A mansion at 2-8a Rutland Park in Hyde Park is set to become the most expensive home in the UK after a bid of £280 million was submitted. The property in question has been on the market for three years following the death of its former owner, the Crown Prince of Saudi Arabia. It was originally listed in 2012 at £300 million but went unsold, becoming renowned as possibly the only home in the capital that was too costly to purchase.

The property covers 60,000 sq feet and features 45 bedrooms and many luxurious fittings including a number of lifts to take people between the floors. There are many great views of Hyde Park to enjoy with a number of the bedrooms having a window looking out over it. The ample basement houses a swimming pool and a private car park. The entire property was furnishing and decorated in the 1990s at an estimated cost of £50 million.

The bidder has requested that the property be emptied so they are free to redecorate the interior themselves. This has led to a public auction in which many stunning lots became available including 41 Murano glass chandeliers, an antique French Louis XV Pompadour fireplace, marble bathtubs and countless luxury furnishings from celebrated designers. The most unusual items to appear in the auction are 100 gold plated tissue boxes.

There is speculation that the successful bidder is from Saudi Arabia although the identity is currently unknown. The property had been receiving a great deal of interest from overseas, with Russian and Qatari bidders also said to have made enquiries about it. If the sale is completed it will make it the most expensive home in the UK, double the previous highest value which was set in 2011 when a 300 year old country house on the Thames in Henley, Oxfordshire was bought for £140 million. When the sale is finalised London will once again become home to the most expensive home in the UK.