yacht christina onassis

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Christina O

• Amenities & Toys
• Rates & Regions
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CHRISTINA O YACHT CHARTER

99.14m  /  325'3   canadian vickers   1943 / 2020.

• Previous Yacht

Cabin Configuration

• 14 Convertible

Special Features:

• Iconic superyacht
• Mosaic swimming pool turns into dancefloor
• Original features faithfully restored
• English country manor house style
• Glamorous bar

CHRISTINA O is one of the most iconic motor yachts ever launched, best known for her grand interiors and unrivalled level of luxurious amenities.

Starting life in World War Two as a Canadian frigate, Christina O was purchased in 1954 by Greek shipping magnate Aristotle Onassis, who transformed her into the most luxurious private yacht of her time. She went on to host a wealth of illustrious guests, ranging from Marilyn Monroe and Frank Sinatra to John F Kennedy and Winston Churchill.

Onassis epitomised the life of the superyacht elite, garnering a reputation as the original jetsetter, but following his death in 1975, Christina O fell into disrepair. Luckily, a meticulous restoration project led by a family friend of Onassis was completed in 2001 and, today, charterers can enjoy the resonance of her unique past with the ultimate in luxurious accommodation and on-board service.   

Exterior Design

Styled in the early fifties by Caesar Pinnau, the exterior of Christina O easily stands out among other superyachts on today’s charter market thanks to her distinctive clipper bow, long sheer line, rounded superstructure and dazzling white topsides, and this is not forgetting her trademark, vibrant yellow funnel. A variety of vast open-air spaces across Christina O offer a multitude of options for lounging and socialising. The top level of the yacht, known as the compass deck, is well-primed for sunning, with a line of chaise loungers and a bar, while the spacious promenade deck below features an aft spa pool, and alfresco dining and bar setup. Most impressive is the main deck, where Onassis’ swimming pool has been faithfully restored with its renowned Minoan bull and vaulter mosaic. What’s more, the bottom of the pool can be raised to form a dance floor.

Interior Design

Christina O’s expansive interior was completely gutted during her most recent refit, with notable artefacts salvaged and sensitively restored. Aftermost on the main deck is the Lapis Lounge, named after its original lapis fireplace, which remains in place, and decorated in the style of an English country manor house. The main deck is also home to a dining salon with a 24-seater table, and the Aris Bar, which boasts its original rope-covered bar, whale fang bar handles and whale-skin bar stools. A majestic atrium with a striking mosaic of the Onassis omega logo then allows guests to access the two further salons on the promenade deck above via a spiral staircase.

Guest Accommodation

Known as the Onassis Suite, the yacht’s master stateroom stretches across the forward section of the bridge deck and comprises three rooms: large sleeping quarters, a white Penteli marble bathroom and a book-lined study. The latter is oak-panelled and boasts the original onyx fireplace, while the bedroom is illuminated by authentic Baccarat crystal wall lights, adding to its elegance.  The other accommodation on board comprises 10 double staterooms on the main deck forward and eight convertible cabins on the lower deck.

Onboard Comfort & Entertainment

As well as her impressive lounging and dining facilities, Christina O also features a unique variety of leisure and entertainment facilities, particularly on her promenade deck. These include an oak-panelled library with green upholstered chairs and settees, and a huge saloon, boasting three large seating areas. This space can also serve as a ballroom, with a raised dais for the orchestra, as well as a cinema thanks to a drop-down screen and state-of-the-art sound system. There is also a glass-panelled gymnasium on board and a music room with a Steinway piano where the likes of Maria Callas and Frank Sinatra once performed.

Performance & Range

Built with a steel hull and aluminium superstructure, she offers greater on-board space and is more stable when at anchor thanks to her full-displacement hull. Powered by twin MAN engines, she comfortably cruises at 14 knots, reaches a maximum speed of 19 knots with a range of up to 5,000 nautical miles from her 329,000 litre fuel tanks at 10 knots. An on board stabilization system ensures comfort when underway.

Christina O has a good selection of water toys and accessories to entertain you and your guests whilst on charter. Principle among these is a Flyboard for soaring over the water or swimming like a dolphin. Another excellent feature is a waterslide for hours of fun for all ages. Take to the sea on a Jet Ski offering you power and control on the water. If that isn't enough Christina O also features towable toys, kayaks, paddleboards and snorkelling equipment. When it comes to Tenders, Christina O has you covered - with four tenders, including a Hacker Craft Limo Tender.

Why Charter Christina O

One of the most iconic superyachts available for charter, Christina O is distinctly steeped in stories of the rich and famous, who have once graced her decks. She is an ideal choice for those looking for an opulent charter vacation, enhanced with the ambience of a magnificent past. Plus, capable of accommodating 36 guests, she is perfect for larger parties set to experience the extraordinary lifestyle of the Onassis years.

Christina O is available upon request for charter this winter. She is already accepting bookings this summer for cruising in Bermuda and the Caribbean.

Showcasing meticulous craftsmanship coupled with high-end luxurious finishes, classic yacht Christina O certainly has the "wow" factor, along with state-of-the-art amenities and array of water toys, promising truly unforgettable yacht charters for even the most discerning guests.

TESTIMONIALS

There are currently no testimonials for Christina O, please provide .

Christina O Photos

Amenities & Entertainment

For your relaxation and entertainment Christina O has the following facilities, for more details please speak to your yacht charter broker.

Christina O is reported to be available to Charter with the following recreation facilities:

• 1 x Hacker Craft Varnished Wood Limo Tender with 1 x Volvo 250 HP engine
• 1 x Zodiac Medline 3 RIB with 2 x 150 HP engines
• 1 x Zodiac Medline 2 RIB

For a full list of all available amenities & entertainment facilities, or price to hire additional equipment please contact your broker.

• + shortlist

For a full list of all available amenities & entertainment facilities, or price to hire additional equipment please contact your broker.

APPROVED RYA WATER SPORTS CENTRE

Your family and friends could learn to use the water toys on your charter vacation onboard this luxury charter yacht. Motor Yacht Christina O is a certified RYA Training Centre yacht.

'Christina O' Charter Rates & Destinations

Summer Season

May - September

€700,000 p/week + expenses Approx $750,500

High Season

€740,000 p/week + expenses Approx $793,500

Cruising Regions

Bermuda Caribbean Antigua, Bahamas, Cuba, Saint Martin, St Barts Mediterranean Croatia, France, Greece, Italy, Malta, Monaco, Montenegro, Turkey

HOT SPOTS:   Amalfi Coast, Corsica, French Riviera, Ibiza, Mykonos, Sardinia, The Balearics, Virgin Islands

Winter Season

October - April

Please enquire .

Charter Christina O

To charter this luxury yacht contact your charter broker , or we can help you.

To charter this luxury yacht contact your charter broker or

On Board Review

As the former vessel of billionaire shipping tycoon Aristotle Onassis, the legendary 99m/325ft superyacht ‘Christina O’ set the scene for the original jetsetters of the late-1950s and, today, continues to be among the most world’s most famous yachts.

