Who is James Stunt, Petra Ecclestone’s ex? He married ex-F1 boss Bernie Ecclestone’s daughter in a lavish Italian ceremony, but they had a bitter divorce amid allegations of abuse and drug addiction
Stunt met Ecclestone when she was 17 and had a lavish lifestyle after their 2011 wedding; with their 2017 divorce, Ecclestone was granted custody of their 3 kids, while Stunt faced legal drama
Late last year, Petra Ecclestone – daughter of controversial ex-Formula One boss Bernie Ecclestone – spent time unwinding with her family in Dubai. The Crickle Daisy beauty brand founder was on holiday with her husband, businessman Sam Palmer and four children and posted plenty of photos on Instagram. She shares three of her kids, daughter Lavinia and twin sons James and Andrew, with ex-husband James Stunt, and her youngest girl, Minnie, with her current husband. The getaway was also in celebration of Ecclestone’s turning 36, or as she’s calling it, “thirty something”.
Before the family holiday, she stepped out for date night with Palmer at Giorgio Baldi, the Italian restaurant in Santa Monica, Los Angeles. The pair have been married for two years and together for six. They met through her sister Tamara’s husband Jay Rutland and started dating a year after Ecclestone’s acrimonious split from Stunt in 2017, as Page Six noted. At the time of her wedding to Palmer, Bernie said he hoped his daughter would “be happier than she was in her last marriage”.
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Petra Ecclestone is married to businessman Sam Palmer. Photo: @petraecclestoneofficial/Instagram
So, what happened in Petra Ecclestone’s first marriage and who is James Stunt? She once said Stunt claimed he was Prince Philip’s illegitimate son, while Stunt himself told Tatler he counted Sean “Diddy” Combs “a personal friend”. He has just been cleared of laundering US$292 million (£226 million) in “dirty” money that could have originated from criminal activities. What else do we know about him?
What is James Stunt’s background?
Petra Ecclestone’s ex-husband James Stunt reportedly has ties to the underworld. Photo: @officialjamesstunt/Instagram
James’ father is Geoffrey Stunt, a bigwig in the publishing industry. In the interview with Tatler, Stunt called his father a “self-made man”, adding, “I’m very proud of the fact my father’s working class.” However, he can’t say the same about himself. He received £1 million from his father at 21 but claims to have made his first £4 million through an oil trade at 16. He was educated at Bradfield College, a prestigious private school in Berkshire, England, followed by a Mander Portman Woodward independent school and later graduated from the European Business School in London’s Regent’s Park.
Stunt also has connections to the underworld through his godfather Terry Adams, the notorious boss behind the Clerkenwell crime syndicate. Speaking to Tatler, Stunt gushed over his godfather, calling him an “absolutely amazing guy” and “the most moralled” individual.
His wedding to Petra Ecclestone was expensive
Petra Ecclestone and her ex-husband, James Stunt, spent millions on their wedding. Photo: @officialjamesstunt/Instagram
