Patricia Altschul

Patricia Altschul
Born	Patricia Madelyn Dey 4/16/1941
Birthplace	Jacksonville, Florida, U.S.
Nationality	American
Occupation	Socialite, television personality, former art dealer
Known for	Southern Charm (Bravo), art collecting, philanthropy
Education	George Washington University
Spouse(s)	L. Hayes Smith (m. 1962; div. 1979), Edward Stitt Fleming (m. 1989; div. 1995), Arthur Altschul (m. 1996; his death 2002)
Children	1
Awards	Woman of the Year (Police Athletic League, 2012), Carolopolis Award (2013)

Patricia Altschul (née Dey; born April 16, 1941) is an American socialite, art collector, former art dealer, and television personality who gained widespread public recognition as a cast member on the Bravo reality television series Southern Charm. Born in Jacksonville, Florida, Altschul has moved through the upper echelons of New York and Charleston society over the course of more than five decades, building a reputation as a hostess, collector, and philanthropist. She is the widow of Arthur Altschul, a former Goldman Sachs partner and prominent art collector and philanthropist who died in 2002. Altschul has served as a director or trustee of several major nonprofit organizations, including the New York Historical Society and Historic Hudson Valley, the organization that stewards the Rockefeller family properties in the Hudson Valley. On Southern Charm, which premiered in 2014, Altschul became a fan favorite for her sharp wit, formal entertaining style, and her role as what Architectural Digest described as "the resident madcap grande dame" of Charleston society. In November 2025, she published a memoir titled Eat, Drink, and Remarry, in which she recounted stories from her three marriages and her life in high society.

Early Life

Patricia Madelyn Dey was born on April 16, 1941, in Jacksonville, Florida. Details about her parents and childhood in Jacksonville remain limited in publicly available records, though her later trajectory through American high society would come to define her public identity. She grew up during the era of the mid-twentieth century American South, and her formative years coincided with significant social and cultural changes in the region. Altschul would eventually leave Florida to pursue her education and career in Washington, D.C., and New York, establishing herself in social and cultural circles far from her birthplace.

Education

Altschul attended George Washington University in Washington, D.C., where she pursued her higher education. Her time at the university coincided with her early adult years in the 1960s, and it was during this period that she began to develop the social connections and cultural interests that would later define her career as an art dealer and collector.

Career

Art Dealing and Collecting

Before her rise to television fame, Altschul established herself as an art dealer, working in a field that brought her into contact with prominent collectors, gallery owners, and cultural figures in New York City. Her interest in art and decorating would remain a constant throughout her life, eventually manifesting in her well-documented homes and her collaboration with noted interior designers. Her marriage to Arthur Altschul, a Goldman Sachs partner who was himself a major art collector and philanthropist, further cemented her position in the world of fine art and cultural philanthropy. Arthur Altschul, who died in March 2002 at the age of 81, had been a senior partner at Goldman Sachs and was known for his extensive art collection and philanthropic activities.

Philanthropy and Nonprofit Work

Altschul has been involved in numerous philanthropic and nonprofit endeavors over the course of her career. She served as a director or trustee of the New York Historical Society, one of the oldest museums and research libraries in the United States. She also served with Historic Hudson Valley, the organization responsible for stewarding the Rockefeller family properties in the Hudson Valley region of New York State.

Her philanthropic work extended to organizations supporting children and community services. In 2001, Altschul was among the prominent New York socialites who attended a gala benefiting children's causes shortly after the September 11 attacks. The New York Times covered the event, describing the complex social dynamics of holding charitable events in the wake of national tragedy.

In 2012, the Police Athletic League of New York City honored Altschul with its Woman of the Year award for philanthropy, recognizing her contributions to the organization and its mission of serving young people in New York City through recreational and educational programs.

Tax records from the mid-2000s further document Altschul's involvement with nonprofit organizations during this period.