Follow in the footsteps of the original jet-setters aboard Christina O

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The real story behind the Triangle of Sadness superyacht

When an unhinged captain, celebrity model couple and an elderly arms dealer find themselves on a luxury cruise ship, things take a turn for the worse in Ruben Östlund's Triangle of Sadness. As the glossy satire is released in theatres, we dive into the colourful history of the film's true star (no, not Woody Harrelson), the 99.15 metre superyacht Christina O .

Christina O is no stranger to celebrity fanfare. With classic lines and a trademark yellow funnel, some might say she was destined for the screen and even secured a role in Netflix drama The Crown , starring as the 121.95 metre Alexander , before landing the part of a luxury cruiser in the 2022 comedy Triangle of Sadness. Even in her early years she was often found in the company of A-listers. The former warship was famously rescued and rebuilt by Greek shipping magnate Aristotle Onassis and her guest list reads like a who's who of Hollywood's finest, the likes of Marilyn Monroe, Frank Sinatra, Elizabeth Taylor, Greta Garbo and Grace Kelley having all graced her decks.

Spending $4 million on a yacht in the years of austerity after the Second World War seemed an act of frivolity by Onassis , but it was shrewd philosophy that underpinned what appeared to be a wasteful extravagance. The Canadian anti-submarine frigate HMCS Stormont , which he bought for its scrap value of $34,000 in 1954, was transformed into Christina O : a pleasure palace that vastly enhanced his status – and wealth – as film stars, politicians, bankers and businessmen answered his invitation to ‘come aboard’. 

What sets Onassis apart from the more patrician yacht owners of the day, who valued their privacy above all else, is that he virtually wrote the manual for today’s superyacht lifestyle. Espadrilled, tanned and always with an eye open beneath his sunglasses to the possibilities of a little publicity, he epitomised the roguish glamour of the mega-rich. Who didn’t aspire to a lifestyle that revolved around beautiful women, yachts and film stars? Yet, as a shrewd businessman, he was among the first to realise the potential of a yacht as a business tool. Who knows how many lucrative doors a few days’ hospitality aboard Christina O opened up for the man who began his career as a refugee from Turkish Anatolia with $250 in his pocket and a ticket to Argentina, where he made his first fortune.

Christina O was named after his first-born child, who inherited her father’s yacht at his death in 1975. However, with the memories of those carefree days perhaps too poignant, Christina donated her namesake to the Greek government in 1978, and a period of slow deterioration followed. Greece was in the hands of a left-wing regime, and the former plaything of a capitalist millionaire was embarrassing.

The yacht was rescued in 1999 by an Onassis family friend, John Paul Papanicolaou, who set about restoring her. The work was more extensive than first thought – 560 tonnes of new steel were required to replace corroded plating – but now with MAN diesels in place of her original steam turbines and many of her original fittings retained, she charters extremely successfully, her 17 cabins putting her into the exclusive mini-cruise liner market, a role that suits her perfectly.

Christina O has undergone numerous refits in recent years, which saw some mechanical and repair work undertaken, including careful restoration of her famous Minotaur mosaic swimming pool/dance floor. A new ‘Callas stage’ was also constructed and installed around the base of the funnel. Although there is an official concert room below – for events like the Maria Callas opera recitals that showcase the yacht’s links to the famous soprano – it was considered that in view of all the available Mediterranean sunshine going to waste, an alternative outdoor space would be a sound investment.

The most preserved areas are the Onassis Suite, the famous Ari’s Bar and the concert room. All guest cabins have been completely refurbished in similar style and still use the names of Greek islands, as accorded by Onassis. The pastel colour scheme in all of the cabins was selected by Jackie O and her choice of colour schemes and décor.

Ari’s Bar is one of the most historical parts of the Christina O . Engraved orca whale teeth provide places to hang a handbag, or hold on to, around the circumference of the bar, whose surface is still the original massive piece of timber from a sunken Spanish galleon. Similar orca teeth offer footrests on the stool columns, which are covered with the whale penis skin that Aristotle loved to tell his guests about.

Countless reams have been written about this famous yacht in gossip columns, scandal sheets, fashion magazines and yachting journals – probably more so than any other yacht afloat. Christina O is a celebrity in her own right and represents a golden age, an era of giants, from those who owned her to those who trod her decks and gave everlasting ambience to her interior spaces.

While she is truly an icon of her time, her legacy lives on both on and off the screen.

Christina O is available for charter with Morley Yachts from €700,000 per week.

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In pictures: all aboard iconic superyacht Christina O

Her storied history includes serving in WW2 and hosting Prince Rainier and Grace Kelly’s wedding reception 

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The superyacht Christina O did not start her life on the seas as a playground for the rich and famous. Constructed in 1943 by Montreal-based shipbuilder Canadian Vickers, the 99m Canadian frigate - originally called HMCS Stormont - was first used to serve in the Second World War and was present at the D-Day landings in Normandy in 1944.

Yacht buying guide: all you need to know when purchasing a superyacht Review: Lamborghini takes to the seas

Acquired in 1954 by Aristotle Onassis, it was the Greek billionaire shipping magnate that transformed the Stormont into one of the world’s most luxurious superyachts . Renamed after his daughter, Onassis spent $4m on the refurbishment of a ship that would become an elite and exclusive entertainment destination.

From John Fitzgerald Kennedy and Winston Churchill to Marilyn Monroe and Jackie Kennedy, who Onassis later married, Christina O hosted some of the world’s most influential people during her glory years. The wedding reception of Monaco’s Prince Rainier and Grace Kelly was also held on board, while legendary Hollywood couple Richard Burton and Elizabeth Taylor were regular guests.

Today the Christina O can be hired for corporate events and be chartered for private use. Charter prices start from €560,000 (£492,900) a week in low season to €630,000 (£554,700) a week in high season. See morleyyachts.com

‘Greatest yacht of them all’

After a number of refits, the ship has been meticulously restored. It can sleep up to 34 guests who can enjoy the same luxury experienced by the famous visitors of yesteryear. Designed to the highest standard, Onassis’s “unique taste is everywhere”, says Boat International magazine. Christina O is regarded by many as the “greatest yacht of them all”.

Swimming pool

One of the highlights aboard the superyacht is the beautiful swimming pool. Designed with a tiled bull mosaic, the pool can turn into a dance floor at the flip of a switch.

Jacuzzi deck

Relaxation is the top activity on the Christina O. As well as the Jacuzzi deck (pictured) the ship also has an indoor air-conditioned gym and a spa which offers beauty treatments and massages.

Callas Lounge

The surroundings inside the yacht are as plush as the exteriors. The Callas Lounge (pictured) is named after the American-born Greek soprano Maria Callas. Regarded as one of the influential opera singers of the 20th century, it’s said that her “opera notes still play in the Callas Lounge”.

