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The Duchess of York’s new £3million home in one central London’s most exclusive streets was purchased from party-loving DJ son of a property magnate who has close links to the royals.
Sebastian Macdonald-Hall, who goes by the stage name Sebastian MDH, is understood to have moved out of the two-bedroom property in Belgravia weeks ago to allow builders to carry out work.
He is a Millfield-educated real estate consultant and son of property tycoon Caspar Macdonald-Hall, whose family fortune is estimated to be £954m in The Sunday Times Rich List.
Fergie, 62, is said to have purchased the property from Mr Macdonald-Hall in a private sale after his family obtained a 125-year lease from the Duke of Westminster’s Grosvenor Estate in 2005.
Local residents told The Times on Friday: ‘It will be interesting to see who our new neighbours are.
‘Sebastian was a lovely guy, but we did have to speak to him a few times about the parties he threw that would go on all night.’
Sebastian is also one of four members of an aristocratic DJ group known as Housekeeping founded in 2012.
Their logo is of a maid wearing a short skirt holding a duster with an illuminati triangle.
Duchess of York Sarah Ferguson (pictured during a visit to the Mieroszewski Palace in Bedzin, southern Poland, last month) has purchased a £3m property in Belgravia
Sebastian MacDonald Hall (left) previously dated Lily Fortescue. Pictured: The couple attend Audemars Piguet Sponsor Of The Harper’s Bazarre Women Of The Year Awards 2016
Sebastian Macdonald-Hall, who goes by the stage name Sebastian MDH, is part of a DJ collective known as Housekeeping
Mr Macdonald-Hall (pictured with sunglasses) is the son of a property magnate and has close links to the royals
The property in Belgravia offers a stunning reception room with a cast-iron fireplace, large window and two floor to ceiling bookcases
The second floor compromises of a principal bedroom suite with a walk-in wardrobe, a second bedroom suite as well as a private roof terrace
The property’s large living room features a neutral decor and horizontal skylight to open up the space. The walls feature panelled mirrors alongside built-in cupboard space
The large open plan kitchen features a black marble island and worktops with a sky light and large windows to ensure maximum light
Other members of the group are Jacobi Anstruther-Gough-Calthorpe, the brother of Prince Harry’s ex-girlfriend Cressida Bonas, Taylor Williams and Carl Waxberg.
Jacobi is understood to have attended the same prep school as Prince William as is friends with Princess Beatrice, Princess Eugenie and her husband Jack Brooksbank.
Macdonald Hall, meanwhile, previously dated Lily Fortescue – sister of Made in Chelsea’s Rosie.
The mews, near Buckingham Palace, is spread over the first and second floors of a former stables and also comes with a roof terrace.
It is also just a ten minute walk from Ghislaine Maxwell’s house where Prince Andrew was pictured with his arm around the waist of Virginia Roberts Giuffre, MailOnline revealed last week.
The purchase comes despite Fergie previously describing herself as being ‘continually on the verge of financial bankruptcy’ and having ‘little understanding’ of money.
One neighbour, who lives a few doors away from her new house, said last week: ‘I suppose the property values will go up with royalty here – unless Andrew moves in of course.’
The bijou terrace is just a third of a mile from Maxwell’s former home in central London, where she is alleged to have groomed young girls.
The £5million house is said to be viewed as an investment opportunity for her daughters Beatrice and Eugenie – with plans to convert two flats boasting a bijou terrace, bar, two reception rooms and a parking garage, into one home.
Sources say she has no plans to leave the grace and favour 30-room Windsor mansion she shares with disgraced ex-husband Prince Andrew – and instead plans to rent out the new property.
Sebastian Macdonald-Hall, Jacobi Anstruther-Gough-Calthorpe and Carl Waxberg attend a Housekeeping gig
Mr Macdonald-Hall and then partner Lily Fortescue at a Housekeeping DJ performance in February 2014
It has been revealed that the Duchess of York Sarah Ferguson purchased the property as an investment for her daughters Princess Beatrice (left) and Princess Eugenie (right)
Sarah Ferguson’s Her Heart For A Compass reached the Sunday Times Bestseller list
Her multi-million pound purchase came despite her repeated complaints of difficulties in recent years, describing herself as ‘continually on the verge of financial bankruptcy’ in a 2010 TV interview in the US.
She has also previously admitted to having ‘little understanding’ of money and there were reports she had run up as much as £4.2m in debt during her marriage to Andrew.
She received £3million from their divorce and most of her income is now likely to come from her books. Her first bodice-ripper crept onto the bestseller charts last year – despite critics branding it a ‘slog’ with no sex.
Critics branded the book ‘boring’, but it initially sold 1,000 copies a week when it was released.
But her 2021 romance novel ‘Her Heart for a Compass’, about about an aristocratic redhead, may have been the key to her success.
Sources say her financial status improved after she launched a writing career that secured various book deals.
People on the street said the Duchess had been spotted viewing the house in the late spring – and seen running into a waiting vehicle. They admitted they were happy to have yet another famous neighbour – as long as her ex-husband stays away.
A local housekeeper said: ‘About two months ago I saw her coming out of the house. She seemed in a hurry and got into a car’.
A man parking his car in the garage said spaces on the street cost £3,000-a-year – but said he believed the Duchess of York had got one.
It comes as Fergie may face a large bill over her role as director at theatre and film investment company Gate Ventures.
Liquidators have reportedly contacted her and other former directors at the firm, including Ofcom boss Lord Grade.
The theatre company was placed into administration in March 2020 after a court heard how a Hong Kong tycoon with links to the Royal Family ran up an expense account totalling almost £5million.
Businessman Dr Johnny Hon invoiced the ‘simply extraordinary’ sum of £4.7m to when he acted as chairman.
Gate Ventures has invested in West End shows including Sunset Boulevard and 42nd Street, as well as a string of obscure films in the Far East.
A spokeswoman for London & Cambridge Properties, the Macdonald-Hall family firm, said: ‘LCP are a commercial property and investment company and as such would not comment on any private transactions made outside of the business’s remit.’
The Duchess of York’s representatives have confirmed the latest purchase, but have not disclosed any further details.