The Isaac Jenkins Mikell House

One of Altschul's most notable achievements in the realm of preservation and design has been her stewardship of the Isaac Jenkins Mikell House in Charleston, South Carolina. The historic house, which is listed on the National Register of Historic Places, became Altschul's primary residence after she relocated to Charleston. The home, a grand antebellum mansion, required extensive renovation, which Altschul undertook with the guidance of the celebrated interior designer Mario Buatta, who was known as the "Prince of Chintz" for his lavish, English country-inspired aesthetic.

The renovation and decoration of the Isaac Jenkins Mikell House was featured in Architectural Digest in October 2014, with the magazine profiling the collaboration between Altschul and Buatta. The article described the interior as a showcase of Buatta's signature style, filled with antiques, chintz fabrics, and fine art, all set within the grand proportions of the historic Charleston home. The Glam Pad, a design publication, also highlighted the collaboration between Altschul and Buatta, noting his role in creating the interiors of the home that would become familiar to millions of television viewers through Southern Charm.

In 2013, the Preservation Society of Charleston recognized Altschul's work on the house by awarding her the Carolopolis Award, given for meritorious work in the preservation and restoration of historic structures in the Charleston area. The Preservation Society detailed the significance of the restoration in its newsletter, describing the project as an example of sensitive and informed preservation work.

In 2025, Altschul discussed her historic home and hosting philosophy in an interview with Country Living, sharing details about how she maintains and uses the mansion for formal entertaining.

Southern Charm

Altschul became a cast member on Bravo's Southern Charm when the series premiered in 2014. The show, set in Charleston, South Carolina, follows a group of socialites and their personal and professional lives. Altschul appeared on the show alongside her son, Whitney Sudler-Smith, who is also one of the show's creators and executive producers. On the series, Altschul became known for her formal entertaining style, her acerbic commentary on the behavior of the younger cast members, and her relationship with her butler, Michael Kelcourse.

Architectural Digest described Altschul as "the resident madcap grande dame" of the show, and her appearances quickly made her a fan favorite. Television critic Christine Lo noted that Altschul "quickly became a fan favorite" and had "even drawn the affection of celebrities like Lady Gaga who claimed 'that looking at Patricia is like looking in a mirror.'"

The New York Post profiled Altschul and her lifestyle in 2015, offering readers a glimpse into her world in Charleston.

Altschul continued to appear on Southern Charm through subsequent seasons, remaining a central figure on the show. By Season 11, which aired in 2025, she continued to feature prominently, and her relationships with other cast members drew media attention. Bravo's website reported on her evolving friendship with cast member Madison LeCroy following the conclusion of Season 11.

In November 2025, Altschul shared an anecdote from BravoCon in which she described an incident involving fellow cast member Shep Rose and Below Deck star Captain Lee Rosbach.

Also in November 2025, Altschul was involved in a public dispute with Todd Chrisley, the star of the reality show Chrisley Knows Best, who had recently been pardoned following a federal conviction. Altschul referred to Chrisley as "irrelevant" and stated, "We just don't need any more felons in Charleston." Additionally, Summer House star Paige DeSorbo made a public dig at Altschul in a since-deleted Instagram comment, continuing a feud between the two television personalities.

Butler Michael Kelcourse

A notable element of Altschul's public image on Southern Charm was her relationship with her butler, Michael Kelcourse, who became a beloved figure among viewers of the show for his dignified demeanor and his role in managing Altschul's household. Kelcourse died in 2023 or early 2024. In December 2025, more than a year after his death, Altschul paid public tribute to Kelcourse, remembering him in a post documented by Bravo's website.

Memoir: Eat, Drink, and Remarry

In November 2025, Altschul published a memoir titled Eat, Drink, and Remarry. In the book, she recounted details of her three marriages and her experiences in high society. In an exclusive interview with People magazine, Altschul discussed the book's contents, including stories from each of her marriages. The Times of London also profiled Altschul in connection with the book's release, describing her as possessing a "sharp tongue and gilded lifestyle" and noting claims that her persona had inspired elements of the HBO series The White Lotus. The article described Altschul recounting experiences including dining with Charles and Camilla.