Ari’s Bar

The legendary Ari’s Bar is christened in tribute to Aristotle Onassis himself as “this was one of his favourite places in which to enjoy a drink”, says Yacht Charter Fleet .

Ranked 56 in the Top 100 Largest Yachts in the World list, Christina O is the “epitome of elegance and luxury”, says Superyachts.com . “Its capacious deck can host up to 250 guests beneath extensive canopies, perfect for a special occasion or one-off corporate incentive.” Other amenities include the Galaxy Bar on the Compass deck and the large Jacuzzi on the Promenade deck.

Onassis’ Suite

The expansive and luxurious Onassis Suite is situated on the bridge deck and holds a spacious bathroom with Jacuzzi tub and a private en-suite lounge, says Superyachts.com .

Spiral staircase

Christina O’s elegant marble-railed spiral staircase covers three decks and at the bottom is the floor depicting Onassis’ Omega emblem.

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Mike Starling is the digital features editor at The Week, where he writes content and edits the Arts & Life and Sport website sections and the Food & Drink and Travel newsletters. He started his career in 2001 in Gloucestershire as a sports reporter and sub-editor and has held various roles as a writer and editor at news, travel and B2B publications. He has spoken at a number of sports business conferences and also worked as a consultant creating sports travel content for tourism boards. International experience includes spells living and working in Dubai, UAE; Brisbane, Australia; and Beirut, Lebanon. 

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Christina O

• 99.13m | Canadian Vickers | 1943 (2020)
• captain & crew
• chef & cuisine
• specifications
• testimonials

An iconic vessel on which Maria Callas sang and Winston Churchill engaged in heated political debate with Aristotle Onassis. A place where John F Kennedy, Marilyn Monroe, Jackie Onassis, Margot Fonteyn, Frank Sinatra, Elizabeth Taylor and Richard Burton, amongst other giants from the worlds of royalty, Hollywood and politics, could kick back and enjoy the romance and legendary hospitality synonymous with Christina O. The wedding reception of Prince Rainier and Grace Kelly was held on board and the supermodel Heidi Klum recently married her beau on the yacht.

However, to fully understand the incredible history of this magnificent 99.13m superyacht, you need to travel back almost a century to her humbler, yet nonetheless impressive, beginnings.

Built in 1943 by Canadian Vickers, this one-time frigate, originally known as Stormont, played an active part in the Second World War, including participation in the D Day landings and escorting convoys of ships providing defence. In late 1944, she reportedly spend a record 63 days at sea – the longest active period of any frigate during the war.

However post-war she had the good fortune to be acquired by Greek shipping magnate Aristotle Onassis, who decided to invest in rebuilding and renovating her, completing an amazing metamorphosis from illustrious war vessel to one of the world’s most famous and celebrated superyachts.  

Named after his daughter, Christina O – then called Christina - became a favoured destination for world leaders, movie stars and the business elite during the 1950s and 60s - an invitation on board was regarded as the pinnacle of arriving in society. Today’s guests can luxuriate in the knowledge that they are also experiencing that same sense of old-world charm and sophistication combined with seven star service in a stylish and classic environment unlike any other.

She has been consistently upgraded in the intervening years to offer every aspect of 21st century luxury and technology which sits perfectly alongside original features like the impressive circular staircase and vintage handrails.  

One of many features setting Christina O apart from other superyachts is her immense deck space. The outdoor bar and jacuzzi deck combined with the famous swimming pool deck and compass deck provide an extensive space that is hard to equal, as comfortable for 20 guests as for a cocktail party at anchor or a day cruise for 157.

Among her most astounding wow factors is the 1.6m deep mosaic swimming pool installed in the 1950s which can be raised for both aesthetics and safety when the water is removed. Guests often like to use this space as a dancefloor for parties under the stars and is a spot where many great memories have been made.

In addition to her impressive exterior spaces, Christina O offers 17 beautifully appointed cabins sleeping 34 guests - the Onassis Suite has a stunning fireplace with a Renoir hanging above it - and all other cabins are named after Greek islands. She also boasts an array of stylish reception rooms in which to relax and be transported back to another time.

The Jackie O Lapis Lounge is filled with rare books and this grand, yet cosy wood-panelled salon features an extraordinary lapis-lazuli fireplace made from this most sought-after stone, which is reputed to enhance the memory.

Ari’s Bar, meanwhile, is probably the most famous and iconic room on board. With a bar crafted from the wood of an ancient Spanish galleon, it is decorated with atmospheric black and white portraits of previous guests including John Wayne, Elizabeth Taylor and Richard Burton. It was the setting for numerous great historical meetings of minds, notably the first encounter between John F Kennedy and Winston Churchill, who made an incredible nine voyages on the yacht.

The Maria Callas Lounge is dedicated to Ari’s grand amour of opera, whose exquisite recorded arias still drift around the lounge. A grand Steinway piano is available for guests to play and a remote-controlled projector descends to show movies while the Sir Winston Churchill Library offers peace and tranquillity for guests looking for respite from the sun and a little solitude.

And then there is the cuisine. A team of six chefs from as far afield as Argentina and Japan is headed up by French Executive Chef Damien Perrinel, whose Michelin-star experience in some of France’s finest restaurants means that guests can enjoy a hedonistic dining experience every day, sampling divine dishes from every corner of the planet either on deck or in the elegant dining room, the centrepiece of which is a long table which can seat 28 guests.

With wellness a key factor for many, Christina O also boasts a spa with two full- tim e therapists which is open all day long for no extra charge during charters, offering a variety of luxury spa treatments.  

The water sports department also delivers at the highest level of excellence; instructors can award RYA jet-ski licenses to guests while on board and coach them in having fun safely on the three SeaDoo waverunners in line with local regulations. Additionally, Christina O is served by two beautifully restored hacker craft tenders.

Indeed, with a crew of around 40 and a staff to guest ratio of at least 1:1, you can be confident that your every need or desire will be met.

“The sense of pride when you charter Christina O is palpable,” says charter broker Tim Morley. “When people come on board Christina O they genuinely have an emotional reaction. It is unlike any other yacht. You feel the spirit of the yacht. People love it and it affects almost everybody in this way, young and old.”

Operations manager Florin Belciug has worked on board for 12 years and agrees that Christina O offers a unique experience to charter guests. “She has a classic history and charisma that most boats just don’t have. Many charter clients choose her for this reason. The Americans love the fact that Jackie Onassis and JFK spent time on the yacht. They are impressed from the moment they step on board.”

Christina O is stable, cruising fast with her relatively new engines up to a top speed of 19 knots and, with sufficient officers to allow the yacht to sail from one anchorage to another overnight, every night, guests can enjoy a full day at a new anchorage from daybreak.  

Charters can cover significant distances; during one charter in 2019, Christina O departed from Venice to cruise down the coasts of Croatia and Montenegro and through the bay of Kotor before heading across to Sicily and the Lipari Islands, and then north to Capri and Amalfi, finishing in Naples.

