Athina turns 18 – and gets a £1.6bn present

Athina Onassis, granddaughter of the late Greek shipping tycoon Aristotle Onassis, becomes one of the world's richest people today when she turns 18 and inherits part of the family's fortune.

The last direct descendant of Onassis gets an estimated $2.7bn (£1.6bn) in properties, companies, shares, art and a private jet. "The golden girl is coming of age and will inherit mythical amounts of money, stocks, properties and islands," the respected Greek newspaper Eleftherotypia said.

The vast wealth amassed by Onassis includes cash deposits in 217 banks and the Ionian island of Skorpios. It is passed down to Athina from her mother, Christina, who died in 1988. She will become even richer on her 21st birthday when she takes control of the Onassis Foundation and another $2bn. (Reuters)