There has been so much interesting gossip about the Cambridges’ living situation this summer. We haven’t heard much about William and Kate since early July, when they were last seen in public. But every few weeks, there’s some bizarre story going around the Mail on Sunday about how William and Kate want another home. They already have Apartment 1 in Kensington Palace and Anmer Hall in Norfolk. Reportedly, the Cambridges were looking at homes in Berkshire, which would put them very close to Kate’s family. Then we heard that William has his eye on Royal Lodge, the current home of the Duke of York, within the Windsor Castle estate. I still think that’s the play here: William is desperate to force Andrew out of Royal Lodge, but this MoS story is purposefully vague:
The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge are ‘seriously considering’ a move to Windsor, The Mail on Sunday can reveal. The mooted relocation, which would bring the family closer to the Queen, is the most significant sign yet that the couple are preparing to take on a far more senior role at the heart of the Royal Family. A source said William and Kate have been ‘eyeing up’ accommodation options in the area suitable for bringing up their three children, Prince George, Princess Charlotte and Prince Louis.
They added that properties under consideration could include Fort Belvedere, a Grade II listed house with tower towards the southern end of Windsor Great Park, where King Edward VIII – the Queen’s uncle – signed his abdication papers in 1936. The fort is owned by the Crown Estate and leased to the Weston family, close friends of the Royals. From the top of the tower, on a clear day, Edward once wrote, you could see the dome of St Paul’s ‘with a spyglass’. But the fort has been dismissed as an option by Palace aides.
Moving the family west – wherever they end up – could prove strategic as well as practical, as the monarchy prepares for major changes in the years ahead. Anmer Hall’s rural location had several key advantages at the time: William was working as a helicopter pilot for the East Anglian Air Ambulance, and the couple were keen to give their young children as normal an upbringing as possible, away from the public gaze. But today, with their eldest two children at school in London, it has become rather far to travel for weekends. At Windsor, they could work in reverse – basing the family there full time and commuting into London when required.
A source said: ‘Anmer Hall made sense while William was a helicopter pilot in East Anglia and it was useful for Christmases at Sandringham, but it doesn’t really work any more. It’s a little too far away for weekends, but Windsor is a perfect compromise. They are eyeing up options in the area.’
The move has other advantages. It would bring the Cambridges closer to Kate’s parents, Michael and Carole Middleton, who live 40 miles away in Bucklebury, Berkshire, and who are known for being hands-on grandparents.
I know there will probably be some references to Rose Hanbury and gardening in the comments, but if anything, I think the near-constant hum of gossip about the Cambridges moving out of Norfolk means that William’s thing with Rose is probably done and dusted. I’m curious about who he’s currently banging and whether she’s London-based or Windsor-based. I’m also curious about why William and Kate are suddenly so keen this summer to change their living arrangements. It’s not because they want to be closer to the Queen – come on, no one believes that. It’s clear that all is not well in W&K’s marriage, so my theory is still that they’re consciously setting up separate residences and carving out their own zones. I wouldn’t be surprised if Kate did get a home in Berkshire, and then William ended up getting Royal Lodge at Windsor. It’s also really funny that William & Kate are basically “copying” the move made by Harry & Meghan – out of London, into a family home in Windsor.
PS… Back in June, I think Charles was trying to send Will and Kate to Scotland to live for a few years. I wonder if this is W&K’s answer: “We’re not going to Scotland, we’re going to Windsor and Berkshire!”
Photos courtesy of Avalon Red, Backgrid, Kensington Royal social media.
As someone on Twitter said is moving for them the new “keen”?
I agree. There’s nothing interesting to say. Both are truly worthless.
This could never happen but i would laugh 3 days straight if they wind up getting frogmore lol.
Same. The Sussexes just had a baby, and continue on with being useful, to Planet Earth. Meanwhile, Wills and Kate *thinking* about moving is news, to some people??? We all know how much money (that they earned and paid back) Meghan and Harry spent on Frogmore. I can’t imagine Wills and Kate can remodel, what has already been remodeled and PAID IN FULL, right, cranky British media?!?!!
Only idiots think this is a good look.
Well it’s certainly not to do more so called charity work for the taxpayers.