She is also one of very few yachts legally allowed to charter in Greece with a non-Greek flag thanks to possession of a Greek charter license.

Even for those guests who are well versed in chartering, Christina O is guaranteed to eclipse any past experience, setting the bar on superyacht style and luxury at the highest level of excellence.

Images: Stef Bravin

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The Statesman, the Magnate, and the Original 'Superyacht'

Inside greek shipping magnate aristotle onassis' famed “superyacht” the christina—and the story of its most esteemed artwork, a newly rediscovered painting by sir winston churchill..

Aristotle Onassis' yacht, the Christina . (Photo by Ron Galella/Ron Galella Collection via Getty Images)

Written by Andrew Paine Bradbury

With news breaking this spring that Amazon founder Jeff Bezos is commissioning a $500 million, 417-ft superyacht—and that it won’t even be the largest in the world—it’s safe to say we’ve passed the golden age of yachting and have firmly entered the Baroque period. And though Bezos’s behemoth will surely have every bell and whistle a modern billionaire could ask for, it’s doubtful it will ever attain the style, the star-wattage or the place in the popular imagination held by the world’s first superyacht, Aristotle Onassis’ Christina . As a boat, the 325-ft Christina was never lacking in size. But as a symbol of a more glamorous and halcyon era, it looms much larger. This month, one of the Christina ’s greatest treasures—an original oil painting by Sir Winston Churchill—will hit the auction block at Phillips.

The Moat, Breccles , which Churchill gifted to the Greek shipping magnate around the summer of 1961, was thought to have been lost. Recently discovered by the Onassis family, the impressionistic landscape will be auctioned in New York on June 23 as part of Phillips’ 20th Century and Contemporary Art Evening Sale . “It’s an exceptional painting,” says Jean-Paul Engelen, Phillips’ Deputy Chairman and Worldwide Co-Head of 20th Century & Contemporary Art, “that comes with an exceptional story, and celebrates an exceptional friendship. We are all inspired by world history and art history, but it’s only on rare occasions that these two things come together so spectacularly in one painting.” Previously, the only way to have seen the painting was to have been one of the lucky guests aboard Onassis’ famed Christina .

The most beautiful structure I have seen afloat. —Sir Winston Churchill, in a letter to his wife Clementine, February, 1956

Originally the HMCS Stormont , a Canadian, WWII-era anti-submarine frigate that aided the Allies during the Normandy landing, the vessel was purchased by Onassis for the scrap value of $34,000. After a $4 million renovation, it was rechristened the Christina , in honor of Onassis’ daughter. Aboard the yacht, Onassis entertained countless luminaries and dignitaries from the worlds of politics, business, and the arts, including Franklin Roosevelt, John and Jackie Kennedy, Frank Sinatra, Cary Grant, Ava Gardner, J. Paul Getty, Eva Perón, Elizabeth Taylor and Richard Burton, and many more. “I don’t think there is a man or woman on earth who would not be seduced by the pure narcissism shamelessly flaunted on this boat,” Burton said, obviously one of the seduced. Ironically, one might say that the seafaring Christina symbolized “the jet set” far more than any actual plane.

It was a heart-stoppingly glamorous affair, boasting a Minotaur-themed mosaic swimming pool that could be drained and turned into a raised dance floor at the touch of a button, a dazzling blue lapis lazuli wood-burning fireplace in one of the indoor lounges, a children’s dining room hand-painted by Madeline illustrator Ludwig Bemelmans, frescoes by Marcel Vertes, an office with a Louis XV desk, marble bathtubs, an elevator, 42 telephone lines, and a landing pad for Onassis’ Piaggio seaplane.

A spiral staircase connected the various decks that were flush with indoor and outdoor areas to relax and entertain. There were ten impeccably appointed staterooms (not counting Onassis’ lavish suite), a library, a salon, a plush den and the intimate Ari’s Bar, which at that time was probably the most exclusive boîte in the world. The staff was roughly the size of an army battalion and equally well-trained. Someone had to empty all those gold and silver ashtrays.

Aristotle Onassis at the circular counter of "Ari's Bar" aboard his yacht, the Christina . Montecarlo (Principality of Monaco), June 1961. (Photo by Carlo Bavagnoli/Mondadori via Getty Images)

Jamie Niven, a senior advisor to the CEO of Phillips and the son of the Academy Award-winning British actor David Niven, bore witness to the luxury of the Christina when he was a teenager living in the south of France. “Until he and [Prince] Ranier had a falling out, the Christina was always in the Monaco harbor,” Niven says. “It was by far the biggest boat.” As a friend of Onassis’ son Alexander, Niven was invited aboard on multiple occasions and saw firsthand the transformation of the pool into a dancefloor. “These sailors would rush out with rags and mop the surface of the pool,” he says, “and so you’re dancing on the surface of the pool. It was all looking great: the furniture, the waiters running around. It was very glam, and very impressive to an 18-year-old, I can tell you that.”

The yacht was a total reflection of Onassis’s personality: the strive for perfection, the unabashed pleasure-seeking, and his notorious ribald streak. Indeed, the most infamous feature of the Christina were the barstools in Ari’s Bar that were upholstered with the foreskins of minke whales. And though it was called “the height of opulence” by no less than the former King Farouk of Egypt, there was one detail of the Christina that Onassis was most proud to show off to his guests—an oil painting by Sir Winston Churchill, gifted by the man himself as a token of appreciation for time spent cruising the Medditerranean and Carribean seas.

As always, I greatly enjoyed your company and your hospitality. —Sir Winston Churchill, in a letter to Aristotle Onassis, May, 1962

Churchill and Onassis struck up a fast friendship, having met at the famed La Pausa villa in the south of France. (Originally designed and built by Coco Chanel, La Pausa was bought by Churchill’s publisher, the Hungarian emigré Emery Reves). The two titans shared a love for the finer things in life and the mechanizations of global power; it was on these two points their mutually beneficial relationship was founded. Onassis had the honor of hosting the elder statesman of European liberal democracy and Churchill—who could never be called destitute, but whose appetite for the good life always tested the limits of his own finances—got to enjoy the lifestyle of the .0001%.

Winston Churchill and Aristotle Onassis arriving on the Christina . (Getty Images)

“There were all these photographs of Churchill sitting on the stern, with a cigar,” Niven says. “They were published all over the world. Onassis must’ve loved the fact that he had Churchill on his boat. It was a statement. It’s no different than today. People try to invite famous people on their yacht. [Onassis’ rival and fellow Greek shipping tycoon Stavros] Niarchos didn’t have Churchill on his boat.”

But despite this seemingly symbiotic nature, the two men, by all accounts, genuinely enjoyed each other’s company, and their correspondence reveals great warmth and affection between them.

Onassis went above and beyond to ensure that Churchill—who was in his 80s during the eight cruises he took aboard the Christina from 1958 to 1963—was comfortable during their voyages. He would give up his own suite for Churchill to stay in while he was aboard, a luxury that was afforded to no other guest. And of course there was the limitless supply of champagne, caviar, martinis, brandy, and cigars for Churchill to enjoy. And by all accounts, he enjoyed them with his typical gusto.

