Billionaire Watch: Petra Ecclestone is an Heiress With a Penchant for Birkins and $85 Million Houses
There are 1,426 billionaires in the world. Sure, you know the big names from the list like Bill Gates, Warren Buffett, and Mark Zuckerberg, but what about the other 1,423? With that in mind we bring you Billionaire Watch, highlighting the undercover billionaires, their Gulfstreams, and oftentimes celebrity love interests.
Name: Petra Ecclestone
Age: She is 24 years old. Her older sister Tamara is 28.
Worth: Her father is Formula One founder Bernie Ecclestone, who is worth $2.8 billion—much of which has been bequeathed to his ex-wife Slavica, Petra’s mother.
Background: Petra has always lived a charmed life thanks to her father’s immense wealth. She was born in London where she attended an all girls’ school but chose to forego pursuing higher education. One of the most notable facts about her is that at 14, she suffered from viral meningitis. Since then, she has made substantial contributions to the illness and is an ambassador for the Meningitis Trust.
Career: Well, it’s pretty apparent that Petra has never really worked a day in her life. Sure, she launched an accessories line called Stark back in September 2011, but it has yet to take off. Allegedly, she has plans to go into the footwear industry—but there has been no indication that that is moving forward. Instead, she and her sister Tamara have been working to become Los Angeles it-girls, following in the same footsteps as heiress turned mogul Paris Hilton. Petra is actually good friends with Paris, and seems to be following her guide to becoming famous very closely, as she is often photographed at the same spots Paris used to frequent in Los Angeles during her journey to the top (The Ivy, Madeo, etc.).
Real Estate: Probably the most interesting piece of information about Petra is with regards to her real estate portfolio. In July 2011, she bought The Manor—a storied home previously belonging to Aaron and Candy Spelling–for a staggering $85 million. The press was quick to note that she borrowed $82.4 million to pay for it—but it was from her mother! The house is 57,000 square feet and the largest residence in Los Angeles. Not bad for someone who hasn’t reached their 25th birthday. Her property in London is currently on the market for $32 million. It’s a six bedroom house located in Belgravia that features a pool on the roof as well as an extensive fitness center.
Accessories: Petra is known for her love of accessories, and is said to have ten Hermès Birkin bags—worth a combined total of $650,000 (exotic skins aren’t cheap, people!). She also has seven Rolexes, estimated to be worth about $231,000.
Wedding: When it was time for Petra to marry her older entrepreneur boyfriend James Stunt back in 2011, they threw a three-day party at Odescalchi Castle in Rome that cost a whopping $18 million. Yes, $18 million. Her mother, former Armani model Slavica, stated, “I don’t care how much the wedding cost, as it was once in a lifetime occasion.” Petra wore an $120,000 gown by Vera Wang, and guests were served $6,000 a bottle Château Pétrus wine. Eric Clapton performed the opening song at the reception, and the Black Eyed Peas and David Guetta followed.
Cars: Being as her father is the man behind Formula One, it’s no surprise that she has a thing for cars as well. Her most prized possession is likely her vintage Rolls-Royce, which cost $150,000. She also has two Ferraris, including a Ferrari 599 which will run you about $310,000. Her engagement gift from her father was a $1.3 million Bugatti Veyron, that she frequently tools around Los Angeles in.
