{"id":204530,"date":"2025-11-11T13:35:52","date_gmt":"2025-11-11T13:35:52","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/entertainment.runfyers.com\/index.php\/2025\/11\/11\/patricia-altschul-wanted-to-honor-late-butler-michael-in-new-book-excl\/"},"modified":"2025-11-11T13:35:52","modified_gmt":"2025-11-11T13:35:52","slug":"patricia-altschul-wanted-to-honor-late-butler-michael-in-new-book-excl","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/entertainment.runfyers.com\/index.php\/2025\/11\/11\/patricia-altschul-wanted-to-honor-late-butler-michael-in-new-book-excl\/","title":{"rendered":"Patricia Altschul Wanted to Honor Late Butler Michael in New Book (Excl)"},"content":{"rendered":"


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It was a no-brainer for Patricia Altschul<\/strong><\/a> to spend a good portion of her new memoir honoring her late butler, Michael Kelcourse<\/strong><\/a>.<\/p>\n

\u201cHe was a family member,\u201d Altschul, 84, exclusively told Us Weekly<\/em> while promoting her memoir, Eat, Drink, and Remarry: Memories from a Lifetime of Art, Class, and Southern Charm<\/em><\/a>, released on Tuesday, November 11.<\/p>\n

\u201cHe was the consummate professional, but we also felt like he was a member of our family,\u201d she continued. \u201cHe lived here and was with us practically every day. Even on his days off, a lot of times, he wouldn\u2019t want to go any place or do anything but come over and make dinner or play with the dogs.\u201d<\/p>\n

Altschul announced Kelcourse\u2019s death in October 2024<\/a> with an emotional Instagram post. Kelcourse\u2019s death came years after he suffered a rare acute spinal stroke in February 2021.<\/p>\n

\u201cHe deserved to be memorialized, and I wanted to do that,\u201d she told Us<\/em>. \u201cHe was with me [for] 18 years. 18 years is a long time.\u201d<\/p>\n

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\n Related: <\/span>\u2018Southern Charm\u2018 Stars Who Left the Series: Where Are They Now?<\/span><\/a>
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\n\t\t\tCameran Eubanks and Thomas Ravenel are among the Southern Charm stars who have stepped away from the Bravo hit over the years. Eubanks was part of the original cast of Southern Charm, which premiered in 2014. After six seasons, she shocked fans in May 2020 when she announced her departure. That same month, Eubanks shut [\u2026]\t\t<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

Altschul recalled hiring Kelcourse in 2004, after the death of his former boss, who she described as \u201can ancient dowager who maintained an enormous estate\u201d in New York.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe met, and I liked everything about him,\u201d she wrote, revealing that Kelcourse was her companion when she was looking at new properties, including Altschul\u2019s iconic Charleston mansion. When Southern Charm<\/em><\/a> premiered in 2014, Kelcourse became a breakout star.<\/p>\n

\u201cMichael became the resident expert on cocktails and everything domestic, and so many fans wrote to him for his housekeeping advice that we had to incorporate an \u2018Ask Michael\u2019 button on my website,\u201d Altschul recalled.<\/p>\n

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She also made it clear that they never had a romantic relationship.<\/p>\n

\u201cI have trouble writing the words. Did I ever have a romantic relationship with Michael? No \u2026 God, no,\u201d Altschul shared. \u201cThe relationship between an employer and a butler is completely professional and built on trust and mutual respect. Period. Please don\u2019t ask again.\u201d<\/p>\n

All joking aside, Altschul got real when she recalled the morning that Kelcourse had his stroke in her book.<\/p>\n

\u201cAs he fell to the floor, he pulled the phone down with him and managed to press the \u2018All page\u2019 button. \u2018Call an ambulance,\u2019 he said into the speaker. \u2018I\u2019m having a stroke,\u2019\u201d she wrote. \u201cI was asleep upstairs but woke up when I heard his panicked voice and immediately dialed 911.\u201d<\/p>\n

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\n Related: <\/span>\u2018Southern Charm\u2019 Season 11 Everything to Know: Trailer, Premiere Date<\/span><\/a>
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\n\t\t\tAfter more than a decade, Southern Charm is still showing off Charleston\u2019s charm, beauty and of course, drama, and season 11 will be no different. Bravo announced in May that the reality show was renewed for season 11 \u2014 and filming had already begun. Shooting wrapped mid-summer, according to social media posts from the cast. [\u2026]\t\t<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

Altschul\u2019s son, Whitney Sudler-Smith<\/strong>, \u201craced\u201d to Kelcourse\u2019s room and \u201cput a pillow under his head\u201d until the ambulance arrived. The spinal cord stroke left him paralyzed.<\/p>\n

\u201cThe news of his condition \u2014 and the terrible uncertainty of his future \u2014 was devastating,\u201d she wrote.<\/p>\n

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