Financially troubled Greece has put a ton of state assets up for sale, including some of its famous islands.
One interested buyer is Sheikh Hamad bin Khalifa Al Thani, the ruling Emir of Qatar, who wants to acquire two islands in the Ionian Sea, including Skorpios Island.
The private island formerly belonged to famed Greek shipping billionaire Aristotle Onassis and was the site of his wedding to Jackie Kennedy in 1968.
It’s being sold by his granddaughter and heiress, Athina Onassis Roussel, though certain Greek authorities oppose it.
There is a lavish villa on the island known as the Pink House which Onassis built for Jackie, along with tennis courts and plush gardens, though most of the island remains undeveloped and pristinely beautiful.
The 80-hectares island is estimated to be worth $200 million, according to British news reports.
The Qatari royal however may have another contender vying to buy it: Bill Gates. He visited the island in July 2009 reportedly with the intention of buying it.
Then, Greek authorities were not willing to sell it as they viewed Onassis’ island as national heritage.
Theodoros Varikos, the mayor of the region, said “Athena cannot sell the island because Onassis has specified in his will that it cannot be sold.”
