Lee Radziwill's former home goes on the market for £18.75million

Sprawling bolthole fit for a socialite: Estate where Jackie Kennedy’s stylish sister Lee Radziwill hosted Princess Margaret is for sale for £18.75M – complete with stables, an indoor pool and guest cottage dubbed ‘the White House’

  • English country estate once owned by Jackie Kennedy’s sister Lee Radziwill is on the market for £18.75million
  • Turville Grange, in Henley-on-Thames, Oxfordshire, boasts a Grade II-listed house nestled in 50 acres
  • There are also a number of guest cottages including the White House, named in honour of the Kennedys
  • Property comes complete with a swimming pool complex, large greenhouse, paddock and stables 

The stunning English country estate once owned by Jackie Kennedy’s sister Lee Radziwill has gone on the market for £18.75million. 

Turville Grange, in Henley-on-Thames, Oxfordshire, is a sprawling 50 acre property boasting a primary five-bedroom Grade II-listed house, two cottages and a two-bedroom guest house, known as the White House in honour of President and Mrs Kennedy. 

There is also a 3,821 sq ft indoor leisure complex, complete with a swimming pool, gym and sauna, as well as a stable block, paddock, greenhouse and garages.   

The property was owned by Lee and her husband Prince Stanislas Radziwill, an exiled member of the former Royal family of Lithuania and Poland, from 1966 until their divorce in 1974, during which time it hosted politicians, royalty and celebrities including the Kennedys, Princess Margaret, Harold Macmillan, Sean Connery and Peter Sellers. 

It was most recently owned by Henry Ford II, of the US motoring dynasty, and his wife Kathleen DuRoss Ford, a photographer and former model who died in 2020. 

Turville Grange, in Henley-on-Thames, Oxfordshire, is a sprawling 50 acre property boasting a primary five-bedroom Grade II-listed Georgian house, pictured, two cottages and a two-bedroom guest house. It is on the market for £18.75million

There is a luxurious Pool House within the grounds with a further guest suite and wonderful highly appointed swimming pool and gymnasium with spa facilities. This was rebuilt around 10 years ago to the highest of specifications by the current owners 

There are five bedrooms in the main house, including the impressive master bedroom, pictured, which comes with its own dressing room and en suite bathroom 

There are five reception rooms in the main property including the formal dining room, pictured, which is ideal for entertaining

Famous owners of the property include Jackie Kennedy’s sister Lee Radziwill and her husband Prince Stanislas Radziwill, pictured, an exiled member of the former Royal family of Lithuania and Poland, from 1966 until their divorce in 1974

The couple were known for their high-spirited dinner parties and shooting weekends. Michael Caine, Liza Minnelli, the Duchess of Marlborough and Sir Evelyn de Rothschild all stayed at Turville Grange as guests of the Fords. 

The couple were also close with their neighbours the Sainsbury family, founders of the supermarket chain. 

The exquisite taste of the previous owners is on display in the main house, which boasts a master bedroom suite, master guest suite, as well as three further bedrooms. There is also a separate guest wing with a sitting room, two bedrooms and garages. 

Such a property needs a large retinue of staff to keep it running and the butler, chef or nanny can take their pick from five bedrooms in the main building. 

Five reception rooms flow off an entrance hall designed by Italian interior designer Renzo Mongiardino, who was commissioned by Lee Radziwill to reimagine the primary communal spaces. 

There is a drawing room, living/garden room, library and dining room, all of which benefit from tall ceilings, fine cornicing and sash windows.  

There are a total of four guest bedrooms in the main house, including this cosy space that maintains lots of period features

The adjoining bathroom boasts an amazing stand alone tub in the centre of the room that is the perfect place for a long soak

This library and reception room in the main house can serve as a home office or an intimate space to unwind with loved ones

The family kitchen in the main house, pictured, has colourful tiles that bring Mediterranean charm to the English countryside

In the grounds of the estate there is also the 1,905sq ft White House, as well as Rose Cottage and Turville Cottage, which house a further three bedrooms each.  

Originally built in 1887, the main house was remodelled by the then owner Stephen Smith, a local landowner.

In 1905 the house and estate was purchased by the Marquis and Marquise d’Hautpoul de Seyre who transformed it into a grand Edwardian residence, adding the side wing and creating the formal gardens.

Julia Caroline Stonor, the Marquise, was a close friend of Prince George and Princess Mary of Teck, the future King George V and Queen Mary, who were frequent visitors to Turville Grange.

To celebrate the coronation of King George V the current mature trees were planted in the garden and in 1908 Queen Alexandra, George’s mother, give the Marquise the magnificent wrought iron entrance gates, a smaller replica of the Royal gates at Sandringham, which still frame the front aspect of the house.

