Who is Roger Jenkins? 'RHOBH' star Diana Jenkins became one of UK's richest women after divorcing banker
One of the things that makes 'Real Housewives of Beverly Hills' a very riveting reality show is the lavish and over-the-top lifestyles that the show's cast members lead. From chartering private jets on a whim to being decked up in designer outfits, the Beverly Hills housewives surely know how to live the good life! So, when the Bravo show announced that a new housewife - Diana Jenkins - would be joining the cast, it immediately piqued fans' interest.
A cursory glance at Diana's social media pages reveals that this blonde beauty is no different from her fellow housewives when it comes to enjoying the finer things in life. As the self-described "villain" of the 'RHOBH' franchise, Diana grabbed all of our attention, making us dig a little deeper into figuring out who exactly she is. Her Bravo bio reveals that unlike most of her co-stars, she wasn't born with a silver spoon. As a Bosnian refugee, Diana saw her fair share of hardships and struggles before becoming the world-renowned philanthropist and socialite that she is today. This brings us to the question of where exactly is she getting her money from? Well, as it turns out Diana's marriage to British banker Roger Jenkins and their subsequent divorce can be attributed to the 'RHOBH' star's glamorous life and impressive net worth! If you're curious to know more about Roger and the divorce, then keep reading.
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Who is Roger Jenkins?
Once named the highest-paid banker in England, Roger Jenkins was born in England in 1955. He attended the Jenkins Edinburg Academy and graduated from Heriot-Watt University with a degree in Economics. His brother David Jenkins, a British athlete, was jailed for smuggling $54 million worth of steroids across the Mexican border. After graduating, he briefly worked at BP before joining Barclays as a graduate trainee. Over the years, Roger continued to rise the ranks and he set up a group advising companies on tax and regulatory management.
Roger was married to his fellow banker Catherine McDowell, and share a daughter. Following his divorce, he met a Bosnia refugee named Sanela Dijana Ćatić (now Diana Jenkins). In an interview with DailyMail, Diana joked about their meeting saying, "It was perhaps more instant attraction for him than me. He’s a very, very nice man. What people don’t understand, I think, is that Roger really was, you could say, nobody when we met. He was not this very wealthy man. He was my first friend in England really."
The couple got married in 1999 and welcomes two children. Roger has been very vocal in crediting Diana for his success. He once said, "She’s my consigliere and counselor. And she knows a lot of people." Indeed, her socializing skills came to his rescue when she helped him connect with the Qatar royal family and secured a hefty investment from the royals which reportedly saved the Barclays Bank during its economic crisis.
The 'happiest divorce ever'
Roger and Diana separated in 2009, but they didn't make the news of their separation public until much later. Diana moved to America after her separation, while Roger continued to stay in London. The couple never specified the reason behind their divorce except for citing that it came to a "natural end". The couple had a pretty amicable split, which saw Roger giving half of his wealth to Diana as part of their divorce settlement. Roger is reported to have paid $150 million to Diana as part of their divorce settlement. which immediately earned her a spot amongst the 500 wealthiest persons in the UK. "'Will she take half my money? Of course,’ Jenkins said at the time. ‘Without her, I would not have anything like the success I’ve had. I love Diana and have such admiration for her as a mother, businesswoman, and someone who was brilliant as a wife. We have moved on and are supremely happy with the arrangements we have in our lives. Diana will always be a very happy part of my life,’" DailyMail reported their split as the "happiest divorce ever".
What is Roger Jenkins' net worth?
In 2009, Roger left Barclays and started his own advisory firm called Elkstone Capital in 2010. In 2011, he became a member of the Management Committee and Investment Committee of the Brazilian bank BTG Pactual. Roger's net worth has been estimated to be $80 million by Celebrity Net Worth. In 2018, Roger announced his engagement to Brazilian model and actress Larissa Andrade, who is 29 years younger than him. The couple tied the knot in Brazil. They reportedly divorced in December 2021. Before settling down with Larissa, Roger was linked to supermodel Elle Macpherson.
'Real Housewives of Beverly Hills' Season 12 airs every Wednesday at 8/7c on Bravo.