My first thought was, so, they spent millions and millions of taxpayer pounds to renovate the mansion and property (pool, tennis court, etc.) EXACTLY to Kate’s specifications, trotted in and out for a few years, and now they’re discarding it? Cool cool cool.
I think it’s fair to assume we will not be bombarded with articles every single day for the rest of our lives detailing the costs of Amner’s renovation, only for it to be abandoned, a la Frogmore?
Kudos to them for finding another project to help them avoid real work. How can they possibly work on anything when they’re busy looking for/moving into a new home for their children?? If they’re careful, they can drag this out for a year or two.
Something smells fishy there and I have a feeling we will find out soon
Smells like a seafood market.
My take is: TOB’s relationship w Rose is over but not without repercussions. Keen is being freezed out by the Turnip Toffs, who prefer Rose’s company over hers…I mean, based on that Tatler article, wouldn’t you? If you were a bored aristo wouldn’t you rather stay friends with someone who’s charming, has good taste (aside from that in men), and will feed you gossip about the married (albeit, gross) man she’s banging? Versus someone who is so concerned with her future role and getting the posh accent right that there is “nothing to like or dislike”?
Poor Keen has been betrayed by that set—first through marital infidelity, with everyone talking to everyone else but her about it, and second through the Catherine the Great expose. The “née aristocrats” have made their true feelings about her known, and the truth is so thoroughly humiliating that I almost feel sorry for her.
And so they have to move. Leaking the estate scouting and preempting the move will help explain why they have distanced themselves from life in Norfolk. If anything, I would hope that Kate learns a thing or two from H&M and does carve out a whole new life. Whether it amounts to anything, only history will tell.
Headline should be: Prince William and Kate desperate for media attention and discuss around them have briefed another non story to the press.
Probably.
I think they may be sending a message to Andrew. He has a 100 year lease on the royal lodge, but it seems clear Charles and William want him out.
They might want him out but he has the legal lease. He cannot be removed even if convincted of a crime. When he dies, his wife and daughters inherit the lease. The only way to get Andrew and the rest of the Yorks away from Royal Lodge would be for Charles to give Andrew millions out of the inheritance once the Queen passes, plus other guarantees of housing for Bea and Eugenie.
Give me a break. Everywhere else, you pay for ONE Head of State and immediate family . The Brits pay for VARIOUS family members, some with more than two residences, and now, in the middle of a pandemic, we get these pieces about a lazy ass and his lazy ass wife complaining their palace is not ” suitable” anymore because, who knows, they can not abide a two-hour car ride when we all know they take the helicopter.
and they complain about Harry and Meghan paying for their own mansion and security?
Royal Propaganda is a helluva drug.
Anyway, I am starting to think this is just William being greedy and wanting all the toys for himself.
Mark my words: as soon as The Queen dies, Charles will start the eviction program and William will demand even more houses and this is just the build up for their audience of boomers to see them too taking all the property to themselves as a normal thing to do and to want.
I genuinely think things aren’t well amongst the father and two sons: not just W and H, and C and H, but also C and W. This is William making sure Charles doesn’t pull some stunt behind his back. I guess his personal gains are more important than the security of Scotland as well as the Union.
Agree. Why are they paying for the upkeep of all these people and extended family members? Charles and the Queen should get a state salary, loan of Crown Jewels and the accoutrements of the ceremonial stuff, and state funded protection. The rest should get private sector jobs or live off their enormous personal wealth. We don’t pay for the first families beyond protection for immediate family. In her book Becoming, Mrs. Obama said they even had to cover the costs of their groceries in the WH out of their personal funds. We’re not paying for Biden’s children and grandkids. It’s ridiculous that four potential homes will be funded for this guy.
Because it is their property and you cannot seize somebody elses shit
The HMG take 80%-85% of what it makes and Liz dishes out the other 15-20% to the family. And that is down to about a dozen and the rest of them do have jobs
Sandringham and Balmoral are their private property, Fortuona, nothing else. No matter what the Windsors might tell you.
There is no reason for anyone beyond the monarch and his or her immediate family when the children are minors to require funding and housing paid for by the taxpayers. William and Kate should have been supporting themselves from day one instead of being layabouts for decades and getting palaces and manor homes.
