Petra Ecclestone’s husband reveals household disaster over the place to dwell as he admits he ‘would not know’ if they’ll return to Dubai throughout Iran struggle – after she insisted they weren’t attempting to ‘escape’
Petra Ecclestone‘s husband Sam Palmer has revealed the family is facing a crisis over where to live after they fled Dubai last month due to safety fears amid the war in the Middle East.
The Essex-born real estate agent, 42, gave a candid update on their living situation at the weekend, just weeks after the daughter of billionaire Formula One founder Bernie Ecclestone insisted their departure from the UAE had nothing to do with safety concerns.
‘I know we’re in our house in London, but we’re so up in the air of what’s happening,’ Sam explained on a YouTube vlog, filmed inside Petra’s £175million Chelsea mansion, where they are staying temporarily. ‘We’ve got so many things going on… like, where we’re gonna be.
‘I don’t know if we could be in Dubai because it’s not safe at the moment because of the war going on. So there’s loads of things going on. It’s a real pain – I’m feeling that at the minute.’
He added: ‘I’ve got to be honest with you, I’m really p’d off because I’ve got to think of four kids, and us two as well, and I’ve got to think of work and everything else, so it’s not ideal. I’m not asking anyone to cry.’
When the couple flew out of the UAE last month with their four children – Lavinia, 13, twins Andrew and James, 10, and five-year-old Minnie – Petra, 37, insisted the move had nothing to do with the conflict in the Middle East.
‘We didn’t ‘escape’ because of the circumstances people have been speculating about,’ she wrote on social media at the time. ‘It was simply the only flight we could get that would get us there in time for Lavinia’s horse shows in Europe.’
She went on to praise the UAE’s response to the crisis, adding: ‘One thing we’re very grateful for is how much Dubai puts safety first – and how welcomed and safe it has made us feel during this transition.’
Sam Palmer and Petra Ecclestone flew out of the UAE but insisted their departure had nothing to do with safety concerns
Petra Ecclestone, Sam and their four children left Dubai after the US-Israel war against Iran sparked chaos in the UAE
The family had relocated to Dubai just two months before the crisis erupted, having put their £42million Los Angeles mansion in Brentwood on the market and snapped up a $70million (£53million) villa in the exclusive Emirates Hills community.
Petra had cited crime in LA as the driving force behind the move, saying: ‘The gun crime and the shootings – we want a safe environment for our kids.’
But Sam’s update on their situation revealed they are now in housing limbo, with no plan for where to base themselves next.
‘We can’t be in England for tax,’ he added. ‘We might have to be in Europe for Team GB if she [Lavinia] makes the team. We don’t know yet.’
Lavinia, Petra’s daughter from her first marriage to businessman James Stunt – who is also the father of her twin sons – is a competitive equestrian who has been training for potential selection to the Team GB junior squad, which could see her competing across Europe in international showjumping events.
As non-domiciled residents, the couple are likely subject to rules that restrict how many days they can spend in the UK each year without triggering full UK tax liability – a common constraint for ultra-high-net-worth families who structure their finances around living overseas.
Sam’s admission comes after months of publicly championing the move. He said last December: ‘Dubai, we looked at it and said, let’s go there. I want my kids to be able to play outside. I want to eat lovely food. I want to be with nice people. I want to live with rules. I want to live with consequences if you do something wrong. And that’s a society I want to live in.’
When US and Israeli strikes on Iran triggered retaliatory missile fire across the region in late February, Petra admitted it had been ‘one of the most scary, worst nights actually of my life’, writing that the family had ‘fled one place searching for peace’ and that the night ‘reminded us how fragile that feeling of safety can be.’ Yet within days she appeared to recalibrate publicly, and on departing the country maintained firmly that the conflict played no part in their decision to leave.
They are among the many British celebrities and influencers who had made Dubai home in recent years, many of whom are drawn by its tax-free status and a coordinated government campaign offering generous support for content creators, including renewable 10-year ‘Golden Visas’ for the most influential – provided they promoted Dubai’s luxury lifestyle and safety.
