Which world leader has the most expensive home?
The official residences of the world's most powerful
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The leaders of the world's richest countries get to live in some pretty palatial residences. But which premiers live a life of unbridled luxury and which are partial to a more humble abode?
A peek into the places that the likes of Vladimir Putin, Sir Keir Starmer and Joe Biden call home, click or scroll to take a look inside world leaders’ houses, from the modest to the unashamedly extravagant.
The UK's Sir Keir Starmer
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Sir Keir Starmer became the UK’s new prime minister after his Labour Party swept to power in a landslide general election victory in July 2024.
The son of a tool maker and a nurse, who studied at Leeds University and St Edmund Hall, Oxford, Starmer is a former human rights defence lawyer, knighted in 2014 in recognition of his work as head of the Crown Prosecution Service.
He lives in Kentish Town in the London Borough of Camden with his wife Victoria and two children and is expected to move into the larger flat above Number 11 Downing Street, rather than Number 10 like his predecessor, Rishi Sunak.
UK's Sir Keir Starmer, 10 Downing Street: £67 million ($87m)
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While 10 Downing Street has been the official residence of British Prime Ministers since 1735, former PM Tony Blair broke with tradition when he took power in 1997, opting for the larger residential quarters next door at 11 Downing Street.
Subsequent PMs Gordon Brown, David Cameron, Theresa May and Boris Johnson all followed suit, but Rishi Sunak was content in the smaller flat at number 10 he occupied as Chancellor of the Exchequer.
At around 3,800 square feet (353sqm), the simple Georgian townhouse at number 10 is estimated by UK political magazine The New Statesman to be worth around £67 million ($87m), so the larger flat above number 11 may be worth more.
Given the political and cultural significance of the properties, they are both likely to fetch substantial amounts if they were put on the market.
UK's Sir Keir Starmer, Chequers: £1million ($1.3m) per year in upkeep
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The UK PM is also granted the use of an official country residence, Chequers Court. Intended to be a retreat from the pressures of political life, it was donated by a Conservative MP and his American heiress wife in 1917 and today boasts a heated swimming pool and tennis court.
Boris Johnson retreated to the 16th-century manor with his pregnant wife Carrie in 2020 to recover from COVID-19, while his successor, Liz Truss, is said to have spent her last weekend as leader partying here with friends following her disastrous 44-day premiership.
The residence is reported to cost UK taxpayers more than £1 million ($1.3m) a year to maintain according to UK news site mylondon.co.uk.
Australia's Anthony Albanese
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Anthony Albanese is a relative newcomer to the upper echelons of politics, taking on the role of Australia's PM in May 2022. While studying economics at the University of Sydney he joined the Labor Party and later worked as a party official and research officer before entering Parliament.
The father of one technically has two official prime ministerial residences he could choose to live in, The Lodge in Canberra and Kirribilli House in Sydney. Let's see which one he opted for...
Australia's Anthony Albanese, The Lodge: £5 million of refurbishments
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More small country house than sprawling palace, Anthony Albanese currently lives in The Lodge, which sits on 193,750 square feet (18,000sqm) of grounds and has 40 rooms in total.
Built in the 1920s, the Canberra property was only intended to serve as a temporary residence, requiring an expensive upkeep and several renovations, the latest seeing it close then reopen in 2016 after AUS$9.4 million (£5m/$6.3m) of refurbishments according to British newspaper The Guardian.
That's probably why numerous Aussie PMs have chosen to live elsewhere or at Kirribilli House.
Australia's Anthony Albanese, Kirribilli House £28.3 million ($37m)
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Although The Lodge is the prime minister's main official residence, he also has the use of Kirribilli House (seen here), which has been set aside for the use of Australian PMs since 1956.
Designed in the rustic cottage ornée style and built in 1855, it sits on the Sydney harbourside and commands impressive views out to iconic landmarks such as the Harbour Bridge and Sydney Opera House.
Recent estimates according to website urban.com put its market value at around AUS$54.5 million (£28.3m/$37m).
