As the deadly Hurricane Irma continues its progress through the Caribbean, some of the plush celebrity homes in the area have been seriously battered.
US President Donald Trump’s five-acre Le Château des Palmiers estate is thought to have been heavily damaged after the island of St Martin was struck by the storm.
Eight people have been reported dead after St Martin took a direct hit from Irma, with 95 per cent of the French side of the island destroyed.
The exact fate of Trump’s beachfront mansion, which recently had its price dropped to $16.9 million, is unknown but a Trump organization spokeswoman said company officials had been monitoring the situation.
Hits and misses: Some celebrities, like Mick Jagger and Oprah Winfrey, dodged the worst of the storm. Others, like Roman Abramovich and Richard Branson, have been less fortunate
Richard Branson’s Necker Island tourist resort, meanwhile, sustained massive damage as the most powerful storm in Atlantic history smashed into the British Virgin Islands.
His son Sam said ‘most’ of the buildings on the island were destroyed, but that his dad and Virgin staff managed to survive by taking shelter in a wine cellar.
The status of the other celebrity abode already hit by the storm – Roman Abramovich’s multi-million dollar mansion on the island of St Barts in Guadeloupe – is unknown.
St Barts, however, was rattled by Irma as roofs were ripped off and all electricity was knocked out.
Mick Jagger – who is believed to own property on Mustique in St Vincent and the Grenadines – has dodged the worst of the hurricane.
The same is true of Oprah Winfrey, understood to have a home on Antigua – the island twin of Barbuda, which was almost completely destroyed.
But as Irma pushes towards Turks and Caicos tonight, it could put homes owned by Keith Richards and Bruce Willis at risk.
Island retreat: Johnny Depp’s Little Hall’s Pond Cay in the Bahamas, which could be imperiled by Hurricane Irma
Bargain: Depp bought the island in 2004 for close to $3.6million
Alert: Authorities in the Bahamas said they would evacuate the residents of six islands at the southern end of the island chain. Pictured: Johnny Depp
When the storm reaches the Bahamas this weekend, Pirates of the Caribbean star Johnny Depp’s private Little Hall’s Pond Cay could be under serious threat.
Illusionist David Copperfield and Shrek star Eddie Murphy also have islands in the archipelago that could be at risk in the coming days.
Richard Branson refused to leave his 74-acre Necker Island complex in the British Virgin Islands despite the lethal hurricane crashing right into his home.
The British billionaire retreated to his concrete bunker as the storm hit his Caribbean complex yesterday.
Trump’s mega mansion on the French island of St Martin was hit by the storm
Invested: Trump will be concerned about his own property as well the Americans at risk in the Caribbean and southern US
Trump is thought to value the property at about $50 million but it has recently been listed for $16.9 million
His son Sam Branson took to Instagram to tell his followers that his father and his staff were ‘OK’ – but stressed there had been ‘lots of damage’ to Necker and said one person was dead on the island of Tortola.
He wrote: ‘No cell, power of wifi coverage in VG [The British Virgin Islands]’, adding that the islands’ capital Road Town is ‘flooded with many roofs ripped off’.
Referring to his father, he wrote: ‘Branson is ok on Necker, but lots of damage to the island’.
Johnny Depp’s 45-acre private island in the Bahamas, Little Hall’s Pond Cay, could be at serious risk as authorities announce the beginning of evacuations.
Hurricane Irma has ripped through Caribbean islands on a path towards the US. A second hurricane, Jose, is developing in the Atlantic
Eddie Murphy, meanwhile, could see his Rooster Cay home damaged in the storm
Beautiful: Murphy’s island as seen from above
He bought the island in 2004 for close to $3.6million.
Fellow actor and Bahamas island owner Eddie Murphy, meanwhile, could see his Rooster Cay home damaged.
Illusionist David Copperfield also owns Musha Cay in the Bahamas and could be fearing Irma’s wrath.
Bruce Willis and Keith Richards, meanwhile, have property on Parrot Cay in Turks and Caicos.
Tracking the storm: This model from European Center for Medium-Range Weather Forecast shows the projected path of Irma. The red shows where it will hit land and cause serious damage
Illusionist David Copperfield owns an island in the Bahamas that could be struck by Irma
A general view of Villa Guru Resort at Musha Cay
Sir Richard Branson’s Necker Island in the British Virgin Islands has been devastated by the storm
Paradise: Necker Island, which Richard Branson bought when he was just 28
Branson said: ‘On Necker Island we have constructed really strong buildings (with hurricane blinds) that should be able to handle extreme weather pretty well, though with a Category 5 hurricane almost nothing can withstand it’
The businessman also took the opportunity to discuss the need to support the Paris agreement on clean energy. Pictured: Necker Island
Explaining his reasoning for staying on Necker, Branson fully acknowledged the danger of Hurricane Irma, stressing that the ‘devastation’ they can cause ‘cannot be overstated’, but said he will stay on his island regardless.
He wrote in a blog post: ‘On Necker Island we have constructed really strong buildings (with hurricane blinds) that should be able to handle extreme weather pretty well, though with a Category 5 hurricane almost nothing can withstand it.
‘We had some lovely guests staying on Necker Island who have cut their trip short for safety reasons, and another group of guests have also postponed.
Abramovich is not thought to be on the island but Hurricane Irma severely damaged St Barts
Roman Abramovich has a $50m home near Gouverneur Beach on St Barts (pictured). Two years ago the billionaire flew in the Black Eyed Peas for a lavish New Year’s Eve party on the island
‘I will be on Necker alongside our team, as I have been on the three times we have had hurricanes over the past 30 years.’
His main concern, he added, was for the locals on the British Virgin Islands – as well as the island’s fauna.
He explained: ‘I am also concerned for the wonderful wildlife of the BVI, not least on Necker and Moskito, where many flamingos, lemurs, scarlet ibis and other stunning species live.