In 2025, Athina Onassis, one of the world’s most famous yet enigmatic heiresses, turned 40. Her life, which began on January 29, 1985 in the prestigious Paris suburb of Neuilly-sur-Seine, was marked from the start by tragedy and immense wealth. When Athina was just three years old, her mother, Christina Onassis, died suddenly of a heart attack in Argentina, leaving her daughter a colossal fortune and making her the world’s youngest billionaire.
After her mother’s death, the girl moved to Switzerland, to the quiet town of Lussy-sur-Morges. There, she was raised by her father, French businessman Thierry Roussel, who by that time had already started a new family. His wife was former Swedish model Gaby Landhage, with whom he had three children: Erik, Sandrine, and Johanna. Notably, Roussel led a double life, maintaining his relationship with Gaby even during his marriage to Christina Onassis. Despite this, he sought to give Athina as normal a childhood as possible under her unique circumstances. The heiress spent her early years between the idyllic landscapes of Switzerland and sunny Ibiza, surrounded by her half-brothers and stepsister.
It seemed that shared hobbies and family activities would bring them closer together, but over the years, Athena’s relationship with her father and his children began to unravel. The main source of conflict was money. Endless legal battles initiated by Thierry Roussel for control over his daughter’s fortune ultimately destroyed their bond. Upon reaching adulthood, Athena received the first portion of her inheritance, and at 21, the remaining sum—altogether amounting to about 3 billion euros. At 17, weary of family disputes, she moved to Brussels to dedicate herself to equestrian sports. There she met Brazilian jockey Álvaro Alfonso de Miranda, known as “Doda.” Their marriage, when Athena was 20, was not approved by her father. In protest, she even gave up the Roussel name, adopting the double surname Onassis de Miranda. This union ended in 2017 due to her husband’s infidelity.
Since then, Athena has led a highly private life. She found solace in her horses and in the company of a close-knit circle of confidants, including such well-known figures as Marta Ortega, Jennifer Gates, and Georgina Bloomberg. She deliberately avoids the spotlight, choosing the quiet of stables over society events.
Meanwhile, her stepbrother and stepsisters have built their own successful careers. Sandrine, who is the same age as Athena, gained some recognition as the godmother of the fourth child of Swedish Prince Carl Philip and Princess Sofia. She maintains a close relationship with Athena and has built a career in fashion, heading the sustainability division at a company dedicated to sustainable development. She lives in London with her husband and son, while staying connected to the Swedish royal family. Eric and Johanna, on the other hand, manage the Russel family business in Geneva. Their relationship with Athena remains distant, partly due to the age difference and a complete absence of contact with their shared father.
