A member of America’s richest family and heir to the Walmart fortune has unveiled his $300 million superyacht, Kaos, the largest vessel of its kind owned by a woman.
The incredible superyacht that now measures 361 feet was purchased for a whopping $300 million by Nancy Walton Laurie, daughter of Walmart co-founder James ‘Bud’ Walton, in 2018 from a Qatari royal.
Under his ownership, Walton Laurie transformed the then 262-foot ship to its enormous size, and rebuilt and customized it by Oceanco, a Dutch shipyard that specializes in building custom yachts.
Upon completion in 2022, Kaos was not only Oceanco’s largest ever build, but also the largest yacht ever built in the Netherlands, and the largest ship of its type owned by a woman.
The monstrous superyacht accommodates 34 guests in majestic staterooms and features an owner’s deck separate from the rest of the yacht for added privacy.
The 1,453 square foot great room is a majestic space equipped with a large television and royal seating.
One of the four-story ship’s main attractions lies in its enormous pool, surrounded by additional seating and elevated above the superyacht beach club.
Inside the opulent beach club is an aquarium that offers a captivating view of the pool above.
A member of America’s richest family and heir to the Walmart fortune has unveiled his $300 million superyacht, Kaos, the largest vessel of its kind owned by a woman.
The incredible superyacht which now measures 361 feet was purchased by Walmart heiress Nancy Walton Laurie, daughter of Walmart co-founder James ‘Bud’ Walton, in 2018 from a Qatari royal. In the photo: Inside the luxurious superyacht
Kaos’ impressive features continue with a helipad, 12-person cinema room, massage room, hammam and gym.
The grand ship also features a luxury room called ‘The London Bar’, complete with fog machines, a DJ booth and a water chandelier.
The yacht also includes a separate gym for the crew and a small hospital for medical emergencies at sea.
The Walton Laurie boat and property are a testament to women around the world, as the previous owner, Sheikh Khalifa bin Hamad Al Thani, had included rooms supposedly off-limits to women.
These restricted spaces probably included men’s quarters or meeting rooms intended for the Emir’s entourage, emphasizing a traditional, hierarchical approach to luxury.
Under her ownership, Nancy Walton Laurie, 73, transformed the then 262-foot ship to its enormous size, and rebuilt and customized it by Oceanco, a Dutch shipyard that specializes in building custom yachts.
However, the narrative took a turn when Walton Laurie became the new owner of the yacht.
The ship, once defined by exclusivity and male-dominated spaces, underwent a complete transformation spearheaded by the Walmart heiress, to reflect its new purpose, as a sanctuary for a modern, independent woman.
In 2023, his now-famous superyacht was vandalized by climate activists who spray-painted the boat while it was docked in Ibiza, an island off the coast of Spain.
Members of the Spanish environmental group Futuro Vegetal spray painted the yacht’s stern red and black while holding a sign that read “You consume, others suffer.”
A video of the vandalism was later posted online, showing workers cleaning off the paint with a hose.
Kaos’ impressive features continue with a helipad, 12-person cinema room, massage room, hammam and gym. Pictured: A pool atop the 361-foot, $300 million ship.
Walton Laurie, 73, is the youngest daughter of James ‘Bud’ Walton, who co-founded Walmart with his brother, Sam Walton.
The brothers opened the first Walmart in 1962 in Rogers, Arkansas.
Walton Laurie currently lives in Henderson, Nevada and Los Angeles, according to Bloomberg.
In 1973, she graduated with a bachelor’s degree in English from the University of Memphis, where she met her future husband, Bill Laurie.
When his father died in 1995, Walton Laurie inherited about half of his father’s 40 million shares in Walmart, while his older sister, Ann Walton Kroenke, received the rest.
He now owns less than a 5 percent stake in the company, according to Bloomberg, and is not actively involved in Walmart operations.
Together, members of the Walton family own an estimated stake of about 45 percent of Walmart.
Walton Laurie is the 269th richest person in the world as of April 29, 2024, according to the Bloomberg Billionaires Index, with an estimated net worth of $14.5 billion.
The ship, once defined by exclusivity and male-dominated spaces, underwent a complete transformation spearheaded by the Walmart heiress, to reflect its new purpose, as a sanctuary for a modern, independent woman. Pictured: Kaos moored at Butlers Wharf in London, England
In 1973, Walton Laurie graduated with a degree in English from the University of Memphis, where she met her future husband, Bill Laurie (right). Pictured: Patrick Mahomes, Brittany Mahomes, Nancy Walton Laurie and Bill Laurie pose for a photo outside the Red Bull Racing garage in Miami, Florida.
In 1998, Walton Laurie dove into his interest in the arts when he founded a dance school in Columbia, Missouri, called Columbia Performing Arts Center.
She also owned a contemporary ballet company called Cedar Lake Ensemble in New York City; however, the company later closed in 2015.
She and her husband owned the St. Louis Blues hockey team from 1999 to 2005.
Today they have a commercial real estate portfolio, several houses and two yachts, according to Forbes.