Australian socialite Primrose Dunlop dies after battle with dementia

An Australian socialite who attracted worldwide headlines in 1990 after her Venice wedding to a European prince was called off at the last minute has died after a battle with dementia.

Australian heiress Primrose Dunlop has died after a battle with dementia.

Australian socialite Primrose Dunlop, the daughter of philanthropist Lady Primrose Potter AC, has died aged 70.

Dunlop, who was heiress to a massive $60 million fortune, entered full-time care with frontotemporal dementia in 2022.

She passed away on February 5 with Lady Potter saying she suffered from a heart-wrenching disease.

Dunlop, affectionately called “Pitty Pat” by friends, attracted worldwide headlines in 1990 after her Venice wedding to Qantas flight attendant Lorenzo Montesini was called off.

Montesini, who claimed to be a European prince, ran away with his best man, Robert Straub.

It turned out Montesini and Straub had been lovers in secret for two decades ever since an encounter during the Vietnam War.

Dunlop attracted worldwide headlines in 1990 after her Venice wedding to Qantas flight attendant Lorenzo Montesini was called off. Picture: Brendan Read.

Lady Potter AC, made a $1 million donation in her daughter’s name to The Florey Institute of Neuroscience and Mental Health, on Sunday.

“My daughter, Primrose, has lost her battle with frontotemporal dementia — a heart-wrenching disease,” Lady Potter said in a statement.

The family will hold a private memorial for Dunlop, raised in the exclusive Sydney suburb Bellevue Hill, this week.

Socialites Primrose Dunlop, Lillian Frank and Lady Primrose Potter at the Flemington Races in 1988.

Seven entertainment reporter Peter Ford said when Dunlop was left at the altar it was a huge global scandal.

“A four-day wedding was to be held in Venice, people flying in from all around the world. No expense was spared,” Ford said.

“And then on the night before the wedding, Prince Lorenzo ran off with the best man, leaving Primrose more or less at the altar on her own.

“It was an extraordinary story, lots of twists and turns in it.

“As it turns out, Primrose did go on to have a very happy life. She actually ended up becoming a countess.

“She has a beautiful daughter … who is living in London.

“It was one of those pop culture stories in Australia that we’d never really seen before.“

Originally published as Australian socialite Primrose Dunlop dies after battle with dementia