The countdown is on for Francesca Packer-Barham's wedding to Robert Bates, which is set to take place tomorrow at the private Packer estate in the Upper Hunter Valley.
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Francesca Packers Wedding Plans Amid Controversial Romance
The countdown is on for Francesca Packer-Barham's wedding to Robert Bates, which is set to take place tomorrow at the private Packer estate in the Upper Hunter ...
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With Packer-Barham's colourful dating history and Bates' chequered past in business, one well-placed insider joked to the Daily Mail this week that the pair are made for each other.
'Their lives are both pretty dramatic, so they're probably the perfect match,' they said.
But not everyone in the gossipy eastern suburbs set is so blasé.
It's not exactly a secret that eyebrows have been raised over the pairing of Bates - whose buzzy wellness start-ups went kaput after briefly propelling him onto the rich list - with the heiress to a vast family fortune.
But despite the chatter about their imminent union, Packer-Barham, 31, appeared to be over the moon in the Daily Mail's exclusive photos of her luxury shopping trip with 46-year-old Bates on Sunday.
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The countdown is on for Francesca Packer-Barham's wedding to Robert Bates, which is set to take place tomorrow at the private Packer estate in the Upper Hunter Valley
With Packer-Barham's colourful dating history and Bates' chequered past in business, one well-placed insider joked to the Daily Mail this week that the pair are made for each other
'Their lives are both pretty dramatic, so they're probably the perfect match,' an insider said
The couple, joined by Packer-Barham's close friend Liz, were seen visiting the Chanel boutique in Bondi, while Bates dutifully carried armfuls of designer shopping bags.
Packer-Barham opted for a black bodysuit and a light-wash denim jacket by Amiri.
She accessorised with Christian Louboutin suede cowboy boots, which retail at $3,565, and a pair of oversized sunglasses.
The socialite finished her look with a Christian Dior tweed handbag worth up to $5,500.
However, the most eye-catching part of her appearance on Sunday's shopping trip was the massive diamond engagement ring sparkling on her finger.
The rock looked strikingly similar to the 17.34-carat diamond ring Packer-Barham reportedly purchased for $575,000 at auction house Leonard Joel in 2020.
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It's an interesting detail considering that Bates made headlines in 2023 when he attempted to buy his girlfriend a diamond ring from controversial figure Mark Judge.
Judge, the sort of man often described as a 'colourful identity', is a former Sydney bikie associate - and is counted among Packer-Barham's circle of friends.
Despite the chatter about their union, Packer-Barham appeared to be over the moon as she stepped out with Bates and a friend (left) at a Chanel boutique in Bondi on Sunday
The billionaire heiress was all smiles as she caught up with her close friend, Liz, while Bates dutifully carried the Chanel shopping bags
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Packer-Barham opted for a black bodysuit and a light-wash denim jacket by Amiri
She accessorised with Christian Louboutin suede cowboy boots, which retail at $3,565, and a pair of oversized sunglasses
The socialite finished her look with a Christian Dior tweed handbag worth up to $5,500
Previous reports indicated that Packer-Barham had some esoteric touches planned for her big day, which is supposedly timed to coincide with the full moon in Spain.
However, it later emerged that the couple would be tying the knot closer to home.
Among the invited guests are Packer-Barham's mother Gretel, grandmother Ros, and close friends Ian Stewart, Joshua Penn and Benjamin Palmer.
Kerry Packer's granddaughter has been dating Bates since 2022.
While the notoriously private couple are yet to publicly confirm an engagement, Packer-Barham strongly hinted at it when she appeared to create an Instagram account dedicated to a forthcoming marriage.
She was previously following a page titled 'Francesca & Robert', complete with a ring emoji - but that account now appears to have been deleted.
'We can't wait to celebrate with you!' the bio said before it was wiped.
Their stop at the boutique has sparked rumours Packer-Barham may be a 'Chanel bride' when she walks down the aisle in July
On Sunday's shopping trip, Packer was seen sporting a massive diamond engagement ring
Bates was seen carrying his wife-to-be's Chanel shopping bags as she chatted with a friend
Packer-Barham could be seen laughing with her friend, believed to be a woman named Liz
But while some may have private concerns about the engagement given Bates' history of corporate controversy, one family friend is giving the couple the benefit of the doubt.
'Francesca is really kind and giving and I know that if she's engaged to this man, then she sees the good in him,' a well-placed source previously told the Mail.
'I wish her all the happiness. She's a very smart, intelligent woman. I think that if she's made that decision, she deserves love and everyone should let her get on with it.
'At the end of the day, whose right is it to comment on who she chooses to spend the rest of her life with?
'Just because she's a billionaire doesn't mean she owes anyone anything. She deserves happiness just like the rest of us.'
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