Spanning 2.3 acres of walled gardens in southwest London, Ormeley Lodge has long been a private retreat for some of Britain’s most influential figures. The Grade II* listed Queen Anne mansion, covering 15,800 square feet, has been the family home of socialite Lady Annabel Goldsmith for five decades and has now been placed on the market for £25 million following her death in October at the age of 91.
Located near Richmond Park and Ham Common, the sprawling estate was acquired by Lady Annabel and her second husband, Sir James Goldsmith, in 1976. The property holds a rich history, having been home to prominent individuals such as Horatio Walpole and William Pitt the Elder. Under the Goldsmiths’ ownership, it became a hub for a diverse array of guests from the aristocracy, politics, and entertainment.
Lady Annabel’s youngest son, Ben Goldsmith, described his upbringing at Ormeley Lodge as resembling a “commune,” though much different from the typical counterculture environment. Instead, the mansion hosted figures including royalty, politicians, and celebrities. Princess Diana was among the regular visitors, attending Lady Annabel’s Sunday lunches “two out of every three” weeks throughout the 1990s. Diana was known to spend considerable time by the estate’s secluded south-facing swimming pool, a space offering privacy where she could share personal reflections away from the public eye.
The mansion’s ten bedrooms and elegant features such as Corinthian pilasters—praised by art historian Nikolaus Pevsner as “exquisite”—have seen a mix of gatherings ranging from lavish social events to quieter periods of convalescence. Ben Goldsmith recalled that the house functioned variously as a “convalescent home, heartbreak hotel, children’s nursery, teenage marijuana den, and Harrods toy department at Christmas.” The estate’s long-term guests often stayed for extended periods to recover from personal difficulties.
Ormeley Lodge also played host to a broad social circle beyond British elites. Jemima Goldsmith, Lady Annabel’s elder daughter, was married to former Pakistani prime minister Imran Khan, who maintained a flat on the estate even after the couple divorced in 2004. Before his imprisonment in 2023, Imran Khan lived there for several months, and the estate frequently saw visits from Pakistani cricket fans. The property also welcomed actors like Hugh Grant, who dated Jemima, as well as Princess Alexandra of Kent, a close friend of Lady Annabel who lived next door, and journalists such as David Frost and his wife.
Ben and his brother Zac Goldsmith credit the estate’s natural surroundings—meadows, orchards, and proximity to protected commons and parks—with inspiring their environmental advocacy. The family’s decision to sell Ormeley Lodge marks the end of an era for the property, which Ben said now feels like “rather an empty shell” without his mother’s “planetary pull.”
Estate agents have described Ormeley Lodge as a property of significant cultural heritage with exceptional rarity on the market. Sir James Goldsmith, a financier and the second husband of Lady Annabel, passed away nearly 30 years ago at the age of 64.