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The mystery owner of one of London’s priciest mansions is nearing a deal to sell it at a sharp increase to the price they paid less than two years ago.
The Regent’s Park mansion known as the Holme is being sold for approximately £190mn, according to people familiar with the matter, marking one of London’s most expensive house purchases ever.
The seller had paid £139mn to buy the 40-bedroom residence out of receivership in 2024. It was previously owned by Saudi royals.
Contracts have been exchanged and the deal is likely to complete in the coming weeks, the people said. The residence had not been publicly listed for sale.
The Holme’s buyer in 2024 has never come to light, having been hidden behind a trust company provided by a corporate services provider. The identity of the buyer in the current transaction is not publicly known either, according to the people familiar with the deal.
The anonymity comes despite efforts by the UK government to enhance the transparency of the high-end property market, where owners have long remained hidden behind trust structures and shell companies.
In the 2024 deal, the Holme was sold to a UK subsidiary of Zedra, a corporate service and wealth management firm that runs trusts on behalf of various clients, the FT previously reported, citing UK land records.
The UK created a register of overseas entities after Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022 to help the government crack down on mystery owners. The register requires individuals who own British property through offshore vehicles to register such entities and publicly reveal their ownership at Companies House.
The trust company that has directly owned the Holme since 2024 — Zedra Trust Company (UK) Limited — is registered in the UK. It did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
The Holme, which has a four-acre private garden, is located not far from the US ambassador’s home. It is owned on a long lease from the Crown Estate.
UK Sotheby’s International Realty was involved with the current transaction, according to people familiar with the matter. It declined to comment.
Despite its hefty price tag, the Holme ranks below London’s most expensive house sale, which took place earlier this year when property developer and Reform UK party treasurer Nick Candy sold his Chelsea mansion for more than £275mn to Suneil Setiya, founder of trading firm Quadrature Capital.
Additional reporting by Cynthia O’Murchu
