GARNER THOMSON

The ARGUS Foreign Service (April 1994)

LONDON – Two journalist lovers knew they had a scoop when the Duke and Duchess of York sat down to have dinner at the next table. But tabloid demands being what they are, both knew the story was worthless without a photograph. Nic North sprinted to the home of his girlfriends mother to borrow a camera.

Tracey Kandohla stayed at the restaurant. A breathless Nic returned with the camera and snapped a picture. The Yorks were annoyed, but, in spite of arguing with the couple, failed to get them to surrender the film.

It was only when they had left the restaurant that Nic and Tracey hit a snag. They worked for rival newspapers – Nic for the Daily Mirror, Tracey for The Sun – and they knew that neither paper would be interested if the photograph wasnt an exclusive.

Nic insisted it was his picture – he had fetched the camera and grabbed the shot. Tracey pointed out that it was her mothers camera and film. But Nic raced off and got the film to the Daily Mirror, leaving a fuming Tracey behind. The Sun launched a late-night court bid to get a share of the scoop, but falled.

Now – matched by the news that the Yorks have no plans to resume their marriage – comes the report that Nic and Traceys relationship is, as a friend put it, divided.