Benté Hogh - 2007 Additions
2007 Overview
2007 was a year of intense relationship strain between Benté Hogh and David Irving, marked by housing instability, health issues, financial pressures, and ongoing conflicts over living arrangements and
Jessica Irving's care.
Living Situation
- Primary Address: Flat 15, 50 Sloane Street, London SW1X 9SN
- Phone: +44 (020) 7235 5811 (fixed line) and mobile 07932 245 249
- Living with: Jessica Irving (DI's youngest daughter)
- Financial arrangement: DI pays for the flat but constantly struggles with costs
Major Relationship Conflicts in 2007
Housing and Living Arrangements
Throughout 2007, Benté and DI engaged in ongoing conflict about where and how to live together:
DI's perspective (2007-09-01):
"she has done nothing whatever to look for a new home for us"
Resistance to Windsor move:
From Windsor house context: Jessica indicates "she and Mummy will not be living in the Windsor house," forcing DI to choose between proximity to Jessica and his housing needs.
Health Issues as Relationship Complicator
Benté's health problems significantly affected their relationship throughout 2007:
- Regular illnesses including "bad colds" affecting her mood
- Described health issues that DI sometimes questions the genuineness of
- Physical changes noted by DI ("left breast has an odd fold in it")
- Periodic inability to meet or participate in activities due to health
Financial Conflicts
Credit card management:
By end of 2007, DI imposed limits: "Your credit card limit is now £200 per month" (2007-11-23), though he notes this was roughly what she was using anyway and kept the actual limit at £1,000 for emergencies.
School fees pressure:
Jessica's school fees of £3,900 nearly equaled a £4,100 legacy DI received, creating constant financial pressure on the relationship.
Key Relationship Incidents
Hotel Booking Failures (2007-05-23)
DI was furious when Benté booked him into an unsuitable hotel in London:
"I am furious at Benté for not having at least come round to check it out. I limp up and down the whole street, and then hail a cab and we drive around and I settle for three days in the Sidney Hotel... The place reeked of Indian curry... No table, I could not see a shower..."
Communication Patterns
"No-show tactics" (2007-05-25):
"I am displeased with Bente again this evening because of her no-show tactics. Impossible to tell how genuine her illness is today."
Erratic availability:
Pattern of arranging meetings then canceling due to illness or other issues, creating frustration for DI.
Professional Interference
Police visit incident (2006 context affecting 2007):
Benté's involvement in calling police during a previous domestic incident continues to affect their relationship dynamic throughout 2007.
Positive Moments
Despite ongoing conflicts, some positive interactions occurred:
Pleasant tea meetings (2007-05-27):
"5 to 6:30 pm a very pleasant tea with Benté at The Cadogan. She was looking good, complimentary, and in good humour, and the conversation ranged far and wide."
Curiosity about Réka Antal (2007-05-27):
Benté showed interest in and asked questions about DI's relationship with Réka, indicating emotional investment in his life.
Role as Jessica's Primary Guardian
Benté's most significant role in 2007 was as
Jessica Irving's primary caregiver:
- Managing Jessica's daily school routine
- Arranging weekend visits with DI
- Handling Jessica's medical and educational needs
- Serving as intermediary for father-daughter communication
Health and Appearance
Physical observations from DI:
- Breast changes noted (possible surgical results)
- Weight fluctuations and appearance changes
- Regular illness affecting mood and availability
- Use of "Macintosh voice" when upset (shared reference with Jessica)
Communication and Technology
- Responsive to text messages and phone calls
- Uses mobile phone for family coordination
- Sometimes overwhelmed by contact from journalists (Poland trip incident)
- Manages household communications and scheduling
End-of-Year Status
By December 2007, the relationship had deteriorated significantly:
DI's assessment (2007-11-23):
"Benté is destroying my family."
Living arrangement rejection:
Benté's refusal to move to Windsor with DI represented a significant relationship crisis, effectively forcing him to choose between his housing needs and proximity to Jessica.
Cross-References
Notable Quotes
On relationship deterioration (2007-11-23):
"Benté is destroying my family."
On housing search failures (2007-09-01):
"she has done nothing whatever to look for a new home for us"
On pleasant moments (2007-05-27):
"She was looking good, complimentary, and in good humour, and the conversation ranged far and wide."
On hotel booking incident (2007-05-23):
"I am furious at Benté for not having at least come round to check it out"
On communication patterns (2007-05-25):
"Impossible to tell how genuine her illness is today."
Notes
2007 represents a critical deterioration in the David Irving-Benté Hogh relationship, with housing instability, financial pressure, and health issues creating increasingly insurmountable challenges. Benté's primary role as Jessica's guardian made separation particularly complex, forcing difficult choices about family proximity versus practical living arrangements. The year ended with fundamental questions about whether the relationship could continue in any sustainable form.