The drawing room, pictured, was one of the rooms that was redesigned by Princess Lee and its most recent owners, the Fords

The living/garden room, pictured, has been decorated in a traditional English countryside style that is full of character

The rear hall, pictured, leads out to the gardens and provides the perfect spot for storing coats, umbrellas and boots

The main guest bedroom suit, pictured, is an eye-catching combination of plush fabrics and homey prints 

The master bedroom boasts a stunning walk-in wardrobe, pictured, with ample space for even the biggest clothing collection

Following the Marquise’s death in 1950, Turville Grange was sold to National Trust chairman Oliver Brett, the 3rd Viscount Esher and his American iron and steel heiress wife. 

Their son Lionel Brett, the renowned country house architect who advised Mrs Kennedy on the refurbishment of the White House, remodelled the main three-storey house to give it a Georgian look, adding the Georgian front-door surround, dormer windows and a Tuscan-columned loggia.

It was Mr Brett who facilitated the Radziwills’ purchase of the estate following the death of Lord Eseher in 1963. 

As well as the work by Mongiardino, Princess Lee brought in landscape gardener Lanning Roper. 

Mrs Kennedy was a frequent guest at the house following the death of her husband, spending Christmases there with her children John Jr and Caroline. 

The pool house, pictured, was renovated by the current owners and is a self-contained space fit for any fitness fan

The large gym, pictured, has space for an aerobics studio and looks out onto the indoor swimming pool in the centre

The pool house also comes with its own accommodation, including this comfortable bedroom with doors out to the garden

The sitting room in the pool house opens out onto the swimming pool and is ideal for unwinding after a dip in the water

When the Radziwills divorced in 1974 Turville Grange was purchased by their friends Henry Ford II, the eldest grandson of Ford Motor Company founder Henry Ford and former Ford CEO. In 1980 he married former model Kathleen and the couple hosted film stars, aristocrats and captains of industry at their English country retreat.  

Ford died in 1987, aged 70. 

Kathleen commissioned architect Jeffrey Smith and renowned design house Colefax & Fowler to refresh Lee Radziwill’s iconic interiors creating an outstanding example of classic English country-house style.

Turville Grange is for sale for the first time since 1974 via Beauchamp Estates and Knight Frank 

Gary Hersham, Founding Director of Beauchamp Estates said: ‘With a history that combines Royalty, the American First Family and captains of industry Turville Grange is one of the most beautiful and renowned country houses in England, home to two of America’s most celebrated families, the Radziwill-Kennedy clan and the Ford family. 

There is plenty of space for guests including the two-bedroom White House, pictured, which was named after the Kennedys

The dining room in the White House is regal enough to serve as the primary dining space in any normal home

The White House has two bedrooms for guests, including this sensitively designed space decorated in shades of blue

The sitting room in the White House, means guests can unwind without intruding on the family in the main property

The estate also boasts paddocks and a stable complex, pictured, making it a dream investment for any equestrians

Turville Grange cottage, pictured, offers three further bedrooms and could be rented out to generate an additional income

Pretty Holly Tree cottage, pictured, is nestled in greenery and looks like it has come straight out of a storybook 

‘Set in landscaped grounds and overlooking green parkland to the front and rear the estate has a wonderful rural setting and provides an ideal family home, perfect for entertaining.

‘With an illustrious and famous history, Turville Grange is an exceptional Grade II listed family home set in almost 50 acres of gardens and land with stables in a highly sought after location in Henley-on-Thames. 

‘The house and estate have not been to the market in many decades and we anticipate that there will be significant domestic and international interest in this unique trophy country estate.’ 

An aerial view of the estate shows the scale of the main house, as well as a view of the vegetable gardens and greenhouse 

The covered area at the end of the walled garden is just one of the picturesque nooks waiting to be discovered on the estate 

, Princess Lee brought in landscape gardener Lanning Roper to transform the gardens, including this manicured lawn 

How fashionable socialite Lee Radziwill who was best friends with Warhol and Capote and married three times admired – and envied – her famous older sister Jackie

Born Caroline Lee Bouvier in New York in 1933 to Janet Norton Lee and New York stockbroker and socialite John Vernou Bouvier III, Radziwill came from a famous family but established herself as a noteworthy figure in her own right.

She boasted an exclusive list of close friends, from Andy Warhol to Truman Capote, and worked briefly as an actress before turning her hand to interior design and public relations.

For a time, the social doyenne was also an American ‘Princess’. After her first marriage to Michael Canfield collapsed, she married Prince Stanisław Albrecht Radziwill, a Polish aristocrat, in 1959.


