treated so leniently.
"I am furious with Thames Valley Police for the inaccuracies and mistakes they have made that enabled the culprits to escape with fixed penalty fines," he said.
"If the police had asked me if I was happy for them to be given fixed penalties, I would have said 'no'."
Fellowes was one of the four men on The Bullingdon Club trip to The White Hart who was arrested, kept in cells overnight and given an £80 fine shortly before being released the next morning.
Rogers has since informed a Thames Valley Police Inspector that he would like to make an official complaint about the police handling of the matter and he has been told that the force are aware that this is, "a very serious complaint" and will be contacted by a Superintendent sometime today (Thursday).
He also told The Oxford Student of his frustration that when he contacted the police, they refused to name the members of the club who were arrested and issued with fines: "I could not understand why the police were being so uncooperative."
It is not known whether the University is pursuing any disciplinary action against any of the four who were arrested.
The Proctors' Office told this newspaper: "We do not comment on individual students' cases."
However it is possible that Trinity College will take disciplinary action. Rogers told this newspaper: "Today [Wednesday] I received a call from the man I know as Colin McKenzie, he informed me that I may receive a call from Trinity as he was 'in trouble' with the college."
When The Oxford Student contacted Fellowes, who told The Daily Telegraph in December: "People may get sent down over this," he said "I am in enough trouble as it is."
Alexander Fellowes is an Old Etonian who is President of the Claret Club, an Old Etonian Society which counts Trinity President Hon. Michael Beloff QC amongst its members.
Fellowes's father was appointed as the Queen's Private Secretary in 1992 and drafted her first speech after the death of Diana in 1997. His mother, Lady Cynthia Jane Spencer, is one of the elder sisters of the late Princess of Wales and gave a reading at her funeral in September 1997.
13th Jan 2005