Prince William’s Pal Dies After 100-Foot Fall from Rooftop

A tragedy has rocked both royal and reality TV circles after socialite and former Big Brother contestant Ben Duncan — once part of Prince William and Kate Middleton’s St Andrews crowd — fell to his death from the rooftop of one of London’s most glamorous hotels.

The 45-year-old media personality, known for his charm, wit, and high-society connections, plunged around 100 feet from the rooftop bar of the £1,000-a-night Trafalgar St. James Hotel late Thursday night. Police were called just after 11 p.m. to reports of “a man on the roof,” but despite frantic efforts from emergency responders, Duncan was pronounced dead at the scene.

Authorities have ruled the death “unexpected but non-suspicious.”

Ben Duncan wasn’t just another Big Brother alum. He was part of an elite social circle that once included Prince William and Kate Middleton back when the royal couple’s romance first bloomed at St Andrews. Duncan later became a familiar face on British television, appearing on Come Dine With Me, Celebrity Coach Trip, and Ladette to Lady, earning a reputation as the quintessential “posh boy” of reality TV.

Friends and fans have flooded social media with tributes. Broadcaster Mike Hollingsworth wrote on Facebook, “My dear, dear friend Benjamin (Ben) Duncan has left us. He lived life as Peter Pan — the boy who never grew up. The world is a poorer place for his passing.”

Another longtime friend said, “Ben was always the life and soul of the party. He loved politics and music, but in recent years had become more reclusive. It’s devastating that he’s gone so soon.”

Ben once recalled witnessing one of the most legendary royal meet-cute moments — the night Kate Middleton turned heads in a sheer black dress at a St Andrews charity fashion show. “She brushed by William on the way to the catwalk, and things were never the same again,” he told reporters back in 2010. “The whole history of the monarchy had been altered.”

The Trafalgar St James Hotel — with sweeping views of Nelson’s Column and Trafalgar Square — is a favorite among influencers and celebrities. It reopened in 2017 with a glittering party attended by Laura Whitmore, Nick Grimshaw, and Millie Mackintosh.

London Ambulance officials confirmed they were called at 10:59 p.m., sending multiple response teams and a trauma unit, but Duncan could not be saved. His body was later found near Spring Gardens, just steps from Trafalgar Square.

While Ben was known for his posh accent and playful personality on Big Brother, those who knew him best say his warmth and humor made him unforgettable. “He had this infectious laugh,” one friend remembered. “No matter where he went, people just gravitated to him.”

He is survived by countless friends across Britain’s media and political worlds — and remembered by royal watchers as part of a pivotal moment in William and Kate’s story.