Who is Kirsty Bertarelli and what’s her net worth? UK’s richest woman and former Miss UK

Here's the lowdown on the nation's richest woman, and how she spends her vast fortune

By George Harrison 4th August 2017, 9:48 amUpdated: 4th August 2017, 9:49 am

SHE'S one of Britain's wealthiest people, and has written a number one hit for All Saints, but how much do you know about Kirsty Bertarelli?

Here's the lowdown on the nation's richest woman, whose £11.6bn fortune is more than JK Rowling and The Queen’s earnings combined.

Kirsty Bertarelli, 46 ,is a model, would-be pop star and one of the wealthiest people in the country.

She was crowned Miss UK in 1988, which saw her go on to compete at the Miss World pageant, where she finished as 2nd runner up.

But all she ever wanted was to be a pop star.

Back in 2000, Kirsty co-wrote the song Black Coffee, which would go on to become a worldwide hit when it was recorded by All Saints, before releasing three albums of her own.

The British-born billionaire is married to businessman Ernesto Bertarelli, a yacht-loving mastermind who used to own a revolutionary biotech company called Serono.

Now living in Switzerland with their three children, the couple are ranked among some of the wealthiest people in the world, with husband Ernesto's family fortune worth over £9.75 billion.

Who is Ernesto Bertarelli?

Originally from Italy, Ernesto Bertarelli is a Swiss businessman and philanthropist.

His granddad founded Serono, the pharmaceutical company which made the family's fortune.

When he took over from his granddad in 1996, Ernesto shifted the company focus towards biotech, growing revenues from $809 million (£615 million) in 1996 to $2.8 billion (£2.1 billion) in 2006.

In his spare time, the 51-year-old billionaire unwinds by racing yachts, and recently unveiled a stunning new addition to his fleet.

What is Kirsty Bertarelli's net worth?

According to the Sunday Times Rich List, Kirsty and her Swiss husband are worth a staggering £11.5 billion.

The couple are the sixth most loaded in Britain, with Kirsty the highest ranking woman on the list.

When did Kirsty Bertarelli win Miss UK?

In 1988, after struggling with bacterial meningitis, Kirsty's confidence was at an all time low.

But her agency boss persuaded her to have a stab at the Miss Manchester pageant, which she won.

Later that year, she won the title of Miss UK, which allowed her to try her hand as Miss World.

She didn't quite win - but finished an impressive third in the international beauty competition.

https://www.thesun.co.uk/living/4168203/kirsty-bertarelli-net-worth-uk-richest-woman/