Not many people can say they’ve lived both as a glamour model and a baroness, but Loretta Basey – now Lady Rothschild – embraces every part of her remarkable story.
Almost a decade after marrying into one of the world’s most elite banking dynasties, she’s proving she’s not just a pretty face or a socialite wife – she’s also a proud author ready to take on the literary world.
Embracing Her Glamour Model Roots with Pride
At 34, Loretta isn’t trying to rewrite her past. In fact, she’s quite proud of it.
In a rare chat with The Telegraph, she opened up about her early modelling days, saying:
“I’m so proud to have been a Page 3 girl and I will always celebrate that achievement.”
Before she was known as Lady Rothschild, she was Elle Basey to The Sun’s readers – a popular Page 3 girl with striking features and endless confidence.
Loretta’s not shying away from that time.
Instead, she’s owning it and calling it one of her earliest “achievements.”
A New Chapter: Debut Novel on the Way
These days, instead of gracing magazine covers, Loretta is focused on the pages of her debut novel, Finding Grace – a romance thriller that’s already creating a buzz ahead of its release next week.
For her, this new venture is just another extension of the drive she’s always had:
“I’ve worked really hard to do what I have – whether it’s Page 3 or my book.
I just want to carry on achieving things.”
A Photographer Who Always Saw Her Potential
Alison Webster, The Sun’s official Page 3 photographer, remembers Loretta well – back when she modelled under “Elle Basey.”
According to Alison, Loretta was more than just a beauty with stunning blue eyes and long chestnut hair – she had ambition, determination, and brains to match:
“She was a very strong character, sure of herself, and always in control… We’d sit with a glass of wine and she’d tell me she wanted to make something more of herself. And I always felt that she would.”
At 5’8″, she was considered a bit short for traditional catwalk modelling, so she stuck to glamour and hair campaigns.
Still, it was clear she was destined for more.
The Steve Coogan Chapter: An Unexpected Romance
One of the more surprising turns in Loretta’s life came in 2011, when she met actor and comedian Steve Coogan.
Their meeting was far from conventional – Coogan, in character as Alan Partridge, was guest-editing an issue of Loaded magazine, which led to a cheeky photoshoot where he was pictured cupping Loretta’s breasts.
What started as a shoot turned into a real relationship.
Loretta moved in with Coogan in Lewes, East Sussex, and they spent nearly four years together.
Though their relationship eventually ended, Loretta’s memories of the actor remain warm.
According to a friend, she was genuinely in love during their time together.
A Turning Point in Career and Life
Coogan’s influence reportedly played a role in Loretta stepping away from her Page 3 modelling.
Photographer Alison Webster noted that he wasn’t keen on her continuing with glamour work and gently steered her in a new direction.
That marked the end of her modelling career, during which she appeared over 20 times in The Sun.
Enter Nat Rothschild: Love, Legacy, and Luxury
But it was Nat Rothschild – billionaire, aristocrat, and heir to a storied banking empire – who would become Loretta’s lifelong partner.
The couple married in 2016 in a lavish ceremony in Klosters, a chic Swiss ski resort.
When Nat’s father, Jacob Rothschild, passed away in early 2024, he inherited the title of the 5th Baron Rothschild.
Today, the couple enjoys an opulent lifestyle split between London, Los Angeles, Wiltshire, Klosters, and their luxurious superyacht. Their net worth? Estimated at a staggering £40 billion.
Still Ambitious, Still Achieving
Even with all the trappings of wealth and high society, Loretta hasn’t lost her drive.
Whether she’s reflecting on her past with pride or charting new paths as a novelist, one thing’s clear – she’s doing life her way.
Lady Rothschild may have started her journey in front of the camera, but she’s proving just as captivating with a pen in her hand.
And as she steps into the world of publishing, it’s clear this next chapter could be her most exciting yet.