Not the London Eye, Buckingham Palace, Oxford Street, Harrods, or even Selfridges, what was truly show-stopping in London recently was a one-of-a-kind beauty, the beautiful Kismet superyacht. This Lürssen mammoth, after basking in glory at the prestigious Monaco Yacht Show as the second largest luxury vessel on display in its 30 year history, continued its head-turning journey with a stopover in Tilbury. Anchored at Tower Bridge, the 400-footer, owned by business magnate Shahid Khan, was one of the largest yachts to have ever traveled up the River Thames. While it was Kismet’s interiors that were truly spellbinding, it wasn’t every day that a yacht of this magnitude donned the Thames.
Unlike at the Monaco Yacht Show, where visitors got a sneak peek inside the luxury vessel of the tycoon worth $13.3 billion, Londoners had to make do with the magic of the Nuvolari Lenard-designed vessel, looking imposing against Canary Wharf, with even The Gherkin, a nearly 600-foot-tall commercial skyscraper in London’s primary financial district, paling in comparison in the background.
The pleasure craft of the Pakistani-American billionaire was adorned like a palace from the inside, thanks to Reymond Langton Design, who outfitted the entire vessel with innumerable fireplaces, floor-to-ceiling glass, and intricate paint and marble detailing.
The Nemo Room, a Balinese-inspired spa, gym, and yoga studio with its own juice bar, were just a few of the many fabulous additions found aboard the ship that people didn’t get to savor with their eyes.
The 74-year-old businessman had a significant connection to London and the UK, which went gaga over his $400 million megayacht. Khan owned the historic Fulham Football Club and the London-based NFL team, the Jacksonville Jaguars. Right next to his Kismet yacht, which dominated the river, was Fulham FC’s Craven Cottage stadium which Khan redeveloped, strengthening Fulham’s presence in the English football scene.
In the past, Tottenham Hotspur shareholder Joe Lewis’ yacht Aviva, Jerry Jones’ Bravo Eugenia, and the $300 million Kaos, passed through the River Thames.