Famed ballerina's sprawling Knightsbridge mansion on market for £65m

Dame Margot Fonteyn lived in the property with her husband, Dr Robert Emilio Arias, in the 1950s

A sprawling mansion once home to a famous British prima ballerina is on the market in Knightsbridge for £65 million, in a listing believed to be the largest this year in central London.

Fonteyn House is where the late Dame Margot Fonteyn, often called the greatest ballerina of her generation, lived during the 1950s and 1960s.

The property is situated opposite the V&A museum, a short walk from Harrods. Covering 15,980 square feet, it has a gated private driveway, a rarity in central London, complete with an automatic turning circle for cars.

Fonteyn House in Knightsbridge is on the market for £65 million. Victoria Pertusa / The National

It features six bedroom suites, three reception rooms, a cinema or club room, health spa with gym and a 15-metre swimming pool. The property also has a passenger lift, walled garden, outside dining terrace and a rooftop terrace garden with a kitchen/bar.

Built in 1928, Fonteyn House served as the official residence of the Ambassador of Panama between the 1930s and late 1990s.

It is named after Dame Margot, who married Dr Robert Emilio Arias, a diplomat and son of Harmodio Arias, who was president of Panama during the 1930s.

The main reception room of Fonteyn House, in Knightsbridge. Photo: Caudwell & Alex Winship

After their wedding, Dr Arias was appointed Panamanian ambassador to the UK, with Fonteyn House serving as the couple’s official residence in London.

Lars Christiaanse, group director of sales at luxury developer Caudwell, told The National during a tour of the sprawling property: “Fonteyn House has an exceptional historical provenance.

“As the London home of ballerina Dame Margot Fonteyn and her husband, diplomat Roberto Arias who served as the Panamanian ambassador, the house has hosted royalty and luminaries from the arts including Princess Margaret, fashion designer Yves Saint Laurent and dancer Rudolf Nureyev.

Cinema room.Fonteyn House in Knightsbridge. Photo: Caudwell & Alex Winship

“The latter actually lived in the house in 1961 whilst negotiating his Royal Ballet contract.”

Dame Margot and her husband moved to Taplow two years after Dr Arias was shot in Panama City by political associate and rival Alberto Jimenez in 1964, ending his diplomatic career.

The property continued to serve as the Panamanian ambassador’s residence for several decades after that, however, finally relocating to Hertford Street in Mayfair in 1999. Dame Margot died in Panama City in 1991 aged 71.

The property has six bedroom suites, three reception rooms, a cinema or club room, health spa with gym and a 15-metre swimming pool. Photo: Caudwell & Alex Winship

The property was sold in 2011, subsequently refurbished and extended over a period of several years and has just hit the market for sale through Caudwell.

The driveway to the three-storey Art Deco-inspired mansion is shared with only one other house and offers parking for up to six cars.

The portico entrance has a marble-floored mirrored foyer, powder room and a long garden gallery with an entrance to the substantial main reception room, which features parquet flooring, a 12-seat dining room and a built-in bar clad in rare marble.

Family room. Fonteyn House in Knightsbridge. Photo: Caudwell & Alex Winship

Its French doors open out to the garden’s entertaining area, which can accommodate more than 100 guests and has a barbecue area and a raised lawn and lounge area with its own marble fireplace with built-in cinema screen.

The main family living space, on the lower ground floor, features a large family room with lounge seating, a kitchen, 12-seat dining table and an emerald green-coloured cinema room, in a nod to one of Dame Margot’s favourite colours.

Swimming Pool. Fonteyn House in Knightsbridge. Photo: Caudwell & Alex Winship

There is also a spa floor with a 15m pool, lounge decks, a waterfall feature, cinema style flat screen, glass-walled gymnasium, glass-walled sauna and marble-clad steam room. In addition, the floor features a beauty salon with a massage bed and hair salon chair, changing rooms, a walk-in shower and toilet.

The principal bedroom suite occupies the entire first floor, providing two separate en suite main bedrooms with dressing rooms.

Dame Margot’s former dance studio has been transformed into a en suite guest room, occupying the second floor, which has three further en suite bedrooms.

Principal bedroom suite. Fonteyn House in Knightsbridge. Photo: Caudwell & Alex Winship

The top floor of the mansion has a penthouse suite which currently consists of a lounge, with a bathroom and walk-in dressing room. The living space opens onto a rooftop terraced garden with a kitchen/bar and “spectacular” views of the adjacent V&A opposite, said Mr Christiaanse.

“The discreet facade belies the true scale of the property and the exceptional interior design and decor,” said Mr Christiaanse.

“The decor and interior design perfectly complement the architecture of the mansion, with custom furniture and the finest finishes including Arabescato Calacatta and Saint Laurent marble, Portland stone, bespoke fittings, handcrafted oak joinery in a range of unique finishes, comfort heating/cooling, home entertainment and security systems.”

Fonteyn House in Knightsbridge is on the market for £65 million. Victoria Pertusa / The National