South Africa's Cyril Ramaphosa
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Once a close ally of Nelson Mandela, Cyril Ramaphosa was re-elected as South Africa’s president following a landmark coalition deal between the governing African National Congress (ANC) and opposition parties in June 2024. Support for the party has fallen in recent years, due to anger over high levels of corruption, unemployment and crime, reports the BBC.
The ANC lost its parliamentary majority for the first time in 30 years following the country’s elections the previous month and was forced to combine with smaller parties, including the centre-right Democratic Alliance (DA) to remain in government.
South Africa's Cyril Ramaphosa, Bryntirion Estate: almost £2 million over five years
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Set in 270,000 square feet (25,000sqm) of gardens, Mahlamba Ndlopfu and Oliver Tambo House are located on the Bryntirion Estate in Pretoria and are the official residence of the president and deputy president of South Africa.
The Mahlamba Ndlopfu mansion was originally known as Libertas. Following the end of the Apartheid era and the election of South Africa’s first black president Nelson Mandela, its name became Mahlamba Ndlopfu, meaning 'new dawn' in the Tsonga language. Prince Harry and Meghan Markle are seen inside the property in this image.
Oliver Tambo House was originally called Overvaal. Built in 1937 it was first used as the official residence for the Administrator of the former Transvaal Province.
South Africa's Cyril Ramaphosa, Bryntirion Estate: almost £2 million over five years
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This is the exterior of Mahlamba Ndlopfu mansion, built in 1940 in a traditional Cape Dutch style. The upkeep of both residences was said to cost almost R46 million (almost £2m/$2.5m) according to public works minister Sihle Zikalala’s response during parliamentary questions in June 2023. This does not include other presidential residences in Durban and Cape Town.
Ramaphosa is a notoriously private man and little is known about his personal life, but he is considered to be one of the richest people in South Africa, with an estimated net worth of around $450 million (£351m) according to Forbes.
Although he lives in the Pretoria mansion for much of the time, he also owns a luxury property at the foot of Lion's Head in Cape Town.
Argentina’s Javier Milei
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Dubbed 'El Loco’ (the madman) by his critics, Javier Milei stormed to victory in the November 2023 elections in Argentina, winning close to 56% of the votes.
The right-wing celebrity economist, who campaigned posing with a chainsaw to symbolise his promise to slash public spending, has cut public sector jobs, energy and transport subsidies and the value of the currency so people’s money is worth less than it was, according to the BBC.
His brash personality and anti-establishment opinions have earned him comparisons to Jair Bolsonaro of Brazil.
Argentina's Javier Milei, Quinta de Olivos: £17.9 million ($23m)
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Milei is unmarried with no children but swept aside anti-nepotism laws to appoint his sister Karina, also known as 'el jefe' (the boss), to a high-ranking role in his government. The colourful leader quickly took up residence in Quinta de Olivos on the outskirts of Buenos Aires, which is the official home of Argentina's president.
The 87,000-square-foot (8,082sqm) palace was built in the mid-19th century (seen here in 1922) and according to reports, will also be home to sister Karina, his de facto First Lady, along with Human Capital Minister Sandra Pettovello and Cabinet Chief Nicolás Posse, who will live in guest houses in the grounds reports Argentinian newspaper the Buenos Aries Times.
Argentina's Javier Milei, Quinta de Olivos: £17.9 million ($23m)
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The palace is so opulent that several former presidents of Argentina have opted to live elsewhere to avoid appearing out of touch with the people. Juan Domingo Perón is the only president who died there on July 1, 1974. He was married to the famous Eva Perón, played by Madonna in movie Evita.
The compound's many facilities include a mini-golf course and a helipad, contributing to the property’s latest market value of £17.9 million ($23m), estimated in 2017. In 2021, Newspaper The Indian Times reported a similar value of £16.9 million ($22m), but with Argentina’s inflation standing at 287% in May 2024, it may well be worth a little more by now!
Brazil's Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva
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Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva, better known as Lula, started out as a metalworker and went on to become President of Brazil from 2003 to 2010.