No . Back in the days of the Georges the Crown Properties were turned over to the Gov to run and she gets 15-20% of the profits and it been like that for 250 years
‘In 1760, King George III reached an agreement with the government to surrender his income from the Crown Estate. In return, it was agreed that the King (and his successors) would receive a fixed annual payment – originally known as the Civil List.
The Civil List was replaced in 2010 by the Sovereign Grant’
it is a little more at the moment because of the work being done at Buck Palace
https://www.bbc.com/news/explainers-57559653
https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/sovereign-grant-act-2011-guidance/sovereign-grant-act-2011-guidance
So it makes £350 ml a year and she gets her 20 % that is then used for wages ,upgrades and the family.And you are right in a way as it is not Lizzie’s it is the monarchs money
As I said and you’ve agreed, it isn’t their money. It is the governments money, which happens to be a monarchy now but doesn’t have to be. The only private money and properties are Balmoral and Sandringham. Some would make the case about Lancaster, I’d argue against it given all the illegal deals they’ve been given as monarch. When the Windsors are thrown out, they aren’t taking the Lancaster and Cornwall duchies with them, nor do they get the Crown Estate properties or Sovereign Grant monies.
But Lancaster is Lizzie’s as she is the Duke of Lancaster and it is a private estate
That’s a little misleading about the Obamas buying their own groceries. The president gets a salary of $400,000 a year, plus another $200,000 or so for travel and other expenses. Housing, medical and security costs are free for the president as is the most of the cost of about 100 people who work there. And after retirement, the president keeps security and medical, plus retirement pay of over $200,000 per year and also a budget for travel and business.
I’ll repeat my earlier prediction: When he gets his grubby little hands on it, William will absolutely siphon money out of the Prince’s Trust to fund his aristo lifestyle.
He isn’t getting his hands on it. Charles handed it over to his cousin, David (Linley) Snowdon, under the new umbrella charities The Princes’ Foundation.
I thought William and Kate loved Amner Hall, now they want to give it up? I think Kate finding out how the Turnip toffs really felt about her via the Tatler article and whole Rose saga necessitated a move out of Norfolk. Windsor would be more convenient. Kate can be near her parents and William can pretend to live there all the while living at Windsor Castle. It is interesting considering that Harry and Meghan were attacked for moving to Windsor. Maybe William was angry he didn’t think of doing that first. If they weren’t racist, I’d think they wanted to live at Frogmore Cottage. But then again that house is too small for them. Maybe they think moving to Windsor will get them more dirt to leak on the Queen and Yorks to the press. I’d have added the Sussexes when they return to Frogmore but William and Kate will be in for a shock when Harry gives up the lease next March.
I think TOB new lawyer gf wants a commitment and he wants to be done with Kate but can’t until Charles takes the throne. So they’re setting up Kate’s divorce settlement right now.
Sounds like the ten-year contract is really up for the Midds. Kate is done being on her own in Norfolk with the rage monster and wants to be back with her parents and family. Her siblings have all purchased in/near Ma and Pa Midds in the past year to start their Court of Bucklebury. Settling in Windsor provides cover if Will is not going to announce anything at this time as Kate can go back and forth to Bucklebury with ease. The fact that this is the third leak about a new residence makes me think this is a slow rollout to get the public used to the idea.
Whoever the Westons are that are living in Fort Belvedere, I feel sorry for them because Prince Incandescent has no problem kicking people out of a home he wants.
Harper- don’t feel too sorry for the Westons. They are one of Canada’s richest and most politically connected families. Held the lease since 1980s and I’m sure would be happy to give it up for the Future, future king and future advantages.
Oh it’s those Westons? I did not realize that. Yes Galen Weston is one of the richest men in Canada, with wealth inherited by his father. They own the Loblaws grocery chain along with the Shoppers Drug mart pharmacy and recently got away with settling a class action on price fixing bread by giving out a few free coupons.
@KFG, idk, but I can’t see any woman wanting to sign up to publicly be with William after we all just saw what happened to Meghan.
Obviously Bill would only ever be with someone white, but the press would still hunt down every single detail they possibly could about this person’s entire life. The level of scrutiny is absolutely BRUTAL no matter who the woman is. If she can screw around with Bill privately, why would she want to open up her life like that, knowing that she (and her family and friends) will be torn apart in tabloids?
