The rich and famous spend lavishly on luxurious houses, and it’s always such an indulgent affair. We undoubtedly enjoy viewing pictures of these sprawling mansions adorned with plush furnishing and stunning interiors. However, not all celebrity mansions have maintained their prestigious status – some of these once revered properties have now been abandoned, thanks to reports of corruption, legal battles, and even cult takeovers.
Intrigued to learn about some shocking stories of once beautiful but now deserted celebrity mansions? Keep reading!
Diddy’s Woodland Estate
Located in a rural suburb in Georgia, this Italian Baroque-styled villa is encircled by dense woodland. This sprawling seven-acre estate belonged to music producer and rapper Sean Combs, better known as P. Diddy. First built in 1987, this house was purchased by Diddy in 2003. He initially requested a zoning change to the plot so 11 residential homes could be constructed, but the application was denied, and Diddy decided to renovate the property instead.
Diddy went all out in the renovation, and the interior screamed luxury and elegance. However, a few years later, Diddy sold it off. According to some reports, he sold the estate at an auction in 2012, and another source reports that he offloaded the house to a local developer in 2007.
Today, the mansion is stripped of its former luxury and looks like a sad, incomplete renovation project. The mansion is now boarded up to keep unwanted trespassers away. While some sources imply that a renovation might be in the works, it’s still unsure, given that Diddy is currently awaiting trial for charges of sexual abuse and sex trafficking!
Liza Minnelli’s Family Home
This sprawling mansion was built in 1925 and artfully redesigned by a noted architect in the mid-1950s. It was purchased by Vincente Minnelli, an Oscar-winning director. His daughter, Liza Minelli, spent most of her childhood in this exquisite residence. When he passed away in 1986, Liza, who had become a Hollywood star herself, inherited the house.
However, there was a condition: Mr. Minelli said that he wanted Lee, his fourth wife, to live in the mansion for as long as she wanted. Everything worked out fine before Liza decided to sell the property. Even though Lee was offered a condo, she rejected it and remained in the house even after it was sold in 2002.
Things got worse from that point. Liza stopped paying the bills on the house and refused to pay the staff. Lee filed a lawsuit against Liza, but the case was dropped once Liza agreed to pay the new owner’s rent. Lee continued to live in the mansion until she died in 2009. After this, the mansion was left to ruin. What was once an opulent mansion is now peppered with holes in the ceiling, peeling wallpaper, debris, and shabby furniture. It looks dilapidated and completely deserted to this day.
Luis Miguel’s Mexican Mansion
Located on a stunning beachfront lies a deteriorating mansion that once belonged to Luis Miguel, an iconic Latin-American singer. It was constructed to Miguel’s meticulous specifications, and this resort-style property held much promise.
Miguel was known to be very private, which eventually influenced his decision to leave the mansion he so lovingly constructed. The reason behind this is the development of a multi-storied building just next door, which meant that people could go up and watch Miguel sunbathe from the rooftop. Since the singer’s privacy appeared ruined, he left the estate and spent his time in the other homes he owned.
After that, this mansion was left to decay. Eventually, Miguel decided to sell it to a real estate company in 2013. Hardly anything appears to have been done to the property, and it continues to deteriorate.
Prince Andrew’s Sunninghill Park Home
In 1986, the late Queen gifted Prince Andrew a 665-acre plot of land in Berkshire following their wedding. This 12-bedroom mansion was replete with all the luxuries befitting the royal family, and Prince Beatrice and her sister Eugenie spent a great deal of their early years in it.
Although Prince Andrew and his wife divorced in 1996, they continued to live in the same mansion with their two daughters. In 2002, the Prince moved to the Royal Lodge in Windsor, and the Duchess and their daughter followed suit in 2006. Sunninghill Park was put on the market.
Over the years, the estate fell into ruin and disrepair. It was sold off in 2007 to Timu Kulibayev, the son-in-law of a Kazakh leader. However, by 2009, the estate lay abandoned, and in 2013, permission was granted to replace this royal residence with a manor. The demolition work commenced in 2015, and it was eventually reduced to rubble in 2016. Today, a new villa has taken over the place.
Michael Jackson’s Neverland Ranch
When Michael Jackson teamed up with Paul McCartney in 1983 to record ‘Say Say Say,’ the King of Pop fell in love with the Sycamore Valley Ranch in California, where they recorded the music video. Jackson vowed to buy the place someday—and he did. He acquired the estate in 1988 and renamed it Neverland, after the fictional island in Peter Pan. Jackson planned on creating his own amusement park, and the property included everything, from a carousel and bumper cars to a Ferris wheel and pirate ship ride.
Michael Jackson hosted some stunning events at the ranch, including the wedding of Elizabeth Taylor and Larry Fortensky. Jackson also often invited children to stay, allegedly, sometimes without their parents or guardians. Naturally, this behavior raised suspicions! The allegations were investigated, and Neverland was ransacked by the police in 2003. Jackson was initially charged with child abuse, but he was consequently cleared of all charges.
With debt piling above control, Jackson struggled to hold on to his beloved property, and the Neverland Ranch was eventually shut down in 2006. After Jackson passed away in 2009, the property fell into ruin, and although it was put up for sale, it proved difficult to sell.
Eventually, it was purchased by Ron Burkle in 2020, and the ranch has been making some improvements. It’s also used as the location for the upcoming biopic of Michael Jackson’s life.
