The musician from Minneapolis was not only an award-winning singer-songwriter, but also something of a real estate mogul. Over the years, Prince accumulated homes in Beverly Hills and Marbella, as well as more than a dozen properties in his home state of Minnesota, including Paisley Palace, his main base and studio. However, this Caribbean retreat was the Sign o' the Times artist's go-to when he wanted to escape the harsh winters of the American Midwest. Located about 1,000 kilometres from Miami, Providenciales Island – which spans 60km from end to end – has also hosted vacationing celebrities such as Brad Pitt, Christie Brinkley and Eva Longoria.
Prince was known both for his much-glamourised parties and his reticent offstage demeanour. However, the eight-time Grammy winner seemed entirely at ease on the island, with many reports of him being spotted out and about in town or at the Amanyara resort, mingling with locals and visitors. He also worked with home-grown musicians to help them hone their craft. Nonetheless, the Turtle Tail estate itself is a study in absolute privacy.
The 10,000-square-foot main house is built 40 feet above sea level and sits on five acres of land on Providenciales’s largely uninhabited south shore. Built for typical island living, the open-plan, sparsely furnished home has a spacious master suite, plus five other bedrooms and six bathrooms. Its multiple balconies and hexagonal living room overlook the tranquil blue waters of the Atlantic Ocean. There’s also a dining room, spacious kitchen with mod-con appliances, and a semi-covered terrace, ideal for entertaining. The interior features wood-beamed, vaulted ceilings and glass walls.
It has floor-to-ceiling windows and doors, one of which opens up onto a lagoon-shaped swimming pool, bordered on two sides by a rock garden and bonsai plants. The idea, as with many island homes, is to homogenise the indoor and outdoor living spaces. One wing is dedicated to a gym, media room and home theatre with purple cladding, while the chairs and a mirror from the film Purple Rain are included in the sale.
The property also has a 200-foot dock, two private white-sand beaches, tropical gardens, a two-storey guesthouse, staff residences, walking trails and, of course, that purple driveway. One of his first additions when he bought the property in 2010, the stretch is a tribute to Prince’s favourite colour and the name of his most well-known song from 1984, which spawned the eponymous album and film; he was even dubbed The Purple One. The driveway sits adjacent to a full-sized tennis court with night lights.
After failing to sell when it first went on the market soon after Prince’s death in 2016, for an asking price of US$12 million (Dh44 million), Turtle Tail will be auctioned on July 12. Incidentally, this was almost the exact amount that the music icon originally paid for the estate. Conducted by Premier Estates Auction Company, the worldwide sale has no set starting bid, potentially making this a one-off steal. Bids need to be submitted on paper, along with a fully refundable $100,000 (Dh367,350) registration fee. Scheduled viewings of the property can be made by appointment before the auction date, while the winning bid will be announced 48 hours after the July 12 deadline.
For more information, visit TopTenRealEstateDeals.com.
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