Anders Holch Povlsen brings Lionel Richie to Highlands for birthday party
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Scotland’s largest private landowner and wealthiest man threw a multimillion-pound birthday bash at his Highland castle at the weekend.
He flew in superstar Lionel Richie via Inverness Airport to perform.
The ASOS boss put on the glitzy party at Aldourie Castle on the banks of Loch Ness near Inverness.
It is believed to have been a belated 50th birthday party for the billionaire and a launch party to celebrate his expensive revamp of the castle.
Richie went through his hits including Easy, Penny Lover, Running With the Night, Hello and Dancing on the Ceiling.
Around 300 guests attended who were also treated to a fly past by a Spitfire.
One insider said a plane carrying around 200 people had been chartered from Mr Povlsen’s native Denmark.
Guests were ferried in a constant stream of Mercedes people carriers while Richie flew in and out on the day with Inverness Airport apparently kept open for his late night departure.
Mr Povlsen, who was 50 in November, has revamped Aldourie.
A previous planning application was submitted in 2020 to restore boathouses, which were part of the 19th century expansion of the castle and were typical of a Scottish country estate, last year.
Mr Povlsen has also spent more than £1m on creating a new wilderness – showpiece gardens at the iconic castle.
It is all part of a multimillion-pound revamp of the 500-acre iconic retreat which Bestseller and ASOS tycoon Mr Povlsen plans to turn into Scotland’s “greatest castle hotel” for the super wealthy.
Exclusive use was previously put at up to £60,000 for a week.
The minimum stay of three nights will be around £30,000 at peak times.
Guests will relax in gardens so extensive and unique they will have to cross an 82-ft long steel and iron suspension bridge to wander between the formal gardens and a wildlife-rich meadowed oasis.
It was in 2014 that Mr Povlsen, who is also Scotland’s largest landowner, bought Aldourie for £15 million.
For the last few years it has been closed while a major revamp – employing 40 workers – has been under way.
Having tragically lost three children in the Sri Lankan terrorist attacks, Mr Povlsen also has every reason to be protective over his security.
The tycoon also planned a grand new gatehouse to his castle.
According to the Sunday Times Rich List for 2023, Mr Povlsen is said to be worth £8.5 billion.
A spokesman for Mr Povlsen’s Wildland declined to comment on the event at Aldourie.
