"Real Housewives" Countess Dumped By Her Count

Luann de Lesseps, the countess from "The Real Housewives of New York," is single. The 40-something American former model has been dumped via email by her 60-something husband Alex, with whom she has two kids.

Tuesday's NY Post confirms the rumors first reported Monday by New York Social Diary.

From the NYP:

A close pal said, "They decided to separate. She got wind he was seeing somebody and he didn't answer her when she called. He finally sent her an e-mail saying he was with an Ethiopian woman in Geneva and he was serious with her."

The revelation came as a shock to the countess, who celebrated her 16th anniversary with her husband on March 16.

"Luann was blindsided. She was just devastated," the close friend told Page Six. "They have basically lived apart for many years -- he lives in Europe and comes and goes as he pleases, but she never thought this would happen.

Monday's NYSD wrote:

Word comes from across the sea, that New York Housewives' Luann deLesseps has flown off (desperately?) to Europe to see husband Alex in an attempt to save their crumbling marriage. Alex, the Count de Lesseps has, it is said on the streets of Geneva, taken up with a beautiful Ethiopian beauty who is not only quite a bit younger than he but also quite a bit younger than his wife.

In the meantime, the sixty-something count has slimmed down, tanned up and looks years younger, according to friends, which once again raises the age-old question: Ain't love grand?

Luann plans to keep the title, though. Her book on manners, "Class With the Countess," comes out next month.

Comments

[downeast37]

I'm so glad LuAnn doesn't plan to relinquish her title so she won't have to redefine herself. Otherwise she might suffer a fatal identity crisis. Can all her husband's ex-wives call themselves 'countess'?
How clueless was this woman not to suspect her that husband had a younger, comlier babe on the side. Dumping her by email was tacky, but what can you expect from decadent European royalty. The guy is going through a monumental midlife crisis and probably doesn't appreciate his wife parading and babbling nonsense on reality TV. Too bad that he doesn't seem to give a hoot about his kids, though. I wonder what kind of settlement she'll get. If LuAnn signed a prenup, she just might have to get a real job; not dictate a frivolous how-to book to a ghost writer.
And what is the purpose of that black and white barber pole thingy in the living room? The countess claims she has exceedingly good taste----yikes!

[Pippa Rhys]

Here’s a bit of interesting info: the Count’s Ethiopian lady just so happens to be none other than Princess Kemeria Abajobir Abajifar, the granddaughter of King Abajobir Abajifar, the last King of Jimma, Ethiopia. Seems the Count traded up—his new play thing is not only much younger, more exotic and lovelier than LuAnn, but happens to be bona fide royalty in her own right.

I pity the children, Victoria and Noel, very much.

[notconfindtweenhatnboots]

Please stop spamming this nonsense about some madeup princess.... It's all bu//

[Pippa Rhys]

As you wish. However, this princess does not go by her title nor by her regal name. Fancy that!

[dnybird2001]

Is the Count de Lesseps related to Ferdinand de Lesseps of the Suez and Panama canals? If so then the Countess is better off - that family practically bankrupted France!

[notconfindtweenhatnboots]

Yes... it was the husband's great great grandfather who apparently made himself a Count...

Do you have a link to the part about how they bankrupted France building the canals? (Although both Canals are a great help for international trade now, so we do have them and France to thank for that).

[liminal67]

Poetic justice!

http://pitchbendpost.blogspot.com/

[notconfindtweenhatnboots]

Click the Real Housewives of NYC tab to see another article on this site from August that discusses the Countess's behavior at a wedding. It says she drank too much, knocked over some drums, and then started kissing on women at the wedding, then kissed on men and grabbed their privates. The Count was with her and had to drag her out of the wedding.

I thought I saw a preview of this on Bravo, but never saw the episode.

Anyway, this explains a LOT!

[lorikay56]

Or as my mom always says "There's no fool, like an old fool".

[AlexandriaHeather]

I've only seen the pilot of this show, but as she narrated about their lives
it was obvious within minutes he was a man who had women on the side.
Husbands who travel are usually husbands who play around.
European husbands usually play around.
So, really, there's very little chance the Count wasn't counting up conquests.
What surprises me is that she's surprised.
Seriously, did she think she could have the title AND his monogamy too?
When are women going to wise up and face the truth that all men cheat.
Sorry.
All rich European pseudo-royal jet-setting men cheat.

