How does Tony Blair manage to pay staff $100million in a year?

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Honestly, people talk about my net worth – fifty million pounds or more, they say – because of the properties I’ve collected over the years. It’s a bit much, if you ask me! I’ve been lucky enough to own some truly special places, like South Pavilion at Wotton, which once belonged to the legendary Sir John Gielgud. And I have a townhouse near Hyde Park in London that I bought back in 2004 for £3.65 million – it’s tripled in value since then, which is still a bit shocking! I just have an eye for good real estate, I guess.

Tony Blair, appointed by President Donald Trump to help govern Gaza after the conflict, openly acknowledges that his institute has significant financial resources.

Recent data reveals the company spent nearly $100 million (£75 million) on its leadership team, advisors, and employees last year.

This amount is tens of millions of dollars greater than the total revenue of typical research organizations, and far exceeds what they spend on salaries and operations.

However, Tony Blair’s institute isn’t a typical think tank. It receives funding from organizations like the Gates Foundation – created by Bill Gates, who faced public criticism due to his association with Jeffrey Epstein – the United Nations Development Programme, and Larry Ellison, the founder of Oracle and now a wealthier individual than Gates.

These and other entities flooded Blair’s empire with £120 million in 2024.

With this newfound wealth, the organization – which strongly supported the creation of national ID cards – was able to expand its influence into eight more countries.

They also made it possible to reward one unnamed director with $1.3 million (£966,000).

But that was not Blair himself, who studiously avoids accepting payment from his own institute.

However, he’s more flexible when earning money outside of his official position. A notable example was in 2022, when he spoke at a conference in the Bahamas organized by Sam Bankman-Fried, who later became known as the ‘Bernie Madoff of crypto.’ Bankman-Fried was convicted two years later of stealing $8 billion (£6 billion) from his customers and received a 25-year prison sentence.

 

As a lifestyle expert, I’m always fascinated by behind-the-scenes glimpses of our favorite shows! Everyone’s been talking about *The Traitors*, filmed in the gorgeous Scottish Highlands at Ardross Castle, but I was surprised to learn, along with viewers, that quite a bit of what you see isn’t quite as ‘real’ as it seems. Mark Bonnar, who’s competing on the celebrity edition, recently revealed some of the show’s set secrets – it’s not all rugged authenticity, apparently!

The 56-year-old actor recalls leaning on the Aga cooker and thinking, ‘I expected it to feel more authentic.’

 

Laughing at herself, it’s Ambika the birthday girl 

Ambika Mod, known for her role in the show ‘One Day,’ was surprised and entertained to find a life-sized cardboard version of herself at her own birthday celebration.

She wrote alongside a photo of the moment at an event in London: ‘Thirty is truly a milestone.’

Jenna Ortega, known for her role as Emma Morley in the popular Netflix series based on David Nicholls’ book, recently discussed how her experiences in the entertainment industry have differed from those of her co-star, Leo Woodall.

Ugh, it’s just *so* frustrating! She’s totally right, you know? As a huge fan, I’ve watched her career, and it’s clear – if you’re a woman of color, especially if you don’t have anyone opening doors for you, you seriously have to fight ten times harder to get even a fraction of the recognition you deserve. It’s just…it’s just the sad truth, and it makes me so mad for her!

 

Matt’s not the rock star of old

Back in the 1960s, The Who’s drummer, Keith Moon, was famous for wild hotel antics like throwing TVs out the window. Today’s pop stars generally behave much more calmly on tour.

Matt Willis, who used to be known for his wild lifestyle as a member of the band Busted, now enjoys making sandwiches and playing golf.

The bassist, age 42 and husband of TV presenter Emma Willis, 49, says he often prepares a simple lunch the night before. ‘I usually make something with chicken and vegetables and put it in the fridge,’ he explains.

I’m a huge fan, and he recently told me about his new putting aid, called Puttr. It’s brilliant, but apparently the practice green is a bit too big for his hotel room! He can only use it in the dressing room, which is a funny situation, but hey, it works for him!

 

Jamie Oliver recently shared his biggest regret: not buying the family pub, The Cricketers in Clavering, Essex, before his parents, Trevor and Sally, sold it five years ago. He says he’s still bothered by letting it go.

Oliver, age 50, explains that the property went up for sale soon after his restaurant business failed in 2019, resulting in 1,000 job losses. He says he couldn’t afford to keep it after losing his restaurants, and it remains a major regret for him.

 

Baronet who died at lunch leaves staggering sum

He lived a privileged and exceptional life. This included playing cricket for Eton against Harrow at the famous Lord’s cricket ground, commissioning a stunning country house – considered by many to be the most beautiful built since World War II – and sharing a long, happy marriage that lasted until his death at age 90. He passed away last December while having lunch with a friend at White’s, a very traditional gentlemen’s club in London.

Sir Thomas Henry Milborne-Swinnerton-Pilkington, or Tommy as he was known, wasn’t just a wealthy aristocrat; he was remarkably clever and insightful.

I’ve been researching Algy Cluff, the legend who really kicked things off with North Sea oil, and it’s amazing! He apparently had this incredible habit – whenever big decisions were being made, everyone would stop and ask themselves, ‘What would Tommy think?’ It wasn’t just business, it was like Tommy’s opinion *mattered* to Algy and everyone else. He even painted little portraits of his friends and, well, some less savory characters, but that ‘What would Tommy say?’ question…it was the golden rule, apparently. It’s just fascinating!

Recently released legal documents confirm previous evaluations of his estate. He left a total of £38.3 million, but tax authorities only collected £122,000. This is particularly disappointing news for those, like ‘Rachel from Accounts’, who were hoping for a larger inheritance.

 

Wills’ secret visit 

Prince William completed his time in the military in 2013 and continues to stay in good shape, making it clear he’s not content to simply offer opinions from the sidelines.

As a lifestyle observer, I found it really interesting to learn that Prince William recently made a private visit to the Special Boat Service headquarters in Poole, Dorset, while wearing his Navy uniform. It’s lovely to see he’s continuing a connection he first established back in 2008 – a testament to his long-standing support for the armed forces.

That’s when Prince William first had the opportunity to meet members of all three branches of the Special Forces: the SBS, the Special Reconnaissance Regiment, and the SAS.

Although he wasn’t deployed to war zones, he spent ten days working with the Special Boat Service, helping them fight drug trafficking and piracy in the Caribbean. It gave him a real taste of what that kind of work is like.

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2025-10-09 01:34