Britain's Richest Woman Relaunches Pop Career at 41

AS Britain’s richest woman, Kirsty Bertarelli is accustomed to private jets and holidays aboard a £100million superyacht.

But the former Miss UK, who shares a £7.4billion fortune with her Swiss husband Ernesto, is preparing to shun the trappings of wealth in the hope of relaunching her pop career.

On a UK tour she will fly economy, wear ‘off-the-peg’ stage clothes and perform solo gigs as plain old Kirsty B.

The 41-year-old mother of three from Staffordshire has already experienced chart success in Switzerland, where she lives on the shores of Lake Geneva.

Crowned Miss UK in 1988, she met Ernesto, an America’s Cup-winning sailor, on the London party circuit.

She has already found success as a songwriter. Her song Black Coffee became a UK No 1 for the girl group All Saints in 2000 – the same year she was married.

Since then, Mrs Bertarelli has put her fledgling pop career on hold but has now recorded an album, Love Is, including a duet with Boyzone star Ronan Keating.

She insists she is not being bankrolled by her husband, whose grandfather started the multinational drugs company Serono.

She said: 'It's probably why he's such a good businessman. He says "it can't be something that costs huge amounts. It's got to be real." 'This is not a problem. When I was in Switzerland promoting my music to the radio stations, everyone was amazed I would just travel around with them, in the car, in the van.

She added: 'It doesn't bother me. I'm quite happy to be casual and not made up. I can never even remember to put my jewellery on.

'I'm from Staffordshire and I've been very fortunate but I'm the same girl I used to be. I've always been a creative and sensitive person.'

Mrs Bertarelli's latest musical endeavour is not her first, as she has already found acclaim as a singer-song writer.

Speaking to the Sunday Times, Mrs Bertarelli, who splits her time between Geneva and a townhouse in Knightsbridge, London, added: 'I'm not wanting to be the new Rihanna or Lady Gaga. I'm just a singer-songwriter.

'I don't think Ernesto is going to stop working and rely on my income quite yet but it still feels fantastic to make your own money.

'It feels so much more special to buy a present for my husband. It's important to a woman's self-worth and self-belief to be making some money.'

Mrs Bertarelli was crowned Miss UK in 1988 and went on to take third place in the 1989 Miss World pageant.

Culled from DAILY MAIL

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