The father-of-five who's been married three times, was imprisoned for corruption and money laundering in 2018 but was freed in 2019, after serving 580 days in jail, with all charges eventually quashed in 2021.
In 2023, Lula ousted right-wing Jair Bolsonaro and became president once again, at the age of 77.
Brazil's Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva, Palácio da Alvorada: £36.2 million ($46.9m)
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Looking more like a Bond villain's lair than a presidential palace, the modernist Palácio da Alvorada in Brasilia, which became the country’s new capital in 1960, was designed by the world-renowned architect Oscar Niemeyer and built between 1957 and 1958.
The building was heavily restored in 2006 at a cost of £14.3 million ($18.4m). Free from all Colonial architectural references, the palace comprises 75,000 square feet (650 sqm) and the rooms are arranged over three floors. The iconic building was estimated in 2023 to be worth around £36.2 million ($46.9m).
Brazil's Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva, Palácio da Alvorada: £36.2 million ($46.9m)
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Packed with amenities, the Palácio da Alvorada houses a movie theatre, games room and medical centre and even has its own chapel and helipad. Yet, when new president Lula da Silva took office in 2023, the building looked like it might need another makeover.
According to numerous reports, former president Jair Bolsonaro had "wrecked" the palace, leaving torn carpets and broken windows, as well as damaged artwork, some artwork allegedly disappeared entirely according to British newspaper The Guardian.
Canada's Justin Trudeau
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Justin Trudeau assumed office as Prime Minister of Canada in 2015, but he's long been familiar with the trappings of political life. As the son of Pierre Trudeau, who served as Canadian PM from 1968 to 1984, Justin Trudeau spent much of his childhood at 24 Sussex Drive, the official residence of the Canadian PM.
Growing up, the young Trudeau saw many a famous face visit his childhood home, including Princess Diana and Richard and Pat Nixon, who visited a baby Justin in his crib and gifted him a snoopy toy according to Google News.
Canada's Justin Trudeau, Rideau Cottage: £40 million ($51.3m)
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Owing to the advanced state of neglect of 24 Sussex Drive, Trudeau and his family moved into Rideau Cottage after he took office in 2015.
Built in 1867, the 22-room Georgian Revival building had been renovated in 2013 before the family moved in and the property is known for its beautifully understated design, characterised by a classically-inspired central entrance.
It has a much more sizable value at £40 million ($51.3m) than 24 Sussex Drive, according to research by insurance provider Mashroom, which was last inhabited by Prime Minister Stephen Harper, who left office in 2015. However, the building is technically owned by the Head of the Commonwealth, King Charles III.
Canada's Justin Trudeau, 24 Sussex Drive: £7.5 million ($9.7m)
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Trudeau's childhood home at 24 Sussex Drive meanwhile, has been deemed by the government an uninhabitable fire trap, with leaky plumbing and asbestos in the walls. It would cost nearly three times the property’s estimated value of CA$13.3 million (£7.5m/$9.7m) to renovate it properly, so the future is uncertain for the 34-room home, which may never be occupied by another Canadian leader again.
The future is looking slightly unsure for Justin Trudeau too. There were calls for a change in leadership following a disastrous by-election defeat in June 2024, while on the personal front, he announced that he and his wife, Sophie, were separating after 18 years of marriage in 2023. The couple have three children and said they would "remain a close family with deep love and respect."
Saudi Arabia's Mohammed bin Salman Al Saud
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Saudi Arabia's Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman Al Saud, known as MBS, was appointed prime minister in 2022, having previously served as defence minister from 2015.
The role of PM is usually held by the king of the oil-rich state. However, the declining health of his elderly father, King Salman, led him to hand over the reins of power to his favourite seventh son earlier than expected.
While MBS has attempted to modernise the country by lifting the ban on women driving, for example, he has also been accused of approving the murder of journalist Jamal Khashoggi in 2018 as reported by the BBC.