Personal Life

Marriages

Altschul has been married three times. Her first marriage was to L. Hayes Smith in 1962; the couple divorced in 1979. Her son, Whitney Sudler-Smith, was born in 1968 during this first marriage. Whitney Sudler-Smith later became a filmmaker and television personality, serving as creator and executive producer of Southern Charm as well as appearing as a cast member.

Her second marriage was to Edward Stitt Fleming in 1989, ending in divorce in 1995.

In 1996, she married Arthur Altschul, the prominent Goldman Sachs senior partner, art collector, and philanthropist. Arthur Altschul, who was born in 1920, had been a major figure in New York financial and cultural circles for decades. The couple were married until his death on March 18, 2002, at the age of 81. Through this marriage, Patricia Altschul became connected to one of the most prominent families in American finance and philanthropy.

Social Life

Altschul has been a fixture of New York and Charleston society for decades. She has been photographed at numerous society events, including fashion shows and galas. Getty Images archives include photographs of Altschul at events alongside prominent figures including Donald Trump and Melania Trump.

The New York Times reported on Altschul's involvement in social events on Long Island and in the New York metropolitan area. She was also covered in a 2007 profile of a soirée in the New York region.

Altschul's lifestyle and homes have been documented in numerous publications, including the New York Social Diary, which featured her residences in its coverage of prominent New York homes. New York Magazine also profiled aspects of her social world.

Residence in Charleston

After relocating to Charleston, South Carolina, Altschul purchased and restored the Isaac Jenkins Mikell House, a historic antebellum mansion that was listed on the National Register of Historic Places. The Post and Courier, Charleston's daily newspaper, covered aspects of her arrival and activities in the city.

Recognition

Altschul has received several honors for her philanthropic and preservation work. In 2012, the Police Athletic League of New York City named her Woman of the Year in recognition of her philanthropic contributions to the organization. The award ceremony was part of the PAL's annual gala, a significant event in the New York social calendar.

In 2013, the Preservation Society of Charleston awarded Altschul the Carolopolis Award for her renovation of the Isaac Jenkins Mikell House. The award, which takes the form of a plaque affixed to the honored building, is given for outstanding restoration or preservation of historic structures in the Charleston area.

Altschul's Charleston home was recognized by the National Park Service through its listing on the National Register of Historic Places, underscoring the architectural and historical significance of the Isaac Jenkins Mikell House.

On television, Altschul's role on Southern Charm earned her recognition as one of the most distinctive personalities in the Bravo reality television universe. Her formal entertaining style, sharp commentary, and the visual grandeur of her home contributed to her popularity among viewers. The Times of London reported in 2025 that Altschul's persona was said to have inspired elements of the HBO series The White Lotus, though the extent of this influence has not been formally confirmed by the show's creators.

Legacy

Altschul's public profile encompasses roles as an art collector, socialite, television personality, and preservationist. Her restoration of the Isaac Jenkins Mikell House stands as a documented example of the private preservation of a significant antebellum structure in Charleston, and the project's recognition with the Carolopolis Award reflects its importance within the city's preservation community.

Her collaboration with interior designer Mario Buatta on the home's interiors was one of Buatta's final major residential projects before his death in 2018, and the Isaac Jenkins Mikell House remains one of the most extensively documented examples of his work.

Through her appearances on Southern Charm over more than a decade, Altschul introduced a broad audience to the traditions and social conventions of Charleston society. Her role on the show, beginning in her seventies, demonstrated the appeal of an older, more formal figure within the typically youth-oriented landscape of reality television.

Her 2025 memoir, Eat, Drink, and Remarry, provides a first-person account of her life experiences across several decades of American social life, including her three marriages and her involvement in the worlds of art, philanthropy, and entertainment.