RICHARD EDEN: Olympian Sir Ben Ainslie and his wife are to sell their stunning nine-bedroom Isle of Wight home for £3.5 million as attention turns to the America’s Cup

Winning just one gold medal would be enough for most Olympians, but not for Sir Ben Ainslie, who, after his victory in Sydney, triumphed again in Athens, Beijing and London, establishing himself as the most successful sailor in the history of the Games.

He is now focused on winning next month’s America’s Cup, the world’s oldest international sporting competition, which has inspired him since childhood – not least because victory has, until now, eluded Britain since the very first race in 1851.

The intensity of Ainslie’s ambition – and his willingness to push himself beyond what others would consider bearable limits – has earned him the admiration of the Princess of Wales, royal patron of his charity, the 1851 Trust, and the unwavering support of his wife, former Sky Sports presenter Georgie Thompson.

But I can reveal that it came at a cost few would be willing to pay: the imminent sale of the couple’s magical nine-bedroom home, complete with swimming pool and croquet lawn, on the Isle of Wight – at a £1million reduction on the original asking price.

“It’s a real shock because Ben loves the island,” a friend told me. And Georgie, 46, a former girlfriend of TV star Declan Donnelly, clearly loves the house.

“We are unfortunately selling our beautiful house,” she confirms, telling me that “work and family commitments” mean they cannot spend as much time there as they would like.

It’s a sacrifice she may have anticipated, not only because of her marriage to Ben, 47, but also because she interviews other top athletes.

They are, she explained, “focused on their goals to a degree that I sometimes have trouble really understanding.”

The house, set on 30 acres, has magnificent stained glass windows and Minton tiled floors.

It captivated Queen Victoria, a friend of the man who created it, Crimean War veteran Somerset Gough-Calthorpe, 7th Lord Calthorpe.

When Victoria complained that a metal pillar on the terrace was obscuring her view of the Solent, Calthorpe had it removed.

It’s now yours for £3.5m, although Georgie adds: “If we win the America’s Cup this summer and bring it back to our waters, we might change our minds!”