Unless you’ve been living under a rock (which tbh we don’t blame you), you most likely watched the debut episode of The Real Housewives of Dubai. Not only did the reality show take the world by a ~sand~ storm, but it also brought up some interesting themes that were oh so relatable to a Cosmo ME girl. We’re *particularly* talking about the subject of guy friends.
Our crystal ball says we’ll be seeing the dynamics of the friendship between Caroline Stanbury and Michael Davis quite a bit in the series. To find out a lil more about ’em, we hit up Caroline and Michael to get the tea on their camaraderie. Pour yourself a cuppa, this is a fun read.
What *exactly* do guy friends bring to the table?
Before we deep dive into the Housewives duo, we needed to get YouTube’s Queen of the Girls, Shallon Lester, perspective on guy friends. So, what does a friendship with a male actually bring to the table? “My motto is: dating is data. And what better data source is there than the target audience. Guy friends can help you understand scenarios through the male mind so that when you encounter head-scratchers with the boy you’re actually dating, you’ve done a little homework and don’t have to figure everything out on the fly.”
“I think it’s also refreshing to get a guy’s view of what’s attractive so we’re not stressing about everything from contour to lingerie. Why spend 40 minutes messing with your clip-in extensions if all your guy friends agree that a messy bun is super cute? We do so much overthinking when it comes to the male mind, it’s great to get refreshers on what they value and what they don’t even notice.”
Ahh, makes so. much. sense.
It’s tea time 🧋
We asked Caroline and Michael the same questions to see how they each responded and how their answers regarding their friendship aligned with one another. All we can say is that these two have a deep bond.
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It was friendship at first sight
Caroline Stanbury: We met four years ago. Michael and I met when I was approached to become the face of CosmeSurge and I went for a meeting. From that day forth, we’ve been best friends.
Michael Davis: Someone connected us for coffee because we were looking for someone to be the face of CosmeSurge. I wanted a baddie. Our CosmeSurge client is confident, successful, and knows who she (or he) is, but are always looking for ways to take care of themselves. That was Caroline. What was supposed to be a 30-minute coffee meeting turned into two hours. I think we’ve spoken every day since.
On what they each bring to the friendship
CS: Michael offers complete unconditional love for me and my family with no judgement. These days it’s priceless, frankly. We have no competitiveness. We genuinely only want the best for each other. In today’s world, very few friendships are like this.
When I need advice, he’s always my first port of call. Michael even helped negotiate my divorce for me. I trust him to be firm, fair and impartial in any which way. He’s always given me the best advice from a helicopter point of view.
MD: Caroline, Sergio, and Caroline’s children are like family to me. What she offers me is unconditional love and support, a million laughs, and so many good memories.
Caroline is one of the least judgemental people I have ever met. She loves her friends and treats people around her like family. She is someone I can confide in, and I also know she will always be brutally honest with me. She never gives advice per se but she always offers her opinion.
On their thoughts on guy friends
CS: I probably have more male friends than female friends. Men are just so uncomplicated and easier to get on with. There’s no hidden agenda.
MD: I have always had a good mix of both female and male friends. Healthcare can be a very feminine business and I’ve worked with and been mentored by some amazing, smart, strong women. Some of my very best friends here in the UAE are female. Men who don’t have that are missing out.
On their most memorable moment together
CS: Michael gave me away at my wedding in Mauritius. That’s an important moment in anyone’s life and he stood by my side.
MD: That’s hard to say but I believe it would be her wedding. The wedding will be featured in the show and I was under pressure to accurately reflect my affection for those two without coming across as hokey because Caroline would have hated that.
In the toast, I commented that Caroline doesn’t make friends, she “takes hostages.” Everyone howled with laughter because they knew exactly what I meant. There is no “getting to know you” phase with Caroline. Within minutes you’re either in or out. I’m so glad to be “in”.
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On what’s to come
CS: Michael and I are very used to travelling together with Sergio. You hardly ever find people that you can live with, never mind travel with. He’s an important part of my life and I made him buy a house next to me too. We all want to retire next to each other close by and continue living the way we do.
We have big plans for our end of days together. I love travelling the world with Michael as does my husband. My children love him. Right now, I wouldn’t change a thing. I can’t imagine our day-to-day life without him.
MD: I am so happy for Caroline, Nina, and the other girls that The Real Housewives of Dubai debuted. I’m excited for the world to see more of the Caroline I know. Crazy, fun, loyal, driven, no-nonsense and never backs down from fighting for her values. Love her or not, people won’t be able to look away. I’m really grateful to have Caroline as part of my life. She brings so much joy and there is never a dull moment.
We are both sporadic, love to laugh and neither of us take ourselves too seriously. When you throw Sergio into the mix he tends to be a parent for both of us.
Find out how you can watch the dynamics between Caroline Stanbury and Michael Davis on The Real Housewives of Dubai here.