Sisters’ shock as dad leaves £15m castle to charity
HE DIED at the age of 85 with h no son to inherit his stunning family seat, Chilham Castle. So to save having to choose between his three beloved daughters, the late gambling tycoon Stuart Wheeler is leaving it to charity.
I can reveal that executors have put the 17th Century Kent manor house on the market for £15 million, with the proceeds going to good causes. It is a stunning decision which has left Wheeler’s daughters – model Jacquetta, plus Sarah and Charlotte – somewhat ‘stressed’ according to my source. rce.
The sisters have been largely living there, making the most of it during the year since their father died.
Estate agent Will Matthews of Knight Frank tells me: ‘ All three girls use it all the time, they were there together this week. It truly is a really usable residential home... and an absolutely amazing party place. I’ve rarely heard of a sale like this, where proceeds from the sale of a private home are going to charity.
‘We’ve had a lot of interest from interesting people.’
I’m sure the sisters will be sorry to hand it over. I hear whispers they are frustrated, but had an inkling their father would make the bold choice. A family friend adds: ‘Jacquetta is stressed at the moment – I think it is a tense time for all the girls.’ Jacquetta has documented her love of her family home on Instagram since she moved there for a time last winter, after splitting up with her husband Jamie. They married in 2012 at Chilham, and the wedding featured in Vogue. She has described the property on social media as ‘misty and beautiful’, ‘crazy beautiful’, ‘like Narnia’ and ‘magic’. Her father, who previously said he wanted to leave money to antitorture charities, once mused he could leave nothing to his daughters but declared before his death: ‘I have given and will leave them rather a lot.’ The Jacobean pile built in 1616 sits in 300 acres of land near Canterbury, and has an indoor swimming pool, tennis courts, a card room, library, vineyard, and 14 bedrooms.