Mandelson's partner linked with Lord Browne

The peer, who was forced to resign from the oil giant last month after lying to a court about his relationship with rent boy Jeff Chevalier, has socialised a deux with Reinaldo.

The disclosure of the close links between multi-millionaire Lord Browne and Reinaldo follows reports that 53-year-old Mr Mandelson has become close to Italian fashion designer Marco Coretti.

A well-placed source, who is in contact with both Lord Browne, 59, and Reinaldo, who is 25 years his junior, said: "Reinaldo has seen John a couple of times. They are close friends and know each other well."

It is understood that Lord Browne and Reinaldo have met in London while Mr Mandelson has been working abroad as European Trade Commissioner.

"Peter spends most of his time in Brussels and has never worked as hard in his life,' said the source.

Reinaldo is currently not living in either of Mr Mandelson's homes in London, but in a £1,500-a-month one-bedroom flat in the capital's exclusive Covent Garden. The first-floor apartment is down a narrow foot passage off St Martin's Lane and has a video entry phone.

The flat is a five-minute walk from Trafalgar Square and close to St Thomas's Hospital Accident and Emergency department, where he is training to be a nurse.

According to the Royal College of Nursing, the maximum bursary award to a nurse is £7,000 a year.

Paediatric nursing books for Reinaldo's training are stacked on the window sill of the flat. After returning home each day, Reinaldo often visits a nearby private gym.

Friends claim he has temporarily moved out of the £3million Regent's Park house he has been sharing with Mr Mandelson while it is redecorated - and will move back in afterwards.

Lord Browne was forced to apologise to a High Court judge last month after lying, during his four-month legal battle with The Mail on Sunday, over how he had first met his former lover, Canadian-born Jeff Chevalier, 27.

After the court case, Mr Chevalier told how he and Lord Browne entertained Mr Mandelson and Reinaldo to dinner. Mr Chevalier recalled: "There were only the four of us and I remember thinking the moment I met them what an odd couple they were. Peter was very smooth and charming, appearing to hang on John's every word."

Despite the confirmation of his 'close friendship' with the peer, Reinaldo insists that he and Mr Mandelson are still together. And Reinaldo and Lord Browne both deny they are having an affair.

"Reinaldo says he is still in a relationship with Peter Mandelson,' said a friend of the two men. "John also says they are just friends. He says Peter and Reinaldo have stayed with him in Venice and that they are all just friends as they have always been."

Meanwhile, new details have emerged of Mr Mandelson's friendship with 32-year-old Mr Coretti, whose styles have been worn by Nicole Kidman, Julia Roberts and Grace Jones.

Mr Mandelson is said to have met him two years ago while on holiday with Reinaldo in Capri in Italy, where the three men hit it off immediately and agreed to stay in touch.

Reinaldo recently hosted a party at Mr Mandelson's Regent's Park house which was attended by Mr Coretti and Mr Mandelson - who had both flown in from Rome.

Shortly afterwards he was seen moving possessions out of the house, but friends denied he was leaving Mr Mandelson. "He was moving out while the house was redecorated and will move back when it is finished,' said one.

Mr Mandelson and Reinaldo have both been invited to a fashion show hosted by Mr Coretti on Rome's famous Spanish Steps on July 9.

Lord Browne, once known as the "Sun King' of the oil industry, was disgraced earlier this month after he tried to keep secret allegations that he misused BP facilities to help run a mobile phone business for Mr Chevalier.

He lied to the court about how they met and falsely accused the Canadian of having drink and drug problems.

Mr Chevalier, a computer operator from Toronto, shared the peer's millionaire lifestyle for four years, staying in luxury homes, including one in Venice, travelling by private jet and wearing £2,000 designer suits.

He became Lord Browne's acknowledged partner and attended high-profile dinners with friends and contacts, including Tony Blair. Lord Browne also told him details of private conversations he had with Mr Blair and Gordon Brown.

Lord Browne's misconduct in court is thought to have cost him £15million in cash and shares he would have received if he had retired, as he planned, in July.