Two Generations of Rothschilds in Legal Battle Over Multibillion-Euro Art Collection at Chateau de Pregny
The Rothschild family is embroiled in a court battle over a multibillion-euro fortune and an extensive art collection housed at Chateau de Pregny in Switzerland, overlooking Lake Geneva. The dispute centers around ownership and future stewardship of the artworks and the estate's contents.
Nadine de Rothschild, aged 93, claims that Edmond de Rothschild bequeathed her a significant portion of the collection. She aims to establish a museum in Geneva under the Edmond and Nadine de Rothschild Foundation to preserve and share the artworks. Nadine has also reportedly been unable to recover certain objects she inherited from her late husband, which has led to legal action to reclaim them.
In contrast, Ariane de Rothschild, 60, widow of Benjamin de Rothschild who passed away in 2021 and the current baroness, insists that the collection should remain intact and be kept at Chateau de Pregny. She alleges that Nadine is influenced by external advisers, a claim Nadine denies, drawing parallels with the 2011 Liliane Bettencourt inheritance case.
The chateau reportedly contains masterpieces by artists such as Goya, Rembrandt, Fragonard, El Greco, and Boucher, along with Louis XVI furniture. The collection is largely private with restricted access. Since Benjamin de Rothschild's death in 2021, the family rift has deepened, with Nadine relocating from the chateau to a pavilion on the estate, while the main residence remains tied up in legal disputes.
A third ongoing lawsuit concerns the ownership of these artworks, with both sides having won some court battles but no definitive resolution so far. Nadine hopes her granddaughters will understand that the dispute is between her and Ariane and stresses the importance of preserving their shared family heritage, potentially through a museum rather than keeping the collection solely at the chateau.