Saudi Arabia's Mohammed bin Salman Al Saud, Qasr Al-Hukm: £17 million ($22m)
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Qasr Al-Hukm in Riyadh is Saudi Arabia's traditional seat of government and the official residence of its ruler. The impressive palace is also known as the Justice Palace, due to its square being the site of historic executions.
When it was built, Qasr Al-Hukm was the largest structure in Riyadh. Its main hall alone is the size of three football pitches and has 45-foot-high (13.7m) ceilings.
With an estimated net worth of £3.9 billion ($5bn), the crown prince and prime minister could easily afford to buy the property, which has been valued at £17 million ($22m), many times over.
Saudi Arabia's Mohammed bin Salman Al Saud, Qasr Al-Hukm: £17 million ($22m)
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The fortress-style palace was built during the 19th century and sprawls over 118,000 square feet (11k sqm).
The palace and its surrounding streets were renovated in the 1980s, reportedly to the tune of some £46.2 million ($60m), but that is still just a fraction of the £231million ($300m) said to have been paid for Chateau Louis XlV, the mansion he bought in Paris in 2015 as reported by global publication The Economic Times.
In September 2015, the Saudi government opened the Qasr Al-Hukm to the public for the first time, giving them a glimpse inside the extraordinary residence.
Spain's Pedro Sánchez
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Born in Madrid to an affluent family, Pedro Sánchez became Spain's prime minister in 2018. The father-of-two was lagging behind in the polls before the opposition was hit by a corruption scandal and Sanchez managed to sneak a victory.
It hasn't been all plain sailing since. The socialist leader dealt with baseless right-wing attacks on his family which led him to threaten to resign in April 2024. However, after a five-day "period of reflection" and a wave of support, he announced he would carry on as PM according to website Politico.
Spain's Pedro Sánchez, Palace of Moncloa: £116 million ($150m)
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While Spain's Head of State, King Felipe VI, lives in the Palacio de la Zarzuela on the outskirts of Madrid, the country's prime minister, Pedro Sánchez, resides in the Palace of Moncloa (pictured) in the centre of the capital.
A piece of prime real estate, it has been estimated to be worth £116 million ($150m). The palace was built by the architect, Diego Méndez, in the style of the Casa del Labrador in Aranjuez, which means 'house of the farm labourer'. In a similar vein, the Palace of Moncloa was originally a farm for agricultural use.
Spain's Pedro Sánchez, Palace of Moncloa: £116 million ($150m)
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Despite its more humble beginnings, the Moncloa complex now has 16 buildings including a bunker and a hospital. The 352,000-square-foot (32,701 sqm) palace, which dates back to the 17th century, has been the property of the Spanish state since 1846 but was repurposed as the official residence of the country's PMs during the transition from monarchy to democracy in 1977.
The building has undergone significant updates over its life, including the construction of a tennis court and renovation of the pool. Adolfo Suarez, prime minister from 1976 to 1981, ordered the old main courtyard be covered, which is now known as the Hall of Columns and the newest building built in 2006 houses the deputy prime minister's office.
USA's Joe Biden
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At age 78, Joe Biden is the oldest person ever to have assumed the office, as the 46th President of the USA. During his presidency, he's made headlines for wiping out $39 billion (£30bn) in student loan debt and supporting Ukraine in its fight against Russia.
However, following his poor performance in a debate, in which he garbled his words and lost his train of thought, the 81-year-old president faced unprecedented calls to resign in the presidential reelection campaign as reported by American news outlet CNBC.
While he likes to holiday at his beach house in Delaware and on South Carolina's exclusive Kiawah Island, his main residence needs no introduction, being one of the most famous landmarks in the world...
USA's Joe Biden, The White House: £448 million ($582m)
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The iconic residence of the POTUS, the neoclassical White House is also the American leader's place of work. Dating back to 1792, the building has served as the official residence of every president since John Adams.
On 20 January 2021, the day of his inauguration, President Joe Biden moved in, but not before the building underwent a scrupulous deep, to avoid any risk of him contracting COVID-19, happened.
