Reliance Industries Limited (RIL) chairman and managing director Mukesh Ambani is building a second home for himself and his family. According to a report in Mid-Day, the Ambanis are planning to shift base to the 300-acre London property in Buckinghamshire, Stoke Park. However, the family hasn’t yet confirmed the reports or made any comments.
Citing unidentified sources, the daily mentioned that the Ambanis spent most of their time during the lockdowns and pandemic inside their posh sky-high residence ‘Antilia’ located on Altamount Road – one of the most expensive neighbourhoods located in Mumbai – the family realised they needed a second property to call home. ETNownews.com has not verified the newspaper report, and cannot vouch for its accuracy.
So they decided to make their London property, which the Ambanis purchased at a whopping Rs 592 crore earlier this year, their primary home and have already started setting it up as per their needs.
The new Stoke Park property has 49 bedrooms, a state-of-the-art medical facility, a shrine that replicates the one in their Mumbai house, ‘Antilia’, among other luxurious things.
The family also flew down to their new home for Diwali this year, which they usually celebrate in their Mumbai high-tower ‘Antilia’. After celebrating Diwali, the Ambanis will return to India and will fly back to their UK mansion next year in April once things have settled and are in place.
The family is learnt to have set up a mandir as well on the property and is expected to take two priests from Mumbai. The design of the shrine is similar to the ones in their Mumbai home and various Indian offices. Marble sculptures of Ganesha, Radha-Krishna, and Hanuman were commissioned from a Rajasthan sculptor.
Ambani’s new property also has a mini-hospital headed by a British doctor.
But why the Stoke Park property?
According to the report, the family wanted something more open in terms of space and nothing like their vertical building ‘Antilia’ situated in Mumbai’s poshest locality. So the Ambanis started their hunt for the new home last year and after locking the deal on the Stoke Park mansion, the work on fixing the 300-acre property as per their needs and requirements began in August.
After 1908, the mansion, which used to be a private residence, was converted into a country club. According to media reports, the mansion has also featured in a James Bond film.