After a fairly successful trip to Scotland, the Ladies of London are back home. Caroline Flaming visits the fishmonger. Sophie’s kids misbehave. Marissa and Julie discuss hats. And Caroline Stanbury visits her parents. They’re veddy, veddy British. Caroline tells us she can sit with her mother for hours and hours without speaking. Poor little rich girl
Juliet’s daughter does an amazing imitation of her mother. “I’m Juliet Angus. I need to go meet Caroline Stanbury. On the way I’ll get a Chanel handbag.” This girl should have her own show.
Caroline Fleming prepares her lobster tail salad for Marissa. She’s the kind of friend we all want. Caroline’s father is having surgery and it’s stressing her out. To make matters worse, her family is so private she doesn’t feel like she can talk to anyone about it, even production. Marissa tries to connect but Caroline is scared. They’ve had issues in the past where things Marissa said got back to Caroline’s parents and caused problems. When they hear good news about the surgery they hug deeply. Caroline Fleming wants to trust her.
Adela brings Julie to her favorite makeup shop for a makeover. Julie is upset that Sophie won’t dish about Caroline Stanbury anymore. Adela tries to point out the benefits of the arrangement but Julie just pouts. She needs someone to film with that will let her rant about Caroline Stanbury. It’s part of her brand. They end with some barbs about Juliet. Adela hasn’t forgotten how vile she was in Scotland. Juliet made a powerful enemy and I can’t wait to see Adela take her down.
The ladies and their hats go to the Henley Regatta on the River Thames. It’s adorable. Lots of Eton jackets and Pimms. Sophie and Juliet helicopter in. Caroline Fleming points out that it’s not the right weather for it. When you’re truly posh you don’t have to flaunt it (just saying). The ladies proceed to get absolutely pissed. There’s some kind of promotional event happening so they’re getting lots of tropical drinks. It’s not on theme and distracting. Adela finally confronts Juliet about being overly defensive. Juliet blames the other ladies. Awesome. A drunken Julie starts ranting about pacts and talking behind people’s backs. Sophie is as annoyed about it as I am. She makes it clear that she won’t talk behind Caroline Stanbury’s back, full stop. Julie pretends to put the issue to bed.
Marissa visits her doctor. She tells him about her deep sadness. He tells her he’s not surprised she feels that way, he’s just surprised it took her so long.
Caroline Fleming takes Juliet to the island where she plans to throw her Midsummer’s Eve party. She immediately freaks out her party planner with stories of wandering spirits. But never fear. She has holy water! Caroline and Juliet proceed to anoint each other while the party planner looks on skeptically. But they haven’t forgotten him. They both fling holy water on the poor man before they let him show them the location. Caroline is excited. Midsummer’s is a big deal in Denmark and this is the first time she’s throwing a party since her mother passed away. She cries and talks about how she never cries. “I’m ready to bring back a lost tradition, in my mum’s spirit.”
Sophie’s mum brings her oldest son home from school. They discuss when to tell the boys about the separation. Her mum points out that they’re not stupid. They notice something is going on. Sad.
After an almost entirely Caroline Stanbury-free episode, we’re back at her parents’ house. Caroline’s father had emergency heart surgery but they’re trying to just move past it. Stiff upper lip and all that. Even so, her mum sheds some tears and it makes Caroline uncomfortable. It’s always hard seeing your parents vulnerable, probably moreso when it’s an uncommon event.
Next week: We learn that Juliet’s first language is Polish and Caroline Stanbury is Jewish. Caroline Fleming throws a lovely Midsummer’s Eve party which is ruined by Caroline Stanbury making Adela cry.
The Henley Regatta is a fun social event, if you’re ever in London in June it’s a must do event. I love this show. Just the right amount of drama and beautiful scenery, the U.K. Is my favorite place in the world! Adela does have a reputation as a party girl gone good, my heart hurts for her and it’s nice to see some genuine friendships and real emotions. Thanks for the recap!
Henleys falls around my birthday, so every time I’ve been, I cannot remember getting back into the city. We can’t be the only drunken reprobates…
I’m so sick of Julie. She’s making me like Caroline Stanbury again.
