Australian billionaire Robert Whyte celebrated his 80th birthday on Friday following news of his reported engagement to fashion marketer Alessandra Eddy.
The businessman, who is the country’s 141st richest man, enjoyed lunch at the Royal Prince Edward Yacht Club in Sydney with his billionaire friends.
‘Hungry’ Jack Cowin, Airlie Funds Management co-founder John Sevior, and Aussie Home Loans founder John Symond attended the lunch, The Daily Telegraph reported.
They were also joined by former NRMA director Nick Whitlam, publican John Ryan, and Roxy Jacenko’s husband Oliver Curtis.
Other guests included Gerry Harvey, Neville Crichton and eastern suburbs property agent Bill Malouf.
Australian billionaire Robert Whyte has celebrated his 80th birthday on Friday following news of his reported engagement to fashion marketer Alessandra Eddy
The celebration comes after it was revealed the reported engagement of Whyte to his much younger girlfriend has ruffled feathers among family members.
He proposed to fashion marketer Alessandra, 38, days before they attended the annual Gold Dinner, the most exclusive charity gala in Australia, reported The Sunday Telegraph.
However, sources close to the businessman have since told Daily Mail Australia that while the couple are head over heels in love, he has not proposed to her.
‘Robert has a history of giving significant rings to women,’ dished one source.
The businessman, who is the country’s 141st richest man, enjoyed lunch at Royal Prince Edward Yacht Club in Sydney with his billionaire friends
The publication claimed that their ‘news’ was a closely guarded secret by the couple, who share a 43-year age gap, during the celebrity-packed event.
Eddy, a prominent figure in Sydney’s social scene and single mother, is known for her role on the committee of the Gold Dinner.
During the soirée, she was seen mingling with high-profile guests but reportedly chose to conceal her new engagement ring.
According to the rumours, Eddy’s father has taken issue with his daughter’s betrothal to a man more than four decades her senior.
The celebration comes after it was revealed the reported engagement of Whyte to his much younger girlfriend has ruffled feathers among family members
Nicholas Eddy, a well-known Paddington lawyer, is said to be less than thrilled about his daughter’s rapid ascension into the billionaire’s life, after she apparently moved into Whyte’s sprawling $30million mansion in Darling Point.
Eddy founded Australian fashion brand Luna Atelier, which was known and loved by A-listers including Kelly Rowland, Cheyenne Tozzi and Kate Ritchie.
Father of three Whyte was a private investor and banker who built his fortune on property and equity market investments and was a close friend of the late billionaire Kerry Packer.
The 2020 AFR Rich List ranked him 141st in Australia.