James Stunt breaks silence after divorce from Petra

Mr Stunt said he was ‘as rich as ever’, but claimed he lost his standing after marrying the Formula One heiress

He divorced Formula One heiress Petra Ecclestone last year after the pair ended a bitter legal fight over their £5.5billion fortune.

And James Stunt said he lost public standing when he married ‘a C-list celebrity’s daughter’. 

The businessman, 36, also dubbed his in-laws, Bernie and Slavica Ecclestone, ‘that dwarf’ and ‘Lady Macbeth’ in an interview with Tatler magazine.

Mr Stunt said he was ‘as rich as ever’, but claimed he lost his standing after marrying the Formula One heiress.

He described Miss Ecclestone as ‘the best girl I ever met’, but said she is now like ‘this girl who’s had a lobotomy and gone to Jonestown. This is a horrible human being.’

Despite Mr Ecclestone calling him an ‘idiot’, Mr Stunt said he had no hard feelings towards the tycoon.

He said: ‘I have no animosity towards him – he’s just very cut-throat, he has no empathy.’

Referring to his collection of supercars he boasted before he got married, he said: ‘I’ve been doing that since I was 19. And then I marry a C-list celebrity.’

Even though Mr Stunt bears no ill will towards Mr Ecclestone, he told the magazine his father Geoffrey blames Miss Ecclestone’s father for the marital breakdown.

His comments to the magazine come after he claimed a £90million haul of gold and diamonds had been stolen from his home in Britain’s biggest ever burglary.

Mr Stunt told police that thieves had emptied the safe in the basement of his Georgian townhouse in Belgravia last month while he slept upstairs.

Cash, gold and diamond jewellery was stolen in the raid, according to the Sun on Sunday newspaper.

In happier times: James Stunt, pictured with his Petra Ecclestone at a party in London in 2014, completed divorce proceedings with his wife last month 

In happier times: James Stunt, pictured with his Petra Ecclestone at a party in London in 2014, completed divorce proceedings with his wife last month 

Mr Stunt was said to be devastated at the theft, which happened just a fortnight after his belongings were seen being moved into the townhouse.

A source told the newspaper that Mr Stunt initially suspected he was the victim of an ‘inside job’ as there were no obvious signs of a break-in. Police, however, believe it was a burglary.

Mr Stunt has a team of security men and domestic staff including a butler, but had not yet installed a high-tech CCTV system at the house.

‘James had only been in the house a short while and did not have time to get CCTV installed,’ a source told the newspaper: ‘Police were apparently surprised there were no cameras anywhere inside the house. He is devastated by the loss. It’s a lot of money even for him – though luckily he’s insured.’ Mr Stunt, however, has said he was not insured for every item taken.

Police confirmed they were investigating the burglary, but refused to comment on what had been taken, or its value.

Mr Stunt met Miss Ecclestone in 2006 and married in 2011 in a £12million ceremony in Rome.

The couple’s assets include a £100million Chelsea mansion and a £158million home in Los Angeles.

But in June they began their court battle which saw Mr Stunt evicted from the Chelsea property.

The couple announced a divorce settlement had been reached last October.

Afterwards, Mr Stunt said in a statement: ‘I am devastated that my marriage has broken down. I love Petra and our children.’

Miss Ecclestone’s father, 86, told MailOnline: ‘I’m just glad it’s over. Petra is too. She has been very tolerant and has been concerned about James. Now we are going for a family meal. No champagne, no big celebration.’

Her sister Tamara, 33, posted her support on Instagram, saying: ‘You’re a diamond dear, they can’t break you.’ No details of the settlement were revealed. Mr Stunt signed a prenuptial agreement worth £16million.

During a bad-tempered hearing, details of their marriage were laid bare, including allegations that he was abusive, violent and took overdoses.

Mr Stunt now lives in a £12million house in Mayfair, West London, and boasts a security detail of 25.

 



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