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The Daily Dish Southern Charm

Patricia Altschul & Michael Kelcourse Just Reunited for the First Time in Years (PIC)

The Southern Charm matriarch reunited with her beloved former butler, and the photo is too sweet for words. 

By Jenny Berg

Michael Kelcourse, AKA "Michael the Butler," isn't just the man behind Patricia Altschul's perfect gin martini. Michael is one of Patricia's most beloved confidantes, and he worked with the Southern Charm matriarch and her family for more than 18 years. After suffering a spinal cord stroke in 2021, Michael had to part ways with Patricia professionally, and he moved to Florida to work on his rehabilitation.

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However, Michael and Patricia are in touch often via Zoom, where they share laughs and martiini lessons. And recently, they had the chance to meet up in person after several years. Keep scrolling to see what happened when the two friends sat down for a meal together, and just try to keep from smiling wide (and craving a martini.)

Patricia Alstchul and Michael "the Butler" Kelcourse meet up in Florida

In a December 14 Instagram post, Patricia shared a photo of her and Michael, reunited at last in Sarasota. Patricia was sipping a jewel-hued martini in the photo, wearing a fabulous feathered look. Michael looked pretty fabulous himself, with a huge smile that radiated joy. 

Patricia was no less thrilled with the opportunity to reunite. In the caption, she wrote: "First there was Covid.. then my back fracture so this is the first I’ve ever been able to spend time with Michael." In the comments, Michael wrote: "Mrs. A visiting was the greatest gift I ever got." 

The Southern Charm cast shares an update on Michael the Butler at BravoCon 2023

Austen Kroll also commented on the December 14 post. "Love this," the Southern Charm cast member wrote. "Got an incredible message from [Michael], last week. Told me, amongst other things, that I had greatness ahead, and that he loved that I called him ‘snarky’ at [BravoCon 2023.]"

Indeed, at the Las Vegas event, Michael was a fond topic of conversation during a November 5 panel discussion called "It's All About to Go South." When moderator Anthony Allen Ramos asked for an update on the beloved butler, Patricia said:

"Well, unfortunately, his condition is such that it will never change. It is static. He has a spinal stroke, which is very rare, I think less than one percent of all strokes are that. He is with his family in Sarasota, Florida, and he has to have nursing care. So he's in a facility. But he has learned how to drive manually. And so he gets out and about, we talk all the time, he watches all the shows. He is still as snarky and fun, and has a great attitude."  

When asked what kind of "snarky" things Michael has said, Patricia demurred. "I don't know," she said. "He might get mad at me if I say all the snarky things that he has said." 

A split of Patricia Altschul and Michael Kelcourse.
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