From the Kennedys to the Gettys: amazing homes of the world's most famous families
Palatial properties owned by the most prestigious families of all time
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The Vanderbilts

The Vanderbilts

The Vanderbilts

The Vanderbilts

The Vanderbilts

The Vanderbilts

The Vanderbilts

The Vanderbilts

The Vanderbilts
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The morning room, which features wall panels made from pure platinum, is one of The Breakers' most opulent spaces. The time warp property was passed to Cornelius Vanderbilt II's daughter Countess Gladys Vanderbilt Széchenyi, who died in 1965. It was then sold to The Preservation Society of Newport County in 1972, and is now Rhode Island's number one tourist attraction.
The Vanderbilts

The Guinnesses

The Guinnesses

The Guinnesses

The Guinnesses

The Guinnesses

The Guinnesses

Renowned for his philanthropic largesse, the 1st Earl bought Kenwood House in London's Hampstead in 1925 and bequeathed the stately home to the nation on his death two years later. As one of the world's grandest stately homes, the Neoclassical building was remodelled by Robert Adam in the late 1700s.
The Guinnesses

Kenwood opened to the public in 1928. The house boasts an enviable collection of paintings, which also came courtesy of Edward Guinness. Notable works on display in the north London mansion include Vermeer's The Guitar Player and Self-Portrait with Two Circles by Rembrandt.
The Guinnesses

The Guinnesses

The Guinnesses

The Rockefellers

The Rockefellers

The Rockefellers

The Rockefellers

The Rockefellers

The Rockefellers

The Rockefellers

The Rockefellers

The Rockefellers

The Rockefellers

The Astors

The Astors

The Astors

The Astors

The Astors

The Astors

The Astors

The Astors

The Astors

The Astors

The Rothschilds

The Rothschilds

The Rothschilds

The Rothschilds

The Rothschilds

The Rothschilds

The Rothschilds

The Rothschilds

The Rothschilds

The Rothschilds

The Gettys

The Gettys

The Gettys

The mansion was knocked down in 1957, having remained empty for some time, but not before it was immortalised on film. The property was used as a location for two classic Hollywood movies, Sunset Boulevard and Rebel Without a Cause.
The Gettys

The Gettys

The Gettys

The Gettys

The Gettys

The Gettys

The classy property was sold after the tycoon's death and converted into a luxury 19-room boutique hotel, which is still decorated with antiques and artworks handpicked by its unimaginably rich ex-owner. It's rare that houses for sale come with this kind of history – although some definitely do.
The Gettys

The Kennedys

The Kennedys

The Kennedys

The Kennedys

The Kennedys

The Kennedys

The Kennedys

The Kennedys

The Kennedys

The Kennedys

JFK spent the summer of 1963, the last before his assassination, with Jackie and their children at Brambletyde, his newly acquired beachfront home in Hyannis Port. The property has stayed in the family, and is currently owned by JFK's nephew Christopher Kennedy. Still hungry for more? Find out the incredible secrets of 12 abandoned stately homes.
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