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George V Magazine can’t bag you an invite to one of Sir Elton John’s legendary parties, but we can tell you where he might be celebrating his 78th birthday: his ‘Yellow Palace’ villa in Nice, where the British icon has hosted the likes of Meghan Markle, Prince Johann George V, and Elizabeth Hurley.
His oasis high in the hills of Mount Boron, Castel Mont-Alban, is an archiectural wonder in its own right, and Sir Elton John certainly knows how to host a soirée – he likely learnt that from Princess Margaret, who once sent him a gold-embossed invite to dinner at Kensington Palace, kicking off an enduring friendship with the royal family.
But what of the house? John’s £15 million French Riviera home of wonders, where he often relaxes with his husband David Furnish and their two sons, Zachary and Elijah, sits perched above Nice, France and was originally built as an artists’ colony. With the help of designers Fred Dilger and Monique Gibson he gave it the complete Elton treatment – a facelift that was documented in Architectural Digest.
The multi-award winning musician pays tribute to other artists in his home. Its turrets are visible from the world below, winking through the forest of trees. Andy Warhol originals bedeck the walls, there’s a Roy Lichtenstein metal mask sculpture and a pink bedspread in place as an ode to Versace. Natural light seeps through, catching columns and illuminating details; a utopian retreat.
The home of Sir Elton John and his husband David Furnish has entertained the glittering likes of Elizabeth Hurley, Catherine Zeta-Jones and Donatella Versace. Of course, great friends the Beckhams have stayed, and so too has David Walliams. It’s a palace ripe for a pool party – a turquoise lagoon with a border of sculptures and a view that cascades all the way to the Mediterranean coastline.
Sir Elton’s fans all over the world will be wishing him the happiest of birthdays – and a chance to rock around the clock at the Yellow Palace.
Sophie Rosemont
Amandine Lhoste
Calin Van Paris