USA's Joe Biden, The White House: £448 million ($582m)
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Size-wise, the White House totals 55,000 square feet (5,109 sqm), which is relatively compact for a presidential palace. The six-storey building consists of 132 rooms, including the famous Oval Office, seen here, and the Blue Room, as well as 35 bathrooms.
No wonder such a lavish pad is thought to be worth £448 million ($582m), according to British political journal The New Statesman. Interestingly, although it is one of the world's most iconic landmarks, the White House is a copy of the 1748 Leinster House in Dublin.
India's Droupadi Murmu
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Droupadi Murmu became India's 15th president when she was elected in July 2022. She is the first to come from an indigenous tribal community.
Despite suffering the pain and tragedy of losing her husband, two sons and an infant daughter, Murmu forged a career as a teacher before entering politics in 1997, eventually serving as the governor of the state of Jharkhand from 2015 to 2021.
She has one adult daughter and is deeply spiritual, reportedly waking at 3am every morning to meditate.
India's Droupadi Murmu, Rashtrapati Bhavan: £824 million ($1bn)
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The role of president is largely ceremonial in India, with Prime Minister Narendra Modi, who won a third consecutive term in the 2024 general election, at the head of government.
The Rashtrapati Bhavan in New Delhi is the official residence of the President of India. Formerly known as Viceroy House, the complex was designed by Edwin Lutyens, best known for designing English country houses, and built for the British Viceroy. It was completed in 1929.
India's Droupadi Murmu, Rashtrapati Bhavan: £824 million ($1bn)
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The complex didn't become the official residence of India's first President until 1950 when Rajendra Prasad took control. That was also when the building was renamed. Rashtrapati Bhavan literally means President's House.
The main 340-room building and extensive gardens sit on a huge estate which sprawls over 2.2 million square feet (204k sqm) and includes numerous buildings for staff and official business. It's not surprising then that recent estimates from The New Statesman say the property is worth around £824 million ($1bn).
Turkey's Recep Tayyip Erdoğan
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Recep Tayyip Erdoğan is a divisive figure in his home country of Turkey, as well as on the world stage. He served as prime minister between 2003 and 2014, after which he rose to power as president and has remained in that role ever since.
In May 2023, Erdoğan won another five years in office, splitting an already deeply divided country.
The father-of-four has drawn international disapproval for jailing journalists, as reported in The New York Times, crushing dissenters and increasing trade with Russia since the invasion of Ukraine, as reported by digital publication Carnegie Politika.
Turkey's Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, Presidential Complex: £500 million ($649m)
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Turkey's new presidential palace in the capital Ankara was completed in 2014.
Dubbed 'Ak Saray', aka the 'White House', the gargantuan 1,150-room complex is four times the size of the Palace of Versailles and the second-largest presidential complex in the world at 3.2 million square feet (297k sqm).
But the pet project of President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, Ak Saray has been mired in controversy since its conception...
Turkey's Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, Presidential Complex: £500 million ($649m)
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Critics have lambasted the government for its extravagant spending on the palace interiors, which are packed with fine marble, lavish furnishings and expensive artworks.
Turkey’s Presidential Complex got a new addition in 2020 in the shape of an enormous state-of-the-art library with over four million print resources as reported by Turkish news outlet Daily Sabah.
This contributes to its staggering estimated worth of £500 million ($649m) as reported by British newspaper the Daily Mail. The palace is seen here in May 2023 after Erdoğan won a historic election, extending his rule until 2028.
Germany's Olaf Scholz
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Another relatively recent premier, Olaf Scholz took over from Angela Merkel as Germany's Chancellor in 2021. Scholz grew up in Hamburg and lived there until he moved to Potsdam in the German state of Brandenburg in 2018 with his wife, fellow politician Britta Ernst.
Once known as 'Scholzomat' for his robotic image, Scholz won popularity for his management of the COVID-19 crisis as finance minister. However, he has been facing criticism for his handling of an infamous €30 billion (£25.2bn/$32.7bn) tax fraud scandal, as reported online by Politico, and suffered a withering defeat in the European elections in June 2024.
