Is Nicole Kidman’s family one of the world’s largest landowners?

By
Daily Mail Reporter
Last updated at 2:19 AM on 10th March 2011

Fabulously wealthy: But Nicole Kidman’s spokesman declined to comment on her connection to the fabulously wealthy landowners of the same name

Nicole Kidman’s relatives are among the largest landowners on the planet, researchers believe.

Australian farming company Kidman Holdings is the eighth biggest landowner in the world.

The research, published today, ranks the Kidmans as owning a tract of land four-and-a-half times the size of Wales – 24,000,000 acres.

‘At eight on the list of individual and family landowners are the farms and ranches of the Kidmans in Australia, to whom the actress Nicole Kidman is related,’ the survey said.

‘Theirs is the largest private, non-monarchical, non-state landholding on earth.’

Kidman Holdings was founded by Sir Sidney Kidman in the 19th century.

He reputedly started the family firm after running away from home at the age of 13, with his sole possession a one-eyed horse. He died in 1935.

Nicole Kidman was born in Honolulu but grew up in Australia.

Previously published research has found her ancestors Bridget and James Callachar arrived in Sydney on board the Agnes Ewing in January 1842.

They moved to Port Macquarie to work as ‘agricultural labourers’ and had a son, Miss Kidman’s great-great-grandfather.

A spokesman for the actress, whose father is a biochemist and mother a nursing instructor, declined to comment on the connection to Kidman Holdings.

Relative value: Nicole’s parent’s Antony and Janelle are related to some of the largest landowners on the planet, researchers believe

Not so pretty: The vast Kidman holdings include this Bore Track, which dates back to Sir Sidney Kidman’s days

Vast: A map of Australia showing (in red) the vast amount of land spread over 17 locations belonging to Kidman Holdings – said to be larger than Hungary, larger even than 90 of the world’s smaller states

Topping the list, according to the
research published in New Statesman magazine, is the Queen, who –
notionally – owns the 6.6billion acres of the Commonwealth in 32
countries.

In total, her holdings account for
18.3 per cent of all land on the planet – a larger proportion than
Russia and the U.S. combined. Second is King Fahd of Saudi Arabia and
third is the Pope.

 

In
another survey, it appears the famously frugal Ikea founder Ingvar
Kamprad may have to tighten his belt a little further after losing
three-quarters of his £14billion fortune.

The 84-year-old saw his
personal wealth tumble by £10.5billion to ‘just’ £3.5billion because of
tax issues.

Wealth: But despite the Kidmans’ possible association with landed wealth, the list is topped by the Queen, whose lands include Sandringham – and the whole of the Commonwealth

Time out: The Queen riding in the grounds of Windsor Castle, another of her assets

He has fallen 151 places on the Forbes list of the world’s billionaires, from 11th to 162nd. The richest person in the world remains Mexican telecoms tycoon Carlos Slim Helú with a net worth of £45billion.

Second is Microsoft founder Bill Gates, whose fortune stands at £34billion, although he has given more than £18billion to charity. Britain’s wealthiest person is still landowner Gerald Cavendish Grosvenor – the Duke of Westminster. His family has a net worth of £8billion.

In 132nd place is retail tycoon Sir Philip Green with £4.4billion. Richard Branson is 254th with £2.5billion.

Facebook founder Mark Zuckerberg, aged 26, is at number 52. He is said to be worth £8.3billion.

And the world’s biggest landowners are …