Swiss billionaire Ernesto Bertarelli has bought an 80-room mansion in London’s exclusive Belgravia area for £92million — despite splashing £400million last year to divorce his ex-wife, who was once crowned Miss UK.
The biotech tycoon, 56, who was born in Italy, has bought the luxurious 19th-century home, which comes with its own 20-metre swimming pool, luxury gym and cinema.
Bertarelli made his money from his family’s fertility drug company Serono – which was sold for over $13 billion in 2007.
The billionaire also an investor in Crosstree Real Estate Partners, which owns The Standard Hotel opposite St Pancras railway station in London.
Kirsty Bertarelli joined the super-rich after meeting bio-tech tycoon Bertarelli, 56, at a dinner party in Sardinia. The couple are pictured in August 2007 (right) and October 2014
A reported £350million settlement made her the richest British-born divorcee at the time. The Queen’s personal fortune is estimated at around £365million. Pictured: Kirsty and Ernesto Bertarelli in July 2010
Naomi Campbell and Ernesto Bertarelli attend the 79th Monaco F1 Grand Prix on May 29, 2022 in Monte Carlo, Monaco (Photo by Mark Boland/Getty Images)
According to the Bloomberg Billionaires Index, the family fortune is valued at about $18.4 billion – meaning his latest pad in Belgravia seems to makes just a small dent in his pocket.
Bertarelli also co-chairs the Bertarelli Foundation, which focuses on marine conservation and research.
And Forbes estimates that he is the 228th richest person in the world.
But the billionaire took a hit after divorcing his wife Kirsty Bertarelli last year – which made her Britain’s richest divorcee at the time.
Last year, Bertarelli and his ex-wife were jointly listed in 14th place in the Sunday Times Rich List with a fortune estimated at a staggering £9.2billion – bigger than the gross domestic product of many countries, including the Bahamas, Brunei and Armenia.
The model and pop songwriter, 50, secretly divorced her billionaire husband Ernesto after 21 years together.
She’s the beauty queen who became wealthier than the Queen. And now Kirsty Bertarelli (pictured left in 2010) is one of Britain’s richest divorcees. The model and pop songwriter, 50, has secretly divorced her billionaire husband Ernesto (both right in 2012)
Ernesto Bertarelli has bought an 80-room mansion in London’s exclusive Belgravia area for £92million that includes a swimming pool, gym, and a cinema. The biotech tycoon splashed the cash on the new pad just a year after divorcing his wife (File image of Belgravia, London)
The couple, who have three children, agreed to divorce last summer.
Staffordshire-born former Miss UK allegedly agreed to accept a £350million settlement.
She joined the super-rich after meeting bio-tech tycoon Bertarelli at a dinner party in Sardinia.
Twice a winner of sailing’s top prize, the America’s Cup, he is said to have bought the £100million British-built superyacht Vava II for his wife’s 40th birthday.
The couple (pictured on superyacht The Vava II in August 2017) decline to discuss the size of Mrs Bertarelli’s payout, but the Daily Mail understands that the Staffordshire-born former Miss UK has agreed to accept a £350million settlement
Divorced Mrs Bertarelli is richer than pop superstars Sir Mick Jagger, said to be worth £310million, Ed Sheeran (£220million) and Adele (£140million)
Kirsty Bertarelli, formerly Kirsty Roper, is pictured here after being crowned as Miss UK in 1988
After being crowned Miss UK in 1988 (left and right), Kirsty was second runner-up in that year’s Miss World pageant. She then became a successful pop singer and songwriter. She co-wrote All Saints’ No 1 single Black Coffee, a worldwide hit in 2000
After being crowned Miss UK in 1988, Kirsty was second runner-up in that year’s Miss World pageant. She then became a successful pop singer and songwriter. She co-wrote All Saints’ No 1 single Black Coffee, a worldwide hit in 2000.
‘So many people would just go off on their yacht and spend their life drinking champagne, but not me,’ she said.
‘You should grasp life. Singing has been inside me my whole life and I can’t not do it.’
Mega-rich Bertarelli was awarded an Honorary Doctorate of Marine Sciences from in 2013.
His family’s Waypoint Group has multiple lucrative investments, including commercial real estate in London to drug companies.
Kirsty Bertarelli became a successful pop singer and songwriter. She co-wrote All Saints’ No 1 single Black Coffee, a worldwide hit in 2000. She is pictured supporting Mick Hucknall and Simply Red at Edinburgh Castle on July 18, 2010
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