So, who knows how much longer he'll be able to call his official residence home...
Germany's Olaf Scholz, Chancellery extension: £653 million ($848m)
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Although Germany's Federal Chancellery is the largest government headquarters in the world, the official residence of Chancellor Olaf Scholz is a rather more humble affair.
The two-bedroom apartment measures just 2,150 square feet (200 sqm) and is located on the top floor of the modern federal building located on the banks of the river Spree.
Building work started in 1997 after architects Charlotte Frank and Alex Schultes won a public competition with its postmodern design.
Germany's Olaf Scholz, Chancellery extension: £653 million ($848m)
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Scholz receives dignitaries from around the world at the Chancellery, including Giorgia Meloni, seen here visiting the German premier in February 2023.
The honorary court is home to Berlin, a striking iron sculpture by Basque sculptor Eduardo Chillida. The 18-foot-high (5m), 87.5-tonne (87.5k kilos) artwork is intended to symbolise political rapprochement and unification.
The Chancellery is undergoing a staggering €777 million (£653m/$848m) extension, which has drawn criticism for going dramatically over budget.
Russia's Vladimir Putin
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Russian leader President Vladimir Putin was a KGB foreign intelligence officer for 16 years before he began his political career under Boris Yeltsin. He has served continuously as either president or prime minister since 1999, rising to become one of the world's most controversial leaders.
In 2022, he launched a military invasion of Ukraine and he was indicted by the International Criminal Court for war crimes in 2023 as reported by independent, nonprofit media organisation NPR. His government has been accused of being behind the murders of political critics and rivals.
Putin's net worth is estimated to be between £54 billion ($70bn) and £154 billion ($200bn) and he is rumoured to have a lavish property portfolio, but let's take a look at his official residence...
Russia's Vladimir Putin, Grand Kremlin Palace: £2.31 billion ($3bn)
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Meaning, 'fortress inside a city,' the Kremlin is a vast complex that includes five palaces, four cathedrals and a helipad and while the complex is priceless, its estimated worth would be something in the region of £2.31 billion ($3bn).
The Grand Kremlin Palace is currently the main official residence of the Russian president in Moscow. The site has been continuously occupied since the 2nd century BC, with work starting on the existing structure around 1838. Putin doesn't actually live in the Kremlin Palace though...
Russia's Vladimir Putin, Black Sea Palace: £1 billion ($1.4bn)
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He has many homes, but Putin's official residence since 2000 is Novo-Ogaryovo in Moscow, where the Russian leader lives and hosts visitors. He even remained in the large pastel yellow mansion during his four-year break from the presidency between 2008 and 2012.
It's this (pictured) sprawling pile on the Black Sea coast, however, that has caused the most controversy as reported by British newspaper The Guardian. Known colloquially as Putin’s Palace, opposition leader Alexei Navalny claimed that the Italiante mega-mansion belongs to the Russian president in a video that went viral on YouTube in 2021.
He alleged the ultra-lavish property cost £1 billion ($1.4bn) to build and that taxpayer money was used to fund its construction.
Italy's Giorgia Meloni
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In October 2022, Italy welcomed a new leader, Giorgia Meloni. A far-right firebrand (a firebrand is a person who causes political or social trouble by opposing authority and encouraging others to do so), Italy's first female prime minister enjoyed a meteoric rise from teenage member of a neo-fascist party in Rome to the founder of the Brothers of Italy party, which she led for ten years before being voted into Italy's top job aged just 45.
Abandoned by her father, Meloni's childhood was one of "hardship," as reported in UK owned news outlet The New European. Nevertheless she looks happily at home in her palatial political residence.
Italy's Giorgia Meloni, Quirinal Palace: £945 million ($1.2bn)
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Italy's leader is entitled to live in the Quirinal Palace in Rome while in office. Originally a papal summer residence, the palace, which dates back to the 16th century, became the official presidential residence in 1946.
