If being lord of the manor doesn’t cut it for you, you can always try buying up the local village as well. Perhaps that’s exactly what Swedish billionaire and former owner of fashion juggernaut H&M, Stefan Persson had in mind when he acquired the sleepy little village of Linkenholt, near Andover in Hampshire, England.

Carl Stefan Erling Persson inherited H&M from his father, Erling Persson, who founded the company, initially known as Hennes & Mauritz, in 1947. The 76-year-old tycoon was at the head of the retail empire, which had an estimated annual revenue of $22.3 billion (£17.6bn) in 2022. He stepped down as chairman in May 2020 after 22 years in the role.

Persson spent around $32.2 million (£25m) to acquire the village in 2009, which includes an enormous Edwardian manor house, as well as 1,500 acres (607ha) of farmland, a 425-acre (171ha) wood, a cricket ground and 21 cottages leased to villagers.

Real-life people who bought their own towns lock, stock and barrel