Petra splits from Britain too – and moves new man into her Beverly Hills mansion
After £5bn divorce from James Stunt...
SHE has endured a traumatic two years in London, including an acrimonious £5.5billion divorce battle and the firebombing of her home.
Now Formula 1 heiress Petra Ecclestone has decided to quit the UK and is selling her £30million home in the capital to start a new life in Los Angeles.
Petra will take her three children to live in The Manor, the sprawling mansion she bought from the late TV mogul Aaron Spelling in 2011.
The Mail on Sunday also understands that her latest lover, vintage car salesman Sam Palmer, will be going along too. The couple have been dating for five months.
Meanwhile, the Belgravia mansion she shared with former husband James Stunt – and which was targeted by arsonists in 2016 – was put up for sale last week.
In an interview with The Mail on Sunday’s You magazine, Petra speaks for the first time about life after her bitter divorce and the struggles of being a single mother – albeit an incredibly wealthy one.
The youngest daughter of former F1 tycoon Bernie says: ‘It’s been a bad year. But it’s getting better. Once you have kids, there’s no option but to be strong. You can’t feel sorry for yourself, you just have to do what’s right for them. I thought I wasn’t the type who believed in divorce. I got married thinking I would be with that person for the rest of my life. But things happen for a reason.’
Details of her six-year marriage were laid bare during a divorce hearing last year, including allegations that gold bullion trader Stunt, 36, was abusive, violent and took overdoses, which he denies.
Petra, 29, was granted full cus- tody of their children, and in January the High Court ruled she was free to emigrate to the US with daughter, Lavinia, five, and twins James and Andrew, who turn three next month.
Last month Petra was stunned when Stunt branded her a ‘horrible human being’ and her father a ‘dwarf’ in a magazine interview.
A source close to Petra said: ‘She is much happier in LA. She lives a much nicer life and has lots of friends over there. She’s really excited to be relocating. In London, she really only has her sister Tamara and her family.
‘She is very tough, but her divorce really took it out of her. Now she’s looking forward to a new start – and looking to go very, very soon.
‘There are a few practical issues to sort out, but when you’re as wealthy as she is these things don’t take long. She and Sam are blissfully happy and are looking to make their future a joyful one.’
The Manor, said to be the largest private home in California, has 123 rooms, including three for wrapping presents. However, in her bid to erase bad memories of her marriage, Petra still has plans to sell the Beverly Hills property. The house – valued at £160million – has been on the market for a year.
‘I WASN’T THE TYPE WHO BELIEVED IN DIVORCE...’ HER FIRST INTERVIEW SINCE BREAK-UP IN