It has so far served as the official home of 30 popes, four kings and 12 presidents and has an incredible 1,200 rooms including one called The Room of the Flood, a name given during its papal days. Property website Hatched puts the historic estate's value at some £945 million ($1.2bn).
Italy's Giorgia Meloni, Quirinal Palace: £945 million ($1.2bn)
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The exceedingly spacious palace covers around 1.2 million square feet (111k sqm), making it one of the largest palaces in the world and 20 times larger than the White House. On top of that (pun intended), the palace sits on prime Roman real estate atop Quirinal Hill, the highest of the seven hills of Rome.
The PM also has access to two further official residences; Villa Rosebery, so called because it was once owned by British prime minister, the 5th Earl of Rosebery, in Naples, and Castelporziano, a stunning country estate on the outskirts of Rome.
France's Emmanuel Macron
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Emmanuel Macron became the youngest-ever President of France in May 2017. After calling a snap election in June 2024 following significant losses in the European Parliament elections, his party lost its majority and the extent of his waning popularity was revealed.
Macron has vowed he will stay in office until his second term ends in May 2027 according to French news outlet France 24, so he will have plenty of time to enjoy the stunning homes at his disposal.
These include Fort de Brégançon, a medieval fortress on an islet in the French Riviera, La Lanterne, a hunting lodge in Versailles and Château de Rambouillet, which Marie-Antoinette declared a "gothic toad-house", for meetings. But the jewel in the crown is surely the Elysée Palace.
France's Emmanuel Macron, Elysée Palace: £1.29 billion ($1.7bn)
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Located on the prestigious Rue du Faubourg Saint-Honoré in Paris, the Elysée Palace is the official residence of the President of France Emmanuel Macron.
The ornate palace, which was completed in the 18th century, totals 118,000 square feet (10,962spm) and according to research undertaken by political news organisation The New Statesman, is worth £1.29 billion ($1.7bn).
France's Emmanuel Macron, Elysée Palace: £1.29 billion ($1.7bn)
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Unlike other presidential residences, the Elysée Palace is super-private and foreign dignitaries stay at the luxe Hotel de Marigny rather than the palace itself.
Former French president Francois Hollande is pictured here being interviewed at the presidential property in 2013, surrounded by a lavish, heavily gilded interior.
Former President Charles de Gaulle organised the purchase of the Hotel de Marigny in 1972 to avoid “meeting kings walking around my corridors in their pyjamas”.
China's Xi Jinping
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Xi Jinping is currently serving a historic third term as China's president, a position he's held since 2012.
Although the role of president is typically ceremonial, Xi has managed to consolidate his power by also becoming General Secretary of the Communist Party and Chairman of the Central Military Commission.
He has drawn criticism for his ultra-strict handling of the COVID-19 crisis, China's alleged spying operation targeting the UK and the US, as reported by Japanese-owned but UK-based the Financial Times and the Chinese government's "genocidal" treatment of its Uyghur population according to the BBC.
China's Xi Jinping, Zhongnanhai: £31 billion ($40bn)
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President Xi's official residence is here in the Zhongnanhai complex. Standing just west of Beijing's vast Forbidden City, it was once an imperial garden and is now the headquarters of the Chinese Communist Party and the central government.
Zhongnanhai totals a staggering 37 million square feet (3.4m sqm), which explains its astronomical £31 billion ($40bn) evaluation according to Hatched. The complex is more than 17,000 times larger than Olaf Scholz's official residence, and almost 44,000 times more valuable.
China's Xi Jinping, Zhongnanhai: £31 billion ($40bn)
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During Chairman Mao Zedong's rule, the Library of Chrysanthemum Fragrance in his private residence was said to be his favourite place.
In an article by international auction house Sotheby's, according to former US Secretary of State Henry Kissinger, who visited Mao there, "manuscripts lined bookshelves along every wall; books covered the table and the floor; it looked more the retreat of a scholar than the audience room of the all-powerful leader of the world’s most populous nation."
