No wonder Countess LuAnn de Lesseps was spotted getting into an elevator with an mysterious man the other night: The Real Housewives star is said to be separating from her husband after 16 years.

Count de Lesseps has apparently taken up with an Eithiopan woman in Geneva. How did he confirm his countess' suspicions that he was seeing someone else? Via email, according to Page Six.

It would seem even nobles are ignoble these days, where by "these days" we mean in the early stages of the second season of a successful but always ratings-hungry reality show spinoff, like say Real Housewives of New York City.Anyway, there's all kinds of dramatic emotion for the cameras trauma for LuAnn and her children to have to deal with.

"Luann was blindsided. She was just devastated," the close friend told Page Six. "They have basically lived apart for many years — he lives in Europe and comes and goes as he pleases, but she never thought this would happen.

Yes, who would have imagined a long-distance relationship with a count who "comes and goes as he pleases" would end in tears? Perhaps the fellow seen getting into the elevator with LuAnn the other night; the countess' flacks say he's just a friend, so he must possess some insights that have eluded LuAnn thus far.

She's sticking with the "Countess" thing, obviously.

[Page Six]