Churchill, in turn, was grateful for the hospitality. A letter from Churchill to Onassis from December, 1960 reads: “My dear Ari, I am most grateful to you for sending the beautiful cigar case and for the trouble you have taken with the inscription. I admire it greatly, and it reminds me of that wonderful and sunny cruise to the West Indies. You have done so much to make my travels abroad happy and enjoyable and I am indeed indebted to you. I shall think of you whenever I take a cigar from the case. Yours, WSC”.

He showed Onassis his gratitude with a gift of his own—an original artwork. An avid painter for the last 50 years of his life, Churchill produced some 500 canvases in his lifetime and began gifting them after 1950 as a sign of particularly close friendship and admiration to the likes of Queen Elizabeth II, Harry Truman, Dwight Eisenhower and others. Prior to that Churchill had said of works that “they are too bad to sell and too dear to me to give.” Despite the self-effacing estimate, they really were dear to Churchill, and to be the recipient of one was the sign that you meant a great deal to him. Besides, what else could one gift a man like Onassis, who had, as the saying goes, everything.

Just to paint is great fun. —Sir Winston Churchill, “Painting as a Pastime”

The painting in question is an evocative landscape that depicts a wooded area bisected by the moat that borders the eastern edge of the south lawn at Breccles Hall, a 16th-century Elizabethan manor house located in Norfolk, England and the 20th-century home of Venetia Montagu, the cousin of Churchill’s wife, Clementine. The Moat, Breccles was originally painted in 1921 and was prominently featured in Churchill’s personal essay “Painting as a Pastime” that was published in the December 1921 issue of The Strand magazine. (A pretty stellar issue if you can get your hands on it, featuring original stories by Arthur Conan Doyle and PG Wodehouse, as well as a companion essay to Churchill’s titled “Singing as a Profession” by the great Enrico Caruso).

In the essay, Churchill relates how painting came into his life at one of his darkest moments. In 1915, he was ousted from his post as Lord of the Admiralty (the political head of the Royal Navy) following the disastrous Gallipoli campaign and given a token bureaucratic job as the Chancellor of Lanchester, an awful blow to a man of Churchill’s talents and bluster. Despondent, he found the surrounding gloom lifted when his sister-in-law suggested he join her painting in the garden. “And then it was that the Muse of Painting came to my rescue — out of charity and out of chivalry,” he wrote. He went on to extoll the benefits of having a creative hobby and how far they outweigh the pleasures one might find in traditional pursuits such as hunting, billiards or golf. “There will be sunshine there even in the winter-time,” he wrote, “and cool shade, and the play of shadow on the path in the shining days of June.”

Property from the Onassis Family Collection, Sir Winston L.S. Churchill, The Moat, Breccles , circa August 1921. Estimate: $1,500,000-2,000,000.  20th Century and Contemporary Art Evening Sale .

Though he never advanced beyond amateur status as a painter, his work could hardly be called middling. Inspired by Impressionists like Monet and Cézanne, he possessed a keen sense of color and a strong sense of place. Surveying Churchill’s work in 1982, the president of the Royal Academy of Arts, Sir Hugh Casson, called him, “an amateur of considerable natural ability who, had he had the time [to study and practice] could have held his own with most professionals … especially as a colourist.” Of course, winning a World War tends to limit one’s time for study and practice.

In recent years, the value of these works has increased greatly—multiple paintings, including “The Goldfish Pond at Chartwell” have fetched seven figures at auction—and interest in his art has never been greater. The popularity of Netflix’s The Crown , which featured several scenes of John Lithgow’s Churchill, besmocked with brush in hard, has played no small part. And while Churchill’s artistic endeavors will never outshine his political accomplishments and legendary oratories, they provide key insight into one of the most towering figures of the 20th century.

“I think this heightened sense of observation of Nature is one of the chief delights that have come to me through trying to paint,” Churchill wrote, and it is with that heightened sense that he painted The Moat, Breccles . From his eyes to his hand and his brush and then onto the canvas, before traveling through the pages of the Strand all the way to the walls of the salon aboard the grandest yacht in the world, trailing with it a history that spanned from the bloody aftermath of WWI to the go-go optimism of the jet-set ‘60s.

After Aristotle Onassis’ death in 1975, his daughter Christina inherited the namesake yacht and later gave it to the Greek government to use as a presidential yacht before her own untimely death. The yacht fell into disrepair and could have easily met a scrapyard fate. However it was rescued and (quite extensively, as well as expensively) refurbished to its former glory by Onassis family friend and fellow shipping magnate John Paul Papanicolaou in 2011. The minotaur-themed swimming pool still turns into a dancefloor, and it’s currently available to charter for the handsome sum of about $650,000 per week.

Original Churchill landscape not included.

Andrew Paine Bradbury is a writer and musician based in New York City.

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CHRISTINA O Yacht – Paradise-like $40M Superyacht

Conceptualized by Aristotle Onassis, a Greek shipping magnate, the Christina O entertained the stars of the 20th century.

Onassis hosted the likes of Winston Churchill, Grace Kelly, and Elizabeth Taylor. The $40 million yacht hosted legendary parties, scandals, and luxury on the first personal yacht.

CHRISTINA O yacht interior

After World War II, Onassis bought the River-class frigate and spent $4 million converting the vessel into a luxurious superyacht named after his daughter.

The opulence reflected his tastes, with a Minotaur-themed mosaic swimming pool that could be raised into a dance floor once drained.

Ari’s Bar had barstools upholstered with the foreskins of whales, with whales’ teeth as the footrests and ivory armrests.

The bathrooms were in marble, and the fittings were in gold. The fireplace in the famous Lapis Lazuli lounge was encrusted in lapis lazuli.

Illustrator Ludwig Bemelmans designed and painted the children’s dining room. When Onassis died, his daughter donated the boat to the Greek government, which let the masterpiece go to rot.

In 1999, she was bought back from the Greek government by John Paul Papanicolaou and completely gutted.

The CHRISTINA O yacht was refitted with replicas of the lavish features Onassis was so proud of. The interior of the yacht reflects an English country manor house style.

During the refit, more accommodation was added to the vessel. The staterooms are smaller compared to 21st-century yachts. CHRISTINA O has a master suite and 17 passenger staterooms.

She can accommodate 34 guests on board and 39 crew. A spiral staircase connects the many indoor and outdoor living spaces.

She lacks the indoor boat storage that is now standard on superyachts, but she has many living areas, and the deck space is very generous.

She also features a glass-paneled gym, a music room, and other luxury amenities. The compass deck features areas for lounging and sunbathing, while the deck below, called the promenade deck, had an aft spa pool and dining area.

She also has a tender garage filled with toys for fun on the water.