Austria’s Alexander Van der Bellen
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Alexander Van der Bellen became Federal President of the Republic of Austria in January 2017, and was re-elected in October 2022 for a second six-year term. While his responsibilities are largely ceremonial, he has significant constitutional powers, presiding over six different chancellors in seven administrations in his first term.
A former member of the Green Party, he has been a staunch advocate for environmental protection and climate policy and is a vocal defender of democratic values and the rule of law.
He has opposed the Austrian government’s decision to impose a limit on how many asylum-seekers it will allow into the country, and said he would refuse on principle to swear in any government led by Mr Hofer’s far-right Freedom Party as reported by online news publication goodcountry.org.
Austria’s Alexander Van der Bellen, Hofburg Imperial Palace: £3.1 billion ($4bn)
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The forward-thinking president gets to live in quite an old-fashioned magical mansion. One of the biggest palace complexes in the world, the Hofburg Imperial Palace is the former winter residence of the Habsburg dynasty in Austria.
The historic building, which dates to the 17th century, now serves as the home and workplace of the President of Austria. However, visitors can still gain a glimpse of its imperial past in its richly decorated apartments, the Sisi Museum, which is dedicated to the enigmatic Empress Elisabeth, the wife of Franz Joseph, and its lavish silver collections.
The sprawling palace complex which extends over 2.5 million square feet (240k sqm) also boasts paintings by the likes of Klimt and Dürer and the Spanish Riding School, home to the dancing Lipizzaner horses.
Austria’s Alexander Van der Bellen, Hofburg Imperial Palace: £3.1 billion ($4bn)
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The Leopoldine Wing of the Hofburg Imperial Palace has been home to the President of Austria since 1946. Commissioned by Emperor Leopold l but burned down soon after it was completed in 1667, it was not restored until 1683. Only the façade remains from Leopold l’s era.
Today, visitors can wander through the stunning chambers on the first floor, or ‘bel étage’, and gain insights into his everyday work life.
It is virtually impossible to calculate the value of the palace complex. However, based on figures provided by realtors Engel & Völkers for land per sqm in Vienna’s first district, the Hofburg could easily be worth around £3.1 billion ($4bn) for the land alone, without even considering its enormous historic and cultural significance.
Norway’s Jonas Gahr Støre
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Jonas Gahr Støre became Prime Minister of Norway in October 2021, having served as Leader of the Labour Party since 2014. He is married to Marit Slagsvold with three children.
He has previously served as Minister of Foreign Affairs and Minister of Health and Care Services having held numerous other senior positions in the civil service and humanitarian organisations, including as Secretary General of the Norwegian Red Cross from 2003 to 2005.
Whether addressing climate change, conflict resolution, or humanitarian crises, his vision extends beyond national borders and his leadership style emphasises dialogue and consensus-building, reflecting Norway’s political culture of cooperation across party lines.
Norway’s Jonas Gahr Støre, Inkognitogata 18: £25 million ($32m) renovation costs
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The prime minister’s official residence is located at Inkognitogata 18 in Oslo. It’s a complex of old and new buildings including Inkognitogata 18, Parkveien 45 and Riddervolds Gate 2, which have been connected with new structures and gardens.
Historically, Parkveien 45, also known as “Villa Parafina”, due to its original owner, Frederik Sundt, being an importer of paraffin oil, was the original and first official home of the prime minister which played a vital role in the country’s history, since it was here that negotiations for Norway’s independence from Sweden were conducted in 1905.
Norway’s Jonas Gahr Støre, Inkognitogata 18: £25 million ($32m) renovation costs
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The residence at Inkognitogata 18 meanwhile, covers an area of 7,212 square feet (670 sqm). The total cost for the renovation of the old buildings and creation of new linking buildings was NOK 350 million (£25m/$32m) in 2008 as reported by Norwegian news source, Dagbladet.
As you can see from this image of former Prime Minister Erna Solberg there in 2019, the residence is significantly more modest than some of the official homes on this list.
According to reports, the home’s interior was inspired by the Norwegian embassy residence in Berlin and much of the furniture was purchased from Nordic manufacturers, including the Swedish company IKEA.
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