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Press Articles
Spectator, 24 January 2009
Behind closed doors
Lord Charles FitzRoy, founding director of Fine Art Travel, has been a friend since university, but I am ashamed to say that I had never sampled one of his tours until I finally flew to Madrid in November.
The trip was a revelation, not just because of what I saw of Madrid but also because I discovered that Charles, whom I had always perceived as charmingly vague, is in fact a stickler for detail and a born organiser, a fact that is obvious as soon as I meet the other 23 people in our group. For a start, we are all thrilled that, as part of the package, we are wallowing in graceful luxury at the beautiful Ritz Hotel.
Later, as we sip wine in the Ritz’s elegant lobby, I ask Charles how he pulled off such a deal. He grins boyishly, ‘I sort of bullied them. I’m quite good at persuading people to help me.’ It’s as close as he comes to boasting.