Charles de Gaulle’s Onetime London Home Hits the Market for $20.7 Million

The famed general lived at Frognal House in the 1940s, a decade before becoming President of France

Three-story brick building surrounded by lush green trees and bushes on a bright sunny day.
Frognal House in London is on the market. Photo: knight frank

The three years that World War II General Charles De Gaulle spent exiled in England are well documented. In fact, the New York Times published a lengthy piece in 2018 chronicling the future President of France’s transformative time there. Now, the charming north London townhouse he shared with his wife, Yvonne, and their young family during that period is seeking a new owner.

Dubbed Frognal House, the 18th-century dwelling is located in the city’s affluent Hampstead neighborhood and was most recently used as a convent, housing the Sisters of St. Dorothy, who have since decamped to Rome. The brown-brick abode has been enlarged since the De Gaulles lived there in the mid-1940s, before they moved to Algiers. The three-story building—currently measuring over 13,000 square feet—has been well maintained but will need updating for use as a single-family home. Among the preserved period details are sash windows, cast-iron balconies, marble-inset fireplaces, and intricate millwork. (Naturally, there’s also a chapel on the half-acre site.)

Three-story brick house with large windows, black railings, and surrounded by lush greenery on a sunny day.
Frognal House in London. Photo: knight frank
Spacious living room with elegant chandelier, blue armchairs, wooden dining table, and large windows with garden view.
A living area. Photo: knight frank

This is the first time in over half a century that the Grade II–listed property is on the market, and it comes with a hefty price tag to match: £15 million (or around $20.7 million), according to Mansion Global.

Frognal House is listed by Knight Frank and Bargets Estate Agents, and a bid deadline has been set for October 14, 2021. See more photos below. 

Elegant library room with wooden paneling, several glass-topped tables, large windows, and an ornate fireplace.
The wood-paneled study. Photo: knight frank
Elegant living room with a white staircase, bookcase, and wall decor, featuring wooden floors and soft lighting.
The home was most recently used as a convent for the Sisters of St. Dorothy. Photo: knight frank
Small wooden chapel with altar, crucifix, lit candles, and a chair in a sunlit room through an open door.
The chapel at Frognal House. Photo: knight frank
Elegant fireplace with ornate white mantel, green vases, and framed landscape painting above, set in a classic interior setting.
Historic details adorn one of the fireplaces. Photo: knight frank
Red-brick house with lush green trees surrounding it on a sunny day, located at a street corner with a curved driveway.
The three-story building measures over 13,000 square feet. Photo: knight frank
Backyard of a brick building with large windows, surrounded by lush greenery and a small paved path.
The property sits on .6 of an acre. Photo: knight frank