Billionaire Sells Fonteyn's Mansion for £55M

Billionaire John Caudwell has recently sold two luxury London properties. Fonteyn's former Art Deco home in Knightsbridge, known as Fonteyn House, was purchased for £55 million ($74 million). This property was once inhabited by prima ballerina Margot Fonteyn and her husband during the 1950s and 1960s, hosting luminaries like Yves Saint Laurent and Princess Margaret. It was also briefly home to ballet dancer Rudolf Nureyev.

Caudwell, who made his fortune from Phones4u, acquired Fonteyn House in 2010 for £12.5 million and extensively redeveloped it. The six-bedroom mansion now features a swimming pool, spa, gym, and cinema room. He also sold a second property in Mayfair for £20 million. This Mayfair house, formerly a coach house, has been converted into a five-bedroom residence with similar luxury amenities.

These transactions occur as London's high-end property market faces a slowdown, with a 28% decrease in sales over £5 million in the first quarter of 2026 compared to the previous year. Despite this, significant deals, like Nick Candy's Chelsea mansion sale for over £270 million earlier this year, indicate continued activity at the very top end of the market.