Born Caroline Lee Bouvier in New York in 1933 to Janet Norton Lee and New York stockbroker and socialite John Vernou Bouvier III, Radziwill came from a famous family but established herself as a noteworthy figure in her own right. Pictured in 1967 and 2016 

Lee married Polish aristocrat Prince Stanisław Albrecht (right) in the 1960s, and assumed the title ‘Her Serene Royal Highness’. (pictured: Lee with her husband Stanislaus after her first acting role in “Philadelphia Story”, onstage in Chicago in 1967)

Lee, then 26, lived in London with Prince Radziwill, where she insisted on being addressed as ‘Princess’ Lee Radziwill, even though her husband surrendered his royal status when he took British nationality in 1951.

Adopting the name ‘Her Serene Royal Highness’, the pair had two children together, before they divorced in 1974.

A famous Gilda Radner SNL skit quipped that nobody knew what Radziwill was actually a princess of.

She married a third time to film director Herbert Ross in 1988. Their union lasted 13 years and they split in 2001, just months before his death.

But there was one everlasting relationship that stood above the rest for Radziwill – her bond with her sister, Jackie.

Jackie and Lee, were two of the most glamorous women of their generation, but their closeness came with a fierce rivalry.

From a young age the pair pitted themselves against one another, with Lee regarded as the ‘pretty one’, and Jackie the ‘smart one’.

Lee Radziwill married three times. she split from her third husband, Herb Ross (pictured right at their wedding reception) in 2001

‘The competition went on throughout their lives: ‘Who’s going to be more popular? Who will marry first?” said Randy Taraborrelli, the author of ‘Jackie, Janet and Lee’, to People.

In her book ‘Happy Times’, Lee remarked: ‘One always looks up to older siblings for guidance. One tries to emulate them and follow their achievements. That’s what I did with my sister.’

But the contention came to a shattering crescendo when Jackie became First Lady in 1961.

‘How can I compete with that?’ Radziwill reportedly said during a function at Buckingham Palace. ‘It’s all over for me now.’

In the years that followed the pair are said to have shared a turbulent relationship, with several highs and many well documented lows.

Radziwill was a frequent visitor to the White House during her brother-in-law’s short-lived presidency. Canfield, her first husband, would later claim Lee had boasted to him of having sex with John F Kennedy.

From a young age, Jackie (right) and Lee (left) were said to have been competitive with one another. Jackie was considered to be the ‘smart one’ of the duo, and Lee the ‘pretty one’

The First Lady and her sister, Princess Lee Radziwill (right) were considered the world’s most famous sisters during the 1960s

The competition reach a tumultuous crescendo in 1961, when Jackie became the First Lady after John F Kennedy’s election as president (pictured: First Lady Jacqueline Kennedy stands with Lee and her daughter Anna on the walkway outside the Oval Office, 1963)

Lee was staying with the Kennedys after Jackie had given birth to daughter, Caroline. She reportedly left her bedroom door open deliberately so Canfield could hear her and JFK making love. The claims, however, have never been proven.

After JFK’s assassination, Radziwill left a note on Jackie’s pillow that read: ‘Good night my darling Jacks — the bravest and noblest of all. L.’

As Jackie lay dying of cancer in 1994, Radziwill clambered to be at her sister’s side and told her ‘I love you so much. I always have, Jacks. I hope you know it.’

But in one final tension-fueled twist in their relationship, Jackie omitted her sister entirely from the will of her $150 million estate, citing years of hand-outs as the reason. Her children were given $500,000 each.

Before her retirement, Radziwill served for many years as a Public Relations executive for Giorgio Armani.

After JFK’s assassination, Lee left a note on Jackie’s pillow that read: ‘Good night my darling Jacks — the bravest and noblest of all. L.’ (pictured: Lee and her son Anthony accompany Jackie and her two children in London, 1965)

She was a stalwart attendee of New York Fashion Week, and regularly attended other fashion events around the world right up until her death.

‘Regrets? I think everyone has regrets, and people who say they haven’t are either liars . . . or narcissists’ Radziwill said to the New York Times in 2013.

‘There have been many things in my life to have regrets about, in the sense I wish I could have changed them, or somehow made them not happen,’ she continued.

‘What I don’t have is envy. I’m perfectly content at this time of my life. I’ve done so many fascinating things and the greatest joy is that I continue to do interesting things and meet fascinating people.

Lee died in 2019, aged 85. 

 

Source: Read Full Article

Previous post Some Americans who retired early during COVID are returning. Can they solve the labor shortage?
Next post NASA's Artemis I mission to the moon and back faces further delays