It’s always possible, because god knows there are certainly enough fame whores out there, but no sane, professional woman would want any part of it, imo —especially an attorney, who would need to protect the privacy of her clients.
I think Harry was incredibly lucky to find Meghan, because he even said he was afraid he would never get married because no one would want to live in a fishbowl like he does.
I agree, it probably has been a miserable time for Kate finding out nobody thinks much of her in Norfolk, FFQ be damned, lol. I’d want to get out of town too if I were her.
AB, I think you’re right that Kate keen now knows she’s not welcome in Norfolk and so is running back to mommy. Her poor performance during the G7 didn’t help either.
I think the thing with rose was done and dusted long before now. But there have been rumours about a lawyer right?
Also, if they do get a new residence i want the UK to loose their minds as much as they did for frogmore
yes, I heard the rumor too. I also hear she is Russian and it makes sense. I mean no brain women from the western world will go near Windsor men after the Sussex debacle. But women from Russian are desperate they will marry any ugly guy because of the poverty they live in Russia. Russian women are the real danger to kate because they are even more stubborn and keen to marry any guy from the western world. I pray this rumor to be true.
Well, that’s interesting if true. Maybe Prince Michael of Kent introduced them.😉
@cathy Why would you pray that a rumor about a husband cheating on his wife and family be true?
If its true she’s Russian then she won’t take ANY sh!t from Keen and the Middletons – years ago I had a former colleague who was Russian and she took no crap from anyone, regardless of how senior they were in the company.
I can’t see Will’s right-wing Brexity fanbase taking it very well if he tried to replace English Rose Kate with a Russian…
@Emily but my guess is she’s probably blonde and gorgeous and white so they won’t care (ie: Trump and his many mistresses/wives)
Do you think Will went for a lawyer because he obsessed over watching Suits so much he wanted some of that in real life?
If the London lawyer was born in Russia then I can’t see Will being able to roll her out in public at all as a Kate Replacement Part. But, if she is of Russian heritage, several generations in but British born, then that’s different. Maybe the London lawyer doesn’t want to be the new Meghan, she wants to be the new Amal Clooney, even down to the country residence near Windsor. Will might be aiming at being George Clooney 2.0 here.
When people started mentioning these lawyer rumours, it crossed my mind that Will is maybe jealous of Harry and Meghan’s “power couple” vibe and wants to replace Kate with somebody more intelligent and accomplished. Kate is known for being beautiful and obedient, but not for her brainpower.
But replacing Kate would already be a PR challenge, and the Daily Mail crowd would be even less keen on seeing her replaced by a foreigner.
Russian? Could this be the big story the RR are hinting about? Could it be that this russian person has a bit to close ties to the russian autorities?
Honeypotting a royal….😂
It’s probably done and has been for a while. Although there was a recent thread on Twitter saying that Rose’s daughter born in 2016 is a twin of Charlotte.
I saw a picture of her and she looks like David to me. I also think it’s unfair to question the paternity of innocent kids but this may be an unpopular opinion so I’ll shut up.
May I ask, in *all* sincerity, *where* do you find these threads?? I always try doing a search in there, but I can never turn up these “threads” people in here speak of.
Thanks if you can help. After finishing reading in here, I could use something interesting/fun to look at today!
@ Sofia, you don’t need to shut up, hated when people did it to Harry.
Funny because I think all the lamebridges children look like the middletons.
Agreed, Sofia. I think it has also been mentioned before that this is definitely known to be untrue, and that the rumour is in fact just a rumour.
@Pao-And will there be a major outcry if major renovations are required for a 3rd/4th residence come into fruition?
@AGreatReckoning: I give you one guess
I’d love to know what’s really going on behind the scenes because what is being thrown out into the open is bizarre. I think I agree that Charles was behind the Scotland thing — possibly to shut down all the talk about how they need to be king and queen right now. But all this briefing about house hunting, evicting the Yorks, giving up Anmer, is so, literally, all over the map, it suggests something major is going on. I co-sign the separate households theory, but I could more likely see Khate in Berkshire and Bulliam in Apt. 1. The Windsor gossip is truly strange.
Oh, they’ll never “give up” Amner. They will still keep it for the Sandringham Christmas Show. But since Rose bushes no longer interest TOBB, I think he tends to balk at going there now. As we’ve said, they heli over, so the talk of a “long drive” is utter bullshit.
