Married American millionaireness, Nancy Shevell, who was seen kissing Sir Paul McCartney, does not wear a wedding ring and has confirmed that she is legally separated from her husband of 23 years.
Nancy, 47, confirmed the separation from her wealthy lawyer husband Bruce Blakeman, 52, following the emergence of reports of her dates with the former Beatle including one liaison at a London hotel on the day of his High Court divorce hearing.
(Separated: Nancy has a teenage son with her estranged husband and he said their separation is mutual and amicable)
Previously known as Nancy Shevell Blakeman, she recently dropped her husband’s name and both have been seen without wedding rings.
She said outside her exclusive Upper East Side, home: “Yes, we are separated.” Asked about her relationship with former Beatle Macca, she added: “I’m afraid I cannot comment. I can’t say anything.”
Nancy, who is vice president of her wealthy family’s firm and a top New York City transport official, wed Mr Blakeman in 1984. The pair have a teenage son Arlen.
Mr Blakeman — a commissioner of the New York Port Authority and a partner in a top Big Apple law firm — also yesterday confirmed that he and Nancy had split.
He said: “My wife and I are legally separated at the moment.†He added in a statement: “The separation is amicable and mutual.â€
Sir Paul was reported to have visited Nancy at Blake’s Hotel in Chelsea two nights running – just as he and Heather Mills were unsuccessfully trying to thrash out a divorce deal in court on 11 October.
Friends of the American millionairess believe she and Sir Paul are at the beginning of a full-blown romance.
(Millionaire’s playground: Nancy’s home in the exclusive Hampton’s resport on New York’s Long Island)
As Nancy Shevell’s husband Bruce Blakeman revealed he and his wife had separated, it emerged that she and Sir Paul have been in close contact for several months.
He was photographed kissing her farewell after they had spent a few days together at The Hamptons on Long Island, where they both have homes.
Sir Paul, 65, and Ms Shevell had dinner last Friday at an East Hampton sushi restaurant, where they stayed until 3am.
He visited her at home before stopping off at a lingerie store, Top Drawer, to buy gifts. They were seen outside a cinema before dinner.
(Retreat: Sir Paul McCartney’s million dollar mansion is just six miles away from new love Nancy Shevell in the Hamptons)
The next day they were seen again, having breakfast at a café and strolling along the beach near Sir Paul’s home.
According to a source close to Ms Shevell and her husband, she and Sir Paul have known each other for more than 10 years and she was a friend of his first wife, Linda, who died of breast cancer in 1998.
Ms Shevell was diagnosed with breast cancer the year after Linda and the two women fought the disease together.
The source said: “Nancy was in her late thirties and no one apart from her closest friends and family knew she had cancer.”
Then her lawyer husband, Bruce, made an emotional announcement during a political meeting on Long Island, where he was a local councillor.
“Bruce was involved in this campaign to set up a centre of excellence for breast cancer, a clinic called Hewlett House, and he suddenly said: ‘My wife has been fighting it for 18 months.’
Most people were shocked because Nancy is a really dynamic person and no one suspected she was seriously ill.”
Ms Shevell, 47, underwent treatment in New York and was later declared free of the disease. She pursues a punishing schedule as vice-president of her family’s transport business and lives on New York’s Upper East Side with her teenage son.
Mr Blakeman, 52, is a prominent Republican and was a major figure in local politics in New York. In 1998 he ran for the position of comptroller, a job that could have propelled him towards the Senate.
He lost the election and, as his political star faded, he moved from his own law firm to the high-powered New York office of Abrams, Fensterman, Fensterman, Eisman, Greenberg, Formato and Einiger.
Meanwhile Heather Mills, 39, who gave a series of furious interviews last week, has fired another broadside at Sir Paul in this week’s Hello!, accusing him of being mean with his money and refusing to divorce her unless she stays silent about their marriage.
McCartney has remained in the US following a series of increasingly bitter rants from his estranged wife Heather Mills.
Last week, Miss Mills dominated the headlines after a series of extraordinary appearances, in which she gave a series of shrill interviews on British and American television.
In two days of outbursts, the 39-year-old said she had been driven to the brink of suicide by newspaper stories she claimed were inspired by Sir Paul, and that his fashion-designer daughter Stella had been “jealous” of her.
She also compared her problems to those of Kate McCann, mother of missing toddler Madeleine.
Earlier this year, McCartney was spotted at a concert in New York with Renee Zellweger, and days later they shared a candlelit dinner.
The 38-year-old Bridget Jones actress has previously admitted having a crush on him.
Days earlier he had slowdanced could be with former model Christie Brinkley, the 53-year-old ex-wife of singer Billy Joel, at a concert in The Hamptons, where he has a mansion.
A spokesman for Sir Paul declined to comment.
(source)