CHRISTINA O yacht exterior

Canadian Vickers built the CHRISTINA O yacht in 1943. She served in Normandy during WWII but later became a surplus relic.

Onassis bought the vessel for her scrap value. Onassis charged the Howaldt Shipyard in Germany with creating the lavish personal yacht.

Caesar Pinnau, a German professor of architecture, created classic lines and a high stern for the new and improved CHRISTINA O.

The classic yellow funnel remains to this day. While the yacht retains some of her rugged exteriors, she appears low-slung and eye-catching in the water.

CHRISTINA O yacht specifications

With a length of 99.1m, the CHRISTINA O yacht has a beam of 11.12m and a draft of 4.24m.

She has a volume of 1802 gross tons; she has a top speed of 19 knots and a cruising speed of 14 knots. Her MAN engines give her a range of 5000 nautical miles.

She was one of the first boats to fit an onboard stabilization system for guests’ comfort.

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You Can Now Rent Jackie and Aristotle Onassis’s Former Yacht for $90,000 a Day

The greek shipping magnate's legendary yacht, which once hosted a-list stars, is now available to charter., max berlinger, max berlinger's most recent stories.

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In 1954, Greek shipping magnate Aristotle Onassis bought a Canadian convoy escort and spent $4 million refurbishing it to his specifications, transforming it into a luxurious vessel fit for a man who made his fortune as the owner of fleets of ships. The yacht, christened the Christina O after his daughter, was a floating palace. Indeed, during the decades that he owned it, the ship became his de facto residence, headquarters, and vacation home, until his death in 1975.

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The ship was donated by his daughter (now deceased) to the Greek government in 1978 and acquired by a family friend in 1998 who then restored it (additional updates were made in 2015 and 2018). Today, the yacht and a slice of history and glamor that can be yours for the taking—or, more accurately, the renting—for a little under $100,000 a day.

The Christina O at sea.  Stef Bravin

Valef Yachts is now offering up charters of the luxurious vessel that hosted Jacqueline Kennedy, later to become Onassis’s wife, and a roster of glittering, high-profile A-listers like Marilyn Monroe, Frank Sinatra, and Princess Grace of Monaco. A one-night charter on the yacht will cost you €80,000 (or around $90,000) except during the high season (July and August) when that number jumps up to €90,000 (or $101,000).

Aristotle Onassis hosting guests, including Jacqueline Kennedy, on his yacht.  Uncredited/AP/Shutterstock

Of course for that price, this is one supremely luxurious cruise that comes equipped with everything you could imagine and a few things you can’t. The ship itself has been thoughtfully restored, and can accommodate up to 34 people in 17 cabins (but can host 250 for a party or event). It comes with a crew 38 strong, and it features a salt water swimming pool, jacuzzi, library, a fitness lounge (with therapists included), two massage rooms and a beauty parlor, a dance floor, a central atrium, and a bar.

Of course, as one astute legend pointed out, the yacht’s vast amenities were not even its most intoxicating quality:

“I don’t think there is a man or woman on earth who would not be seduced by the pure narcissism shamelessly flaunted on this boat,” Richard Burton famously said. “I have found that to be so.”

Now it’s your turn. 

Richard Burton and Elizabeth Taylor on the Christina O. in 1975.  Harry Fox/Shutterstock

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The Onassis Family yacht is available to charter for the summer

By Annika Purdey

The yacht that Aristotle and Jackie Kennedy Onassis held their wedding reception on in 1968 is now available to charter just in time for the summer, following a major refurbishment.

Named for Aristotle's daughter, Christina O was the Onassis family yacht for decades, after the shipping magnate bought the former Canadian frigate in 1954. Indeed, it has a storied history - even taking part in the D Day landings before it was turning into the world's most luxurious superyacht.

Oozing history and romance, this glamorous yacht has hosted everyone from royalty to Hollywood stars, including Grace Kelly, Elizabeth Taylor, Richard Burton, Marilyn Monroe, Greta Garbo and Frank Sinatra. Even Sir Winston Churchill partied aboard this glorious floating playground for the super-rich.

By Isaac Zamet

By Harriet Johnston

Although not the biggest yacht in the Mediterranean these days, at just over 325ft she’s still pretty awe-inspiring to look at, and certainly instantly recognisable. A recent refit in 2018 created 17 luxury en-suite cabins, meaning she can accommodate 34 guests with a crew of 38. But if you do need to cruise with all your friends, the capacity is 157 - plus there's a dining room that seats 40 people, too. In dock she can host a party for up to 250, so potentially perfect for a wedding, a special birthday or just because you can...

Once aboard the interior is next level fabulous. There’s a swimming pool that turns into a dance floor at night, a drawing room filled with wonderful photographs of its illustrious history, a fully-equipped gym, a beauty salon with two full-time therapists and a new cinema. The standout feature though is the lapis blue spiral staircase – perfect for your Instagram photoshoot. Of course, there are also on-board toys galore – think jet skis, tenders and even a huge waterslide.

So if you have €90,000 a day to throw at a summer holiday, and want to chicly cruise the Med Jackie O style, the Christina O is for you.

Christina O is available to charter through Camper and Nicholsons in Mayfair, and other accredited yacht brokers.

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Jackie and Aristotle Onassis's Former Yacht Is Available to Rent

The luxury ship was frequented by the likes of Winston Churchill and Marilyn Monroe.

Charter company Morley Yachts has made the ship available to charter , for a mere €740,000 a week ($814,133) during the high season. The Christina O's luxurious offerings include a main suite, 17 guest cabins with ensuite showers, a dining room for up to 40 guests, a swimming pool that converts to a dance floor, and more.

The boat's allure has been well-documented, having lured the likes of Grace Kelly, Frank Sinatra, and more onboard. Actor Richard Burton once had a telling conversation about the yacht's power, per the Telegraph . "I don’t think there is a man or woman on earth who would not be seduced by the pure narcissism shamelessly flaunted on this boat," Burton said, to which Aristotle replied, "I have found that to be so."

When he described the Christina O himself, Aristotle tended to be blunt. "Madame," he would often tell women aboard, "You are sitting on the largest penis in the world."

The boat also hosted Jackie 's wedding to Aristotle in 1968, after which she'd be a frequent guest aboard the Christina O, until they divorced in 1975.

Recently, Christina O featured in the Triangle of Sadness , Ruben Östlund's Best Picture nominated film, and in The Crown season five , recreating Princess Diana and Prince Charles's 1991 trip to Italy .

The Christina O was acquired by new owners in 2023. "When people come on board Christina O they typically have an emotional reaction," Tim Morley, who runs Morley Yachts, told Robb Report . "People love it—and it affects almost everybody in this way, young and old."

Chloe is a News Writer for Townandcountrymag.com , where she covers royal news, from the latest additions to Meghan Markle’s staff to Queen Elizabeth’s monochrome fashions ; she also writes about culture, often dissecting TV shows like The Marvelous Mrs Maisel and Killing Eve .