Windsor is closer to Kate’s parents and to London. Will can stay in 1A (“Sorry Poppet, have to work, dontcha know!”), see his London GF, and Kate has her parents, and her sibs (both now have places near Mummy).
I DO think he’s angling for RL, just out of spite (and to get rid of Pedo), but that will NEVER happen while Ol’ Brenda has breath in her body (or if she pre-pays another 75 yr lease for him in her will). But that would get him and Khate 2 residences close enough to “share” the kids (not that he spends that much time with them now, it seems.
What is so dumb about this is that William will inherit everything eventually so this scrambling for more residences just looks bad. Sandringham will be his, along with use of so many other crown properties so it looks bad to be looking to kick people out. I certainly understand why no one wants Andy at Royal Lodge, but it’s a legal contract and it will go to Beatrice and Eugenie so what William is really doing is going after their inheritance when he gets the lion share of everything else on top of that.
Spoiled OBB doesn’t want to WAIT. Billy the Basher wants things when *HE* wants them. He doesn’t want to wait another (probably) 5 yrs for Granny, then possibly 20-30 yrs more for Daddy Dearest to kick it (though Charles doesn’t look particularly healthy, he *does* have the best health care and longevity genes from both parents/maternal grandmother on his side).
So yeah, it can take a while for TOBB to fully get his paws on all his “toys”. And we KNOW he doesn’t like to share.
OG, yeah, probably true, but do you think Khate would really live in Windsor with the kiddos while TOBB lives elsewhere? Seems like she’d be giving up a lot of the freedom she has now to take up residence in the Windsor family compound under the watchful eyes of all those Men in Gray.
C-Shell, she’d be closer to Pimp-Mummy (which we all know how much she wants to be), and would not be under the scrutiny she is in the London 1A apt. where it’s easier to track her coming and going. “Privacy Hedge” only extends so far, people can *still* see a heli rising up into the sky. ¯\_(ツ)_/¯ Just a thought 😊
If Charles lives as long as his father, William will be in his sixties when he takes the throne. That’s a long to wait for a third house.
William gets the option of moving to Highgrove House the moment Charles is king, so he’s already got that one in the wings. Charles doesn’t get to stay there, because it is owned by the Duchy of Cornwall. Charles as king is no longer Duke of Cornwall, that automatically goes to William.
@C-Shell, right? If this is what they’re choosing to authorize for publication, imagine wtf must actually be going on that we *don’t* know about?
I’m super curious about the ten-year contract thing. It definitely does seem like there was one, because it was right after their tenth anniversary that articles about them moving started ramping up. Until then we’d only heard about how much they loved Amner.
I’d like to know that if there is in fact a ten-year contract, was Kate aware of this before the wedding? Or was this some sort of deal William worked out with Charles, and Kate entered into the marriage in good faith, thinking that William was marrying her because he truly wanted to, and never suspected he was already planning an out before the ring was even on her finger?
Am I the only one who thinks this makes them look like cruel psychopaths? Especially cuz we know they don’t work. Every residence mentioned is occupied (f*ck Andrew, but still). They are just going to kick people out of their homes bc they got bored with each other? That’s just mean.
Did the British public suddenly forget how much they paid for Amner and Apt 1A? Before a Black woman entered the picture everyone would have been up in arms about the price just for it to be abandoned.
Does anyone feel like taking the time to explain the building grade system to me?
This ‘Grade 2 home’ stuff has me puzzled too. The only thing I’m sure of is, if it says Grade 2, it’s going to be expensive.
It’s just how historic and significant the building or site is. Grade I or 1 – of utmost historical importance or significance. Grade II* or 2* – of more than special interest. Grade II or 2 – of special interest. The vast majority of historic buildings are Grade II.
Also, it’s not necessarily that expensive if it’s only Grade 2. I looked at an apartment in a Grade 2 listed building a few years back and it was around £250,000 for two bedrooms in a ‘nice’ area of town (not London). I passed because the maintenance rules meant that the yearly costs *were* more expensive that a comparable modern property.
Obviously W & K aren’t looking at a small apartment up North but the grading isn’t what makes it expensive, it’s the size and the amount of land they want (the place I looked at had had all it’s land sold off for a housing estate years ago).
