Worth: $142 MillionThe late shipping billionaire Aristotle Onassis purchased Skorpios Island off of the coast of Greece in the 1960’s. Owning a private island wasn’t nearly as common as it is today, and he was actually one of the first people to do so. He dropped over $3 million on the island, which is a whole lot of money, especially for 1960.
After Onassis bought the island, he hosted his wedding to Jackie Kennedy on its shores. When he passed away in 1975, the property was inherited by his daughter. Unfortunately, she only lived for about another 12 years with it in her care. In 1988, she died, leaving Skorpios to her own daughter, who sold it to its current owner in 2013. The buyer, Russian heiress Ekaterina Rybolovleva, paid $150 million for the island. When you consider how much Onassis originally paid for it, that is one insane profit for his granddaughter.
Ted Turner - St. Phillips Islands, South Carolina
Worth: $4.9 Million Ted Turner is one of the biggest media moguls in the world, so it’s only appropriate that he’d find himself the owner of a few of his own private islands. In 1979, the multibillionaire purchased St. Phillips Islands off the coast of South Carolina and included a conservation easement in the deal. That’s because Turner didn’t want anyone to try and develop the land, but rather, he wanted to see its natural beauty elevated, including the addition of magnolia trees.
As far as buildings on the island, Turner created a 5,000 square foot home with a two-story living room, game room, and private patio overlooking the beach. In 2017, however, he decided to part ways with the property, and listed it for $24 million. But before a private buyer could get their hands on St. Phillips, Turner offered it to the state, who happily obliged the deal, for less than $5 million. The media mogul wanted the island opened up to the public so they can revel in its beauty as he did, and he got his wish when the state started offering tours of St. Phillips in 2018.
John Wayne - Taborcillo Island, Panama
Worth: Undisclosed AmountTaborcillo has become known as John Wayne Island, since the actor acquired the piece of land in the late 70’s. But Wayne didn’t buy it himself, it was actually gifted to him by Omar Torrijos, leader of the Panamanian Revolution. Today, it’s owned by Austrian businessman Ralph Hübner, who’s created the ultimate resort paradise, complete with all of the amenities.
John Wayne Island is back on the market these days, so if you happen to have $14 million and are looking for a private island with a theme park and hotel, look no further! The hotel includes 25 guest rooms, which are split between a hotel and cabins, all with a western theme, of course. After all, it is The John Wayne Island – that’s what the roadside sign says leading up to it, anyway!
Ekaterina RyboLovleva – Skorpios Island, Greece
Worth: $131.1 MillionWe spoke a bit about Ekaterina RyboLoyleva just briefly, earlier in the post, since she is the one who purchased Skorpios Island from Aristotle Onassis’ granddaughter. But Ekaterina is somewhat of a celebrity herself, in the sense she was born into one of the richest families on the planet and is known for dropping serious money on things like property.
The Russian heiress bought the 74-acre island off the coast of Greece, calling it her “personal refuge,” and saying that it’s full of history. These days, it’s being turned into a tourism complex for the super-rich and famous.
Robin Williams - Pender Harbor, British Columbia
Worth: Undisclosed AmountRobin Williams’ death broke the hearts of people everywhere, but it hit his family especially hard, as you can imagine. That’s why, when the late actor passed away, they opted to hang on to his island in Pender Harbor, British Columbia, rather than sell it off.
Williams passed away in 2014, and it’s still a sore subject for so many, considering the way it all happened. But his children chose to honor him and hang on to the little slice of northern paradise in BC. They had taken a lot of family vacations to the area and wanted to hold on to those moments, and now they’ll have them forever.