Countess Luann de Lesseps has rubbed shoulders with royalty for decades – and now the Real Housewives of New York City icon has revealed exactly how she feels about Meghan, Duchess of Sussex.
Speaking exclusively to SkyNews.com.au, the beloved American television personality and cabaret star described Meghan as nothing short of a “genius”.
The American-born TV personality and singer, who became a countess at 28 after marrying French aristocrat Count Alexandre de Lesseps in 1993, said she admired Meghan’s bold decision to step away from royal life.
“It’s genius. She (Meghan) came in, swooped up the Royal and left,” Luann said.
“She gets hounded by the press all the time, and their lives are under a microscope. Personally, I think it’s great. She makes me proud to be in an American. She picked up the Prince and left.”
Asked whether Meghan could ever join her on stage in her cabaret show Welcome to the Lu-Niverse, Luann said the Duchess would be a natural.
“I mean, listen, she’s an actress, so I’m sure she’d be great,” the Countess quipped.
While she has never met ex-Prince Andrew, Luann said her personal experiences with the wider British royal family have been overwhelmingly positive.
“They’re the nicest people you could ever meet,” she said.
“I’ve never met Prince Andrew, but I’ve met Fergie and her daughters on a vacation somewhere with their friends and I went to the baptism of the godson of Prince William.”
Luann explained that the invitation came through her close ties to European royalty.
“So (King) Constantine was a friend of mine from Greece, so I got invited because I know Princess Marie-Chantal of Greece, and so I got invited to the baptism of their grandchild, and Prince William was the godfather,” she said.
“So I have met them. I met a lot of the royal families from around Europe, because they lived in Europe for so long, and they’re the nicest people.
“Because, guess what, you have to greet people and say hello to people all the time, right? And so they’re very respectful people as well. And that’s what class is all about – respect.”
Elsewhere, the RHONY star opened up about her long-awaited first trip to Australia, where she’ll be performing for fans who have been asking her to visit for decades.
“I’ve never been to Australia before and my fans have been asking me to come for the past 20 years since I’ve been a housewife,” she said.
“So I’m just super excited to come and meet all my Australian fans who’ve never seen my show, who only get to see a part of me on the Housewives.
“Really, what they get to see is kind of the drum around the cabaret show. So I’m excited for my fans to actually see me perform, see what I do.”
Luann said Welcome to the Lu-Niverse offers fans an unfiltered look behind the scenes of the iconic Bravo franchise.
“The show is super fun. It’s a walk down memory lane. I’m going to be singing, of course, and telling stories, but also taking questions from the audience,” she said.
“It’s been a lifetime that I’ve been trying to get to Australia, and I’m finally coming down under.”
The Countess will kick off her Aussie visit at Sydney’s Mighty Hoopla Festival on February 21, before taking her cabaret show to Melbourne and Brisbane.
“I’ve done Mighty Hoopla in London, and it’s just so much fun,” she said.
“It’s like Willy Wonka, just like so many interesting characters, so many walks of life, much excitement- and so I can’t wait.
“And it’s a big audience for me. I played theatres in the thousands, but this is like 30,000, 40,000 people, so I’m really excited to come out in front of that kind of crowd.
“I think Bondi Beach needs a party more than anything right now, so I think we really show Bondi Beach a great time.”
Luann also teased her return to the Bravo-verse, revealing she recently filmed Ultimate Girls Trip to celebrate the franchise’s 20th anniversary, as well as a new E! Network series, The Golden Life, alongside fellow original RHONY stars Sonja Morgan and Ramona Singer.
“I just got back from filming with the OGs of all the franchise, celebrating the 20th anniversary of House Wives, which was spectacular,”she said.
The Countess added of her new show: “You guys have grown up with us. We are at another phase of our lives… there’s always going to be that kind of drama. But you know, our show was always funny.”
Saturday, February 21 — Sydney: Mighty Hoopla Festival
• Sunday, February 22 — Melbourne: Melbourne Recital Centre
• Monday, February 23 — Melbourne: Melbourne Recital Centre
• Wednesday, February 25 — Brisbane: Brisbane Powerhouse
Tickets are available via CountessLuann.com.