@media(min-width: 40.625rem){.css-1jdielu:before{margin:0.625rem 0.625rem 0;width:3.5rem;-webkit-filter:invert(17%) sepia(72%) saturate(710%) hue-rotate(181deg) brightness(97%) contrast(97%);filter:invert(17%) sepia(72%) saturate(710%) hue-rotate(181deg) brightness(97%) contrast(97%);height:1.5rem;content:'';display:inline-block;-webkit-transform:scale(-1, 1);-moz-transform:scale(-1, 1);-ms-transform:scale(-1, 1);transform:scale(-1, 1);background-repeat:no-repeat;}.loaded .css-1jdielu:before{background-image:url(/_assets/design-tokens/townandcountrymag/static/images/diamond-header-design-element.80fb60e.svg);}}@media(min-width: 64rem){.css-1jdielu:before{margin:0 0.625rem 0.25rem;}} Jackie Kennedy @media(min-width: 40.625rem){.css-128xfoy:before{margin:0.625rem 0.625rem 0;width:3.5rem;-webkit-filter:invert(17%) sepia(72%) saturate(710%) hue-rotate(181deg) brightness(97%) contrast(97%);filter:invert(17%) sepia(72%) saturate(710%) hue-rotate(181deg) brightness(97%) contrast(97%);height:1.5rem;content:'';display:inline-block;background-repeat:no-repeat;}.loaded .css-128xfoy:before{background-image:url(/_assets/design-tokens/townandcountrymag/static/images/diamond-header-design-element.80fb60e.svg);}}@media(min-width: 64rem){.css-128xfoy:before{margin:0 0.625rem 0.25rem;}}

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This is the Christina O, Onassis’ Legendary Yacht Starring in The Crown

From d-day to the first lady's wedding to netflix; the famous yacht once belonging to aristotle onassis returns to the limelight once more..

Greece Is | October 14th, 2021

The lounges and cabins of the rechristened Christina O, the yacht that once belonged to Aristotle Onassis , have seen a parade of celebrities from the worlds of global politics, the arts and entertainment. Over the years, Winston Churchill, John F. Kennedy, Prince Rainier of Monaco, Grace Kelly, Marilyn Monroe, Frank Sinatra, Greta Garbo, Lisa Minelli, Eva Perόn, John Wayne, Rudolf Nureyev and many members of the Rothschild and Rockefeller dynasties all descended the majestic central staircase, swam in the pool with the famous Minoan Bull mosaic (a pool that turned into a dance floor at the touch of a button) and drank at “Ari’s Bar,” perched on stools covered with whale skin. Today, the fabled boat is garnering yet more attention, as it plays host to Princess Diana and friends.

It has been more than half a century since this legendary boat starred in news broadcasts seen around the world as the reception venue following the wedding that shocked America , that of their former First Lady, Jacqueline Kennedy , to the shipping magnate Aristotle Onassis. Today, the yacht Christina O is set to play a leading role on the television screen again, this time serving as the backdrop to Princess Diana’s love affair with Egyptian billionaire Dodi Al Fayed, for the needs of the fifth season of “The Crown.”

When Onassis owned it, the yacht Christina hosted the cream of the political and artistic scenes, but today, anyone with €700,000 to spend for a week’s cruise can enjoy its luxurious appointments. Interestingly enough, nothing in the early years of this ship’s existence foretold the glory that lay ahead. This ship, which hosted Heidi Klum’s 2019 wedding and is often found off Mykonos and other cosmopolitan Mediterranean islands, made her maiden voyage in 1943 under the name “Stormont.” A frigate in the Canadian Navy, it took part in the Battle of the Atlantic and in the D-Day landings .

Onassis bought the ship at the scrap price of $34,000 in 1954 and spent $4 million renovating it, before naming it after his daughter. When one considers that amount is equivalent to approximately $45 million in today’s money, it’s easy to understand the levels of luxury involved in the restoration. The Christina was undoubtedly the most luxurious craft in the world at the time . It was, after all, the crown jewel in Onassis’ naval empire, and the magnate used it both as the headquarters of his business and as a floating mansion. In the yacht’s reception rooms hung a Renoir, a de Chirico and two fake Goyas which Onassis enjoyed fooling his esteemed guests into believing were authentic.

With the Christina, Onassis created a trend that survives to this day: every self-respecting billionaire should really have a mega-yacht that turns heads wherever it docks. After Onassis’s death in 1975, the Christina went his daughter, Christina, who, in turn, donated it to the Greek state for use as the presidential yacht. It functioned in this capacity under the name “Argo”, but gradually fell into disuse and when, in the early 1990s, it went under the hammer at a reserve price of $16 million, not a single buyer appeared.

Eventually, in poor condition, it was discovered by the shipbuilder Costas Karabelas and bought by the ship owner and friend of the Onassis family, John-Paul Papanikolaou. Its renovation took 16 months of intensive work, 1.2 million man-hours and $50 million before the boat, now renamed the Christina O, was returned to its former glory. Today, the yacht features a master suite, 17 passenger cabins, a gym, a spa, a cinema and many indoor and outdoor lounges. All its interior spaces remain connected by the ship’s impressive staircase.

The Minoan Bull mosaic at the bottom of the pool was rebuilt, piece by piece, and Aristotle’s bar, where Churchill once drank vintage brandy, was restored to its original form as well; the counter still boasts wood from a sunken Spanish galley, the bar stools are still covered in whale skin, and the hand supports are still shaped from the teeth of killer whales.

Today, another episode is unfolding in the glamorous life of this boat. On the fifth season of “The Crown” , to be released next fall, the Christina O is standing in for the Cujo , the Al Fayed family boat on which Diana was photographed by paparazzi in the summer of 1997 in Saint Tropez. It was a year after her divorce from Prince Charles, and the last summer of her life.

This article was previously published in Greek at moneyreview.gr .

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11 Tragic Details About the Life of Jackie Kennedy's Stepdaughter, Christina Onassis

Posted: April 18, 2024 | Last updated: April 20, 2024

11 Tragic Details About the Life of Jackie Kennedy’s Stepdaughter, Christina Onassis

In the world of the uber-wealthy, the name Christina Onassis is synonymous with both opulence and sorrow. Better known as the step-daughter of former First Lady Jackie Kennedy, she lived a life defined by immense riches, yet was burdened by the weight of tragedy that seemed to follow her every step. Here are 11 details about the poignant and tragic journey of Onassis, a woman whose life in the lap of luxury was marked by profound sadness and heartache. Keep on clicking onwards through this article to learn more.

An unwanted child

Christina was born on December 11, 1950, into the incredibly rich Onassis family. Her father, Aristotle, had made the family fortune as an international shipping magnate. In 1946, he married Athina Livanos, with whom he had his first child, Alexander. Supposedly, the couple didn't want to have any more children , as they thought it would make company inheritance tricky.

