‘Devastated’: Florida’s so-called Queen of Versailles shares news about her husband
The so-called Queen of Versailles has lost her king.
Jackie Siegel announced the death of her husband David Siegel, 89, on Saturday. The couple infamously starred in a 2012 documentary about the struggle to build their Central Florida megamansion turned money pit.
The 59-year-old former beauty queen wrote a tribute to her partner of 25 years on Instagram, along with their wedding picture.
David Siegel — the founder of Westgate Resorts, the world’s largest privately held timeshare company — had reportedly been battling cancer.
“Together we raised eight incredible children,” read the post. “His life and legacy live on through them all. To say we are devastated is an understatement.”
Siegel went on to say she found comfort knowing that the businessman is now reunited with their daughter Victoria, who died of a drug overdose in June 2015 at the age of 18.
“The first thing he heard was ‘Dad,’ followed by a big hug,” Siegel wrote. “That thought brings me so much peace.”
The socialite and billionaire purchased the lakefront, 10-acre Windermere property in 2003 and started the construction process a year after. However, Siegel’s company was hit by the Great Recession of 2008, and work on the 90,000 square foot behemoth known as the Palace of Versailles came to a crashing halt.
The over-the-top project, which still wasn’t finished upon Siegels’ death, will include 14 bedrooms, five pools, a movie theater, bowling alley, video arcade, ballroom and an actual pub flown in from England.
The sprawling compound, which was hit with $10 million in damages after Hurricane Ian in 2022, was also the topic of the reality show “Queen of Versailles Reigns Again,” and made into a Broadway musical starring Kristin Chenoweth.
The last update came last month when Jackie gave her Insta followers a mini tour of the exterior at night.
“Very beautiful,” says the matriarch with the massive estate lit up behind her. “There’s a lot more to come.”
This story was originally published April 8, 2025 at 4:16 PM.