And it isn't something to despair or victimize yourself over.
You've gotta face the facts right from the beginning
and make sure you and your children are well-compensated
in the event of the truth rearing it's ugly head across the pond.
Or in an email.
Jeesh.

[MaximMaximus]

You speak from experience?

[LaSandra Salifu]

What, did they go to the trailer park to find these women & then try to dress them up? All these women really got their nerve. I'm still trying to figure out what type of role models are they trying to be? Because all i saw was alot of caddy, jealous, women just like you see in your job, school, etc. I have yet to see any of them actually show their talents or maybe their brain. Just a group of BIMBO's running around in NY. Wow! And who is Kelly? I never heard or seen her before. She thinks she's a 10 yeah right more like a 5. They really need a make over every last one of them. Do something different with your look... Shoot if you got the money you can do whatever you want with your looks. Instead of investing in clothes & furniture maybe try to invest in yourselves. UGH! I guess that's why i stop watching it. Tired of seeing the same ole drama. I was hoping for something different in this group of women. It's embarrassing how they carry on with each other. I promise all women don't act like that!

[QueenCeleste]

Have you seen the Atlanta group? I think at least two or three of them have arrest records. And just think, New Jersey to come!

[seehowtheyrun]

I had a feeling this was coming. But to be dumped by e mail. Talk about bad manners ! While I find her condescending attitude towards other on the show annoying, I'm sad to see that she is yet another victim of an older man dumping his lady for a younger model. I hope Luann takes the Count to the cleaners. And I am certain she will exhibit stellar manners when she does so.

[evgolightly]

She's not taking anyone to the cleaners. She is his 4th wife and I'm sure he gave her an iron-clad pre-nup.

[yweston]

Luann made sure everyone knew she is a Countess. I remember when Bethany introduced her to one of her employees. Luann pulled her aside and said "introduce me to the help as the Countess de Lessaps". She carried that Countess title like she was the Queen of England. When Ramona remarked her husband was twice her age I began to think that Luann's husband is never around.
They all remind me of "poor" girls who now have a little money. Alex and Simon are the most pretentious "losers". Their house is a disaster and they're running around "lusting" after their picture in the Society pages.

[DawnK]

He probably dumped his last wife for LuAnn when she was a young "model". I've never seen modelly photos of her or that man Kelly.

[PAMPAS]

The countess should take that smug attitude of hers and that feigned patrician pedigree and accomplish something with her life besides relying on her questionable middle-age attractiveness and her huband's claim to the Statue of Liberty.

She is nothing but a gossip monger without a sense of humor, and her friend Kelly is the aftermath of a train wreck. The conversation between is no more than "Oh, don't you look good."

If one of you didn't have you nose so high and the other of you weren't so high because of what you put in your nose, you might be some decent people (after lobotomies). But let's face it, both of you look like you been rode hard and hung up wet.

If it takes getting down on all fours and barking like a dog, do it. You will come off much more sympathetic as a loser than a loser who doesn't recognize her station in life.

[golgibody]

questionable attractiveness? What planet are you from? :)
And why are you so angry about this? hehe

[Ohioan730]

So typical.

[playsindirt]

He probably got tired of her making a fool of herself on television every week. And why should she be surprised. He's trading her in for a younger model. Isn't she like his third wife? Once a cheater, always a cheater. I bet she signed a pre-nup.

[PAMPAS]

The count is certainly the epitome of taste with the crinkled Nehru jacket, the head of hair that looks like its seen time as moss around a swimming pool drain and the skin that cries out for OIl of Olay.

I hope he has money, because it would not be his affect that attracts and Ethiopian "princess."

We probably have inbreeding to look forward to.

[QueenCeleste]

"...the crinkled Nehru jacket..." line has me in stitches!

[wberry]

Perhaps we was feeling a bit insecure with her new found fame. Anyway, lets see her find an appreciative younger man.

[livesimply]

Honey, don't you know that when a man marries someone decades younger, it is because of her looks and youth? Why then should you be surprised when you get older that he will find someone with more youthful beauty?

[Cowboylove]

As Ivana Trump said, "Don't get even, get everything!" I am no fan of any of these women, and can certainly see how any of them could easily and happily be dumped. But if the Count had class, he would dump the Countess BEFORE he went shopping for a new model. To cheat and then leave if so trailer park, regardless of title.

I hope she takes him for plenty. Cheaters should never prosper.