They went so far as to abort two pregnancies after Alexander, to ensure he remained an only child. That all changed when Athina became pregnant with Christina. Not wanting to risk her health, Athina refused to have another abortion, even when Aristotle allegedly tried to beat her into submission.

Christina's father didn't want her, and her mother resented how much she looked like her father.

Life with selective mutism

Aristotle Onassis eventually came to love his daughter and enjoyed having her around. Despite this, he was frequently away running his growing billion-dollar business. Athina was also distanced from her children. She frequently felt like she wasn't a good mother and left the raising of Christina and Alexander primarily to the family's servants.

Between both parents, the children received scant affection. As a result, Christina simply stopped talking at the age of five. This solved the problem of attention, as suddenly there was significant interest from both of her parents as to why this happened and how to solve it. She was taken to a treatment center in Zürich, and it was determined that she had selective mutism.

Eventually, she outgrew it and said later in life that she didn't remember it at all.

Manipulative parents

Christina Onassis' parents didn't always ignore her, especially when it came to building their shipping empire. There were many occasions where she was used by both mother and father to try and grow their business.

According to the book, Heiress: The Story of Christina Onassis , Athina supposedly wanted to arrange a marriage between her daughter and Philippe Niarchos, Christina's first cousin and heir to a close shipping rival. Shockingly, the pair gave it a shot, but ultimately decided that a union wasn't going to happen.

Aristotle tried to arrange a different marriage many years later, this time to Peter Goulandris. Unsurprisingly, he was also an heir to a shipping company that Christina's father wanted to make part of his dynasty. Athina helped try and pressure her daughter into the union, despite her repeated rejection of the idea.

Aristotle was persistent, and the idea only dropped because he died. However, he did make Christina promise on his deathbed that she would marry Peter.

An evil stepmother?

Tensions between the Onassis parents never really dissipated, and they ended up getting a divorce when Christina was eight, after Aristotle had a very public affair with opera singer Maria Callas.

Despite Athina also engaging in extramarital relations, Christina saw her father's mistress as the reason why their family wasn't getting back together. This likely contributed to her intense dislike of his new wife, none other than Jackie Kennedy . The pair married roughly five years after John F. Kennedy 's assassination .

Even though Christina had years to get used to their marriage, she never did. She allegedly cried - not tears of joy - all the way through their wedding! On one occasion, she called Kennedy "my father's unfortunate obsession." It's said that part of the reason why she didn't like Kennedy was because she didn't trust her, perhaps due to the vast age difference between the former first lady and Aristotle.

A period of immense loss

While a new stepmother might not be the most tragic thing to happen to Christina Onassis, the period that followed certainly was.

Within 29 months, she lost all the members of her immediate family. Alexander, at only 24 years old, was the first to die while training a new pilot in his personal plane over Athens. Her mother followed next in 1974 after overdosing, leaving Christina her entire $77 million estate.

In March 1975, Aristotle was the final one to die. His health had gradually declined since Alexander's death, as he believed it was caused by foul play. In those years, he had also been preparing Christina to take over his company, which she did successfully after she was the only surviving Onassis.

She inherited $500 million from her father - 55 percent of his savings. She decided to donate the portion from his American endeavors to the American Hospital of Paris.

Murderer in the family

Just as Aristotle believed Alexander was murdered, Christina Onassis believed Athina had been. After the Onassis' divorce, her mother remarried Stavros Niarchos, the widower who'd been married to her sister, Eugenie Livanos. Although he was family, he was also one of the rivals of their shipping dynasty.

Before Alexander and Aristotle died, they agreed with Christina that he'd likely killed Eugenie. Athina evidently disagreed.

Her death only added fuel to the fire for Christina, who sought an autopsy on her mother's body and went to the press with her suspicions. Stavros was extremely unhappy about these accusations and retaliated by releasing information about Christina and her struggles with depression to the press. He went one step further, saying it was stress over Christina which caused Athina's death.

Struggles with extreme depression

Stavros Niarchos wasn't making it up when he claimed Christina Onassis had tried to end her life. She struggled with depression, only receiving a formal diagnosis in her 30s. Many times, she'd made attempts on her own life by overdosing on pills. The first instance was when she found out that her mother was going to marry Stavros, despite Christina's suspicion that he'd murdered her aunt.

A second incident occurred during her period of courting Peter Goulandris, the man her father wanted her to marry. According to All the Pain Money Can Buy : The Life of Christina Onassis , the final episode allegedly happened right after her father's death, an extremely trying period for her. She was in the hospital during his final hours and somehow managed to steal some surgeon's tools . Hospital staff stopped her from drastically injuring her wrists when they caught her in the act.

Four unhappy marriages

Aside from depression, one of the most prevalent themes in Christina Onassis' existence was her disastrous love life. She was married four times, none of them ending with happiness, as she generally believed they just wanted her money. Moreso, her family was more than happy to meddle in her affairs.

Her first husband, Joseph Bolker, was the target of a smear campaign started by none other than Aristotle because he didn't like the pair's age difference or that Bolker was Jewish. Her second husband, Alexander Andreadis, seemed ideal as a fellow shipping magnate. What the family didn't know until after they were married was that his company was going under. He tried to prevent this by asking for $20 million from Christina. Needless to say, their marriage didn't last long.

Her final husband, Thierry Roussel, was no better, as he had an affair. However, the most interesting of these men was her third husband, Sergei Kauzov.

Her KGB husband

Sergei Kauzov was involved in the Russian shipping industry, although nothing as grand as the Onassis' business. There were some things about him that didn't line up, namely that his lavish lifestyle wasn't sustainable based on his earnings. Suspicions arose that he was actually a KGB agent who married Christina in a bid to get information out of her.

There was never any evidence that this was true, and many spoke out against the idea in later years. Nonetheless, their marriage was destined to end in failure like the rest of them. Christina lived in Moscow with Sergei, which she found incredibly boring. After a period of time, the spark was gone from their relationship, and she lost feelings for him. They divorced less than two years later.

Unrequited love

Perhaps part of Christina Onassis' curse with love came from the fact she was never able to capture the man she really wanted to be with. She became obsessed with the heir to the Mercedes Benz fortune, Mick Flick, although he had no interest in her.

She tried to date him many times over the years, but he always turned her down. This didn't put her off. Instead, Christina tried to make herself more appealing to him. On one occasion, she dyed her dark hair blonde, as she found out that he preferred women with light hair. None of her ploys worked.

Tragically, Christina Onassis' life came to an end when she was only 37 years old, on November 19, 1988. With what appeared to be tragedy after tragedy, she'd been dubbed "poor little rich girl" by the press.

Given her state of well-being and the suddenness of her death, a full investigation was conducted, but there was no evidence of murder, overdose or self-harm.

More from us:   Inside The Kennedy 'Curse' — The Family’s Strange Misfortunes Never Seem To Stop

Christina Onassis was buried alongside her brother and father in the family plot on the island of Skorpios, Greece. Her entire $250 million fortune was left to her daughter, Athina, who was born during her final marriage.

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