£55,000,000 /Sale price

In the heart of Knightsbridge, Fonteyn House is a rare London home that blends remarkable history with contemporary design. Built in 1928 and once known as Amberwood House, it was home to Dame Margot Fonteyn during her years as prima ballerina of The Royal Ballet, when its rooms hosted Princess Margaret, Yves Saint Laurent, Peter Sellers and Rudolf Nureyev. Behind its retained facade of French windows, ornamental balconies and Portland stone, the house now spans over 15,000 sq ft of newly reimagined space across six floors. The entrance opens onto a mirrored foyer and a gallery of windows overlooking the walled garden. A cantilevered staircase rises through the centre of the house, linking a sequence of rooms made for entertaining a reception with herringbone floors and a Regency fireplace, a dining area with a Persian Palissandro Bluette marble bar, and a club room that doubles as a cinema with a cocktail bar, wine cellar and deep green joinery. The kitchen pairs honed Calacatta and Paonazzo marble with warm timber cabinetry and Wolf, Gaggenau and Sub-Zero appliances. It connects naturally with the family room and terraces beyond, where glass doors run the length of the building. The first floor is devoted to the principal suite, once Fonteyn's own, with twin dressing rooms, a marble bathroom and Juliet balconies overlooking the garden. The second floor houses the guest suite, formerly Fonteyn's studio, while the penthouse opens onto a roof terrace with an outdoor kitchen and bar, with views towards the Victoria and Albert Museum. The lower level is a private spa finished in travertine and filled with daylight. A 12-metre pool with waterfalls and a media screen sits beside a glass-walled gym, sauna, steam room, hot tub and treatment space. An ice fountain and relaxation area complete the retreat. Outside, the walled garden and terraces form a series of outdoor rooms: a dining area beside a granite fireplace, raised lawns with a cinema screen, and a rooftop garden that offers complete privacy above the city. Opposite the Victoria and Albert Museum, the house sits moments from the boutiques and restaurants of the King's Road and Sloane Square, and within easy reach of South Kensington and Knightsbridge stations. Hyde Park is a short walk away, with Battersea Park just over a mile across the river.