Great recap! I love this show and wish it had as many episodes and Atlanta or OC Housewives (2 shows I stopped watching 4-5 seasons ago) because these ladies deliver the fabulous fun. I would love to visit London and attend the Royal Regatta, it looks like fun. I appreciate how these ladies never allow petty drama to completely overshadow the fun. Speaking of drama, I am done with Julie! As more of her rotten character shines through I’m thinking there was much more to her falling out with Annabelle last season than what we were shown on this show. Julie’s hatred of Caroline S is ridiculous at this point especially after Caroline S has calmed down. Last week Julie seemed upset that Caroline S apologized to Marissa and Matt and is working things out with Sophie.
Caroline F is the gift that keeps on giving. I love her kooky antics and how she floats on her own planet and does not allow herself to be pulled into the crap. She and Caroline S seem to be the only 2 that can handle Juliet.
This is kind of off topic but I wonder if we’ve seen all we’re going to see of Liz Hurley’s ex-husband’s fiance’ ( aka Caroline F’s friend Kim)
I totally agree with you LaNY! You’d really like the RHO Melbourne too! That’s another show that is like this one – ala Lifestyles of the Rich and Famous with personality conflicts.
I love the RHO Melbourne!
I do enjoy Ladies of London – fashion, and trips are just lovely. It was nice seeing a flashback of Annabelle.
I really like Caroline F. I’m totally; on board with her meditation, breathing and crystals practices, but she lost me on the whole spirits thing.
Agree with Sophie refusing to speak about Caroline S behind her back. Julie just need find another way to work through her issues with Caroline.
I’m not a big fan of Adela, or Marissa. *shrug.*
Thank you for the recap.
Maybe it is just me, but it seems like the husband and doctor are being sort of dismissive of Marissa’s PPD. Not saying that she is to the point of psychosis, but still could probably use a little more that a pep talk by her OB at her postpartum checkup. The woman had a tough pregnancy, traumatic delivery, was then gutted like a fish to have a hysterectomy in the prime of her child bearing years and tops it off with her new little blessing having to be hospitalized. I almost forgot hubby needing to have them trot across the pond for his mother’s birthday party! I find Marissa to be annoying, but she has broken my heart over the past couple of episodes.
I actually thought Marissa’s husband & doctor were extremely compassionate about her PPD but I also assumed she got meds & counseling off camera…
I thought the same thing JrLeaguer, but then remembered that they are British and maybe that was their way of being compassionate.
Don’t know how Marissa got through this whole season with everything she had to deal with, not to mention the fact that her husband was wanting them to move halfway across the globe to start up a new life. Which they now have done.
Julie needs to SHUT UP! How many times does Sophie have to tell her she’s not interested in gossiping about Caroline S? Plus she was completely over the top at the Henley Regatta – rude and obnoxious. Marissa needs a lot more help than she received from her doctor – why wasn’t she given some kind of anti-depressant and encouraged to go to a therapist? Is that just the American way? I’ve never met anyone yet, especially with post-partum depression, who becomes better just because their ob/gyn tells them it’s normal to feel like shit. Then, on top of everything, her husband wants to uproot them from London (which Marissa clearly loves) and relocate them to her prior stomping grounds – Southern California. What’s wrong with the man – his motives must be genuinely selfish or he’d see that the last thing she needs right now is more upheaval. Last I heard, they were just there for a few months, so I hope that, if they do move permanently, it’s because she truly wants to. Juiet’s first language was Polish – that’s really interesting. Her little was girl hysterical – had her mom down to the tee. I love this show – hope it doesn’t fall apart now that Caroline S is in Dubai. Also love Caroline Fleming – she’s a breath of fresh air.
I have lots of questions.
Let’s start with who is Adela? Is she new this season? I see her as sort of a friend of…. someone. She keeps getting a bigger storyline, and I can’t quite fit her in the picture. I feel like I must have missed her introduction.
Also, why is Julie suddenly the devil? In a war between Julie and Caroline Stanbury, how did you all suddenly become on Stanbury’s side.
Also, after the full story came out about Sophie Stanbury being right down in the gutter with Brandi at the drag show, I see her in an entirely different light and don’t believe her sweet and innocent persona anymore.
