Bernie’s winter wonderland!
Ecclestone daughters turn Tamara’s mansion into a Swiss chalet for billionaire’s 85th birthday
IF Bernie Ecclestone can’t escape to his Swiss ski chalet to celebrate his 85th birthday, it won’t be a problem.
After all, when you have a family fortune of almost £3billion, you can afford to bring the chalet to you.
The Formula 1 boss’s daughter Tamara transformed her West London mansion into a winter wonderland to host a surprise party for her father on Saturday.
With its wood panelling and banks of specially planted trees covered in fake snow, the finished effect bore more than a passing resemblance to the family’s £23million chalet in Gstaad, Switzerland.
No expense was spared in giving Tamara’s 57-room, £70million Kensington home a makeover. Its imposing red-brick front was obscured by a wooden cabin facade.
The driveway was covered in white sheeting to make it look snow-covered and extra trees were brought in, reminiscent of the foliage outside Mr Ecclestone’s retreat in the Alps. The outside was finished with a sign naming it ‘Chalet Bernie’.
The inside was no less impressive, with animal heads mounted on the walls, plush cushions, fur-covered seats and a gourmet dinner. The tycoon was presented with a birthday cake covered in pictures of his face.
The party has been thrown slightly early, given that Ecclestone’s actual birthday is not until October 28.
Mother-of-one Miss Ecclestone, 31, posted a series of pictures of the festivities on social media. One showed her posing with her father and sister Petra, 26, in front of fake windows showing a snow-capped landscape outside. It was accompanied by the caption: ‘A night to remember.’
Another picture of her under the ‘Chalet Bernie’ sign with her husband, Jay Rutland, 34, was uploaded along with the message: ‘Celebrating a very special man.’ A snap of Mr Ecclestone cutting his cake was captioned: ‘Make a wish.’
Yesterday Miss Ecclestone posted pictures of her daughter Sophia, one, running around in the fake snow with the words: ‘The morning after the night before.’ Another image of Sophia riding a pony was tagged: ‘Sunday funday.’