Former Churchill Family Belgravia Residence Now On Market

The former Belgravia home of Lady Mary Soames, the youngest daughter of Sir Winston Churchill, an elegant three bedroom 1,980 sq.ft. (183.9 sq.m.) duplex apartment on Eaton Place with a private 325.1 sq.ft. (30.2 sq.m.) roof terrace has been listed for sale via sole selling agent Wetherell.

The spacious triple aspect duplex is located on the uppermost 3rd and 4th floors of a grand end-of-terrace Cubitt town house on Eaton Place, one of the most sought after addresses in Belgravia.

Accessed via a passenger lift, this top floor duplex apartment offers the layout benefits of a house with the reception and entertaining rooms on the lower floor and the bedroom suites and roof terrace on the upper level.

The entrance hall gives access to a double reception room and separate dining room, with both entertaining rooms having dual aspect views up and down Upper Belgrave Street, towards Belgrave Square and Eaton Square, respectively. There is also a fully fitted family kitchen with space for a breakfast table, with a separate utility room and guest cloakroom/WC completing the accommodation on the lower floor.

On the upper floor the principal bedroom suite has a spacious bedroom, opening onto the South East facing private roof terrace, a generous walk-in dressing room and a main bathroom with a bath and separate walk-in shower. There are two further double bedrooms and a bathroom on the top floor.

The Belgravia duplex was purchased by the Churchill family during the early 1960s when Lady Soames’ (1922-1914) husband, Sir Christopher Soames (1920-1987), a senior Conservative MP and diplomat, became Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food under Prime Minister Alec Douglas-Home.

During his tenure, Sir Christopher was involved in the February 1969 “Soames affair”, following a secret meeting between Soames and French President Charles de Gaulle, the latter offering bilateral talks concerning a partnership for Britain in a larger European Union. The British government eventually refused the offer, which for a time strained Franco-British relations. In 1973 the Belgravia duplex was sold when Sir Christopher was appointed as Vice-President of the European Commission, a role he held until 1976.

In 1945, Mary was appointed a Member of the Order of the British Empire (MBE), in recognition of her meritorious military services and in 1980 she was made Dame Commander of the Order of the British Empire (DBE), for her life of public service.

Now the duplex on Eaton Place is for sale. The location provides easy access to the local retail hubs of Elizabeth Street, Sloane Square/King’s Road and Motcomb Street. Eaton Place is also a short distance from Knightsbridge, Mayfair and London’s Victora Station, a main terminus for rail and underground lines.

Robert Dawson, Sales Director at Wetherell says: “Offering spacious main rooms, privacy and an outside private terrace this duplex in sought after Eaton Place is a super family home for a buyer wanting a base in Central London. The duplex offers a buyer the layout benefits of a house with the more public reception and entertaining rooms on the lower floor and the private bedroom suites on the upper level.”

The Eaton Place duplex is for sale for £4,300,000 (share of freehold). For further information visit Wetherell.

Image courtesy: WETHERELL