I wondered the same thing. It’s okay for Sophie and Caroline S. to talk about Julie behind her back, but Sophie refuses to listen to anything Julie says about her feelings with regards to Caroline S. Caroline is an absolute bitch to most people. Suddenly, she’s entitled but no one else is?
Sophie blew her trust with Caroline S. when Caroline S. said Julie was dangerous off camera and Sophie told Julie on camera. Caroline S. is correct, Julie is a foghorn. Sophie has to tread carefully with the Stanbury’s regarding her children and alimony. Plus Caroline S. stood up to her family defending Sophie.
Ok, Caroline made a few snarky comments to Julie, which she apologized for, but Julie won’t let it go. Julie wants everyone to be envious of her, but no one is. IMO Julie is a neurotic nut who should realize Sophie and Caroline have been friends and family for years.
I was thinking the same thing until Sophie (when she was on WWHL) said that Julie was hamming it up for the cameras. Julie IS definitely annoying this season!
But yeah, it’s time for Julie to practice her meditation and give the whole Caroline S issue a permanent rest.
I do think though, that Caroline S has everyone afraid of her – ridiculously so , and that she behaves like a spoiled snob! Juliet is her ludicrous, offensive minion, and the rest of the group avoid dealing with her.
Caroline has some real issues- one of them being her sense of entitlement and superiority that put her in a league above all others. I was delighted to see her off her high horse a bit this week, at the episode’s end, and hope that might continue.
I agree with TT on so many points- whoever Adela is, she has generally been a voice of reason and wisdom- til this week.
And I was thinking Sophie a lovely British lady who was handling most of her challenges as best she can til she linked up with Brandi and behaved like a drunken ass, as her new buddy did. Yelling so loudly as to enrage the audience and have them invite you to leave does not even seem like the Sophie I have respected and thought so beautiful- so it remains to be seen what is going on here. If she is just discovering lowlifes like Brandi for the first time and thinks that is what Americans are about, I’m embarrassed, but she will learn better. .
She said Brandi was her new friend, but she also said she had a terrific time- so let’s see where this goes. It is interesting to me- Brandi has a boyfriend, why the need to continue to act like trash, unless it isn’t as sold as it seems?
I can see Julie is overwhelmed with her new role, that her husband is leaving her to sink or swim with the shop, and that she is trying very hard, to be an American heiress in Aristocratic Britain, so I hope it works for her. Caroline S has been crummy to her, and she clearly works hard, but I hope she focuses on her daughter while still at home, and forgets worrying about her status and her friend’s rules, before the daughter is gone. She needs to settle into her role, and I Hope that leads to her forgetting about Caroline S’s. nonsense.
I am hoping that the reason why Caroline S despised boarding school so much is that some of her classmates took her down for her piss poor attitude. Having attended those schools myself, her entitlement would not have been appreciated but the snobbery is commonplace. Julie has it rough as she probably gets the vibe of not being good enough in the Mapperton social circle. However, her trying so hard is annoying and she is cloying. Cannot stand Juliet. What a toadying twat she is. Marissa, meh. I like Sophie. She, too, has to balance the tightrope in order not to alienate her former in-laws. Caroline F. is my favorite. We both are sticklers for good manners without sticks up our azzes. She is both strong and vulnerable. Gorgeous with a great sense of style. She has a genuine warmth that is very appealing.
If that one incident “blew their trust”, then they did not have much trust to begin with. Sophie did not run to Julie and say “guess what” blah, blah, blah…she was trying to talk to her about Caroline’s view of Julie and ultimately see if they could med fences. The problem is, one never knows how people are going to receive things and it backfired, but she did apologize multiple times. Since then she has put in an effort to med fences.
I’m sorry but Caroline S did far more than make “a few snarky comments” to Julie. Her behavior when she went out to Mapperton was quite despicable. The intentional lateness, the constant bitching, the judgmental comments. Had anyone shown up at my place 31/2 hours late for dinner, with no phone call, I mean 10:30 p.m.? and then she marches in with her I dare you to say anything attitude. I would not have waited.
Julie managed to keep her emotions in check, I was happy for her.
As far as not letting things go, Caroline S is just as guilty, the entire time they were in Scotland Caroline S was comparing her superior hostess skills, how her weekend was more fun, etc. I think there is plenty of bad behavior to go around!!
Adela is a years long friend of Caroline Stanbury. I assumed I was going to hate her but she started off by telling a story (with accompanying photos) about how bad Caroline’s fashion sense was & that she learned by stealing her friends’ looks (a la Leann Rimes). Then she told everyone at dinner to go easy on Caroline because she must have been exhausted from being driven around & having her makeup done. Hysterical! Some folks don’t like Adela because she immediately turned on her friend & took sides with the anti-Caroline Stanbury faction (i.e.: Julie). I think she must have had a lot of built up anger & the show just gave her the vehicle to slap back (but I’m clearly not a fan of La Stanbury).
I guess Adela & Sophie turning on Caroline Stanbury plus Julie’s over-the-top, messy vendetta against her has turned the tide a bit. While I hear what they’re saying (Julie in particular is handling her war poorly) I still can’t switch sides. Caroline Stanbury is an awful person (but that also makes her a great reality TV star).
hahahaha I loved that comment Adela made at the Mapperton dinner about Caroline being exhausted from being driven around and having her makeup done.
Adela seems to have a really good heart and a very quick and sharp wit too! I just hate it that she’s getting hit over the head with regard to a horrible emotional state she was in. And then Caroline S going for Adela’s blood next week. I swear, Caroline is like a piranha!
I wish all of the housewives shows were like this show ! Andy take heed!
Sounds more Thaming of the Shrew than a Mid Summer’s Night Dream. Priggish is the mother tongue of Brit’s behaving badly. American humor.
UGH. I cannot stand Juliet.
For some weird reason, Juliet and Caroline Fleming tossing holy water at that hapless man in the boat cracked me the fuck up.
Caroline’s mum is lovely. Sophie’s is, too, but seems much more approachable and warm.
Thanks for the recap, Lady. Love this show. ❤
I love this show, except that I spend most of it figuring out how I can move back to the U.K.! I think American viewers are confused by the scenes with Marissa and her doctor because they’re assuming childbirth is handled the same there, but it isn’t. Most moms never even see a doctor while pregnant in England, it’s just not as big a deal (you see midwives instead who are really OBs without the dr degree). Never mind taking home your hours old baby in the middle of the night! PDD however is treated much more seriously there, so I think we just didn’t see as much of what really went on there.
Ugh I meant PPD ?
Love both Caroline S and Caroline F but see Julie as a bit needy and the epitome of drama queen. Marissa is a definite PPD candidate plus she has also been thrown into early menopause with the hysterectomy.
Did you see the vertical scar from her procedure? Is this something that Nrit docs do as most American docs opt for a bikini line horizontal cut. I know the vertical cuts less muscles but it does tend to pull with weight loss or gain and is not great for a later tummy tuck (seen too many episodes of Botched).
I mean Brit docs!
I thought I said earlier, but somehow don’t see- I just LOVE this show. I love every single scene of the UK , the modern women living in this world of heritage, TODAY – with respect for the history but being themselves. The women don’t take any of the issues between themselves as seriously, with few exceptions- and keep perspective enough to bring joy their friends and their environment.
Most of the disagreements are dealt with, without bloodshed , and they are generally open and balanced. Then come Caroline S and Juliet, who deserve each other, but even they are occasionaly more generous and kind than might be expected.
Bravo, please make this full-time and many more episodes. . The opening moments of the show, and the ads for it, have been bright and smart; keep them coming- as they are like the show, and its women. !!Love it!
The very last shot of Marissa, (after seeing her Doc), was of her going into a Pharmacy. I took this to mean she was getting a prescription filled.
This is my favorite Housewives show! God, I love the locale and lifestyle, and the ladies amuse, irritate but don’t completely turn me off like the other Bravo shows. Caroline Fleming is the eternal flower child, but with tons of money, gorgeous looks and a talent for cooking. She was my favorite until this episode. Now it’s Juliet’s daughter! She cracked me up and out-charmed all of the other women — loved her mimicry and that English accent!