It also means that alterations and renovation/restoration has to go through a strict approval process to protect the historical integrity of the site.
they are psychopaths, I can’t defend them, I think they’re both horrible people BUT I gotta say. If I were him, or her (and in this scenario that would make me an entitled narcissist at best) I would want a GD castle to live in, of my own. Yes, it’s excessive, but that’s really our fault, well not me specifically, I’m American, but the British people let them hoard this wealth. We do the same thing in America, it’s gross, but they’re capitalists not “royalty.” Anyhoo, of course they want a big ass castle to live in. They’re both 40, they aren’t getting on the throne anytime soon. If my family owned all those properties and wealth you bet your bippy I’d “ask for” (cough cough demand) a castle. Now if I already had Anmer and kensington would I? Yeah, I think I’d still want a castle.
My theory is W&K are only looking at occupied royal residences because it’ll be suicide to ask tax payers for the funds to renovate a third home right now. That’s why I think William is going so hard for Royal Lodge specifically. Of all the places they have any chance of getting, mummy’s favorite is definitely going to be the nicest and in the best condition of the lot. And at this point, few will bat an eye to see Andrew booted for the Cambridges to settle in.
@Va Va I think that no matter where they go, they’ll still insist on renovating it. (Especially if the prior resident was Andrew, lol.) They will want everything to be according to their personal taste, and I don’t think they give a single fck how much it costs or how bad it looks; they seem to think they’re entitled to whatever they want.
(Also, we saw the inside of Anne’s home recently, and if any of the other houses look even remotely like that, I couldn’t even blame them for wanting to gut it and start all over again.)
Both Apt 1A and Anmer were occupied when Will and Kate wanted it. This is nothing new for them.
There was a story around when Skyfall came out, that William switched the Christmas movie for the staff from Skyfall to one of the Twilight movies because he hadn’t seen that one yet, and then didn’t even bother to show up. Being rude and self-absorbed is what they are like, and so is Charles and Andrew and so was Margaret.
I didn’t realize their other two homes were occupied. Thank you for the correction : )
I heard about the movie switch but I thought he did it out of pure spite just to p*ss everyone off as they all wanted to see Skyfall. I personally wouldn’t mind as I love rob pattinson and generally don’t like bond films, but it was a dick move for sure.
I’m not surprised they (and by they I mean Kate) want to move out of Anmer. She’s probably realised (after that Tatler cover) that after 20+ years in, she’s never going to be considered by the aristos as “one of them” nor can she ice out her husband’s mistress so there’s no point trying to assimilate with them or live near them. In Berkshire, she can literally be queen bee amongst her family because it’s her marriage that keeps them talked about gossip wise. As for William, I thought that whatever was happening between him and Rose has been over for months now. He may like the country/hunting lifestyle of Norfolk but with a helicopter, he can go anywhere in the country so maybe it’s not a big deal for him. Would be interested to see if the lawyer rumours have any weight to them.
I reckon they’ll want to keep KP but I wonder if this move has been in the cards longer than it was reported hence why they changed their Instagram handle to remove Kensington – because they’ll no longer have their main office in Kensington Palace?
Could it be that Prince Earthshot is realizing his helicopter back and forth to Norfold habit is going to be exposed and instead of switching to the train/car he’s decided to move closer in?
My first thought was this is great for Kate. She can be close to Carol and her kids when they off to boarding school. Plus, Windsor isn’t too far from London shopping, right? I see no downside to this for Kate as long as it’s not a prelude to a formal separation that endangers her title.
Well wherever they go they’d better be paying the taxpayer back for all the refurbishments to Anmer Hall and Kensington Palace right?
Hopefully, this isn’t thread jacking but I’ve got a lot of questions about the logistics of moving to Berkshire.
Are there Crown properties in Berkshire? If not, who pays for their new home and everything that will need to go into it to make it secure? It would have to be Charles, right? Would he actually do it? Can they use the sovereign grant for this?
@Steph, I am right there with you. I wish I had the time to understand the logistics and geography of where all these people live, the distance, and what would be easiest to do your “royal work.” I always thought London was the home of the royals most time and places like Anmer, Windsor, Balmoral, etc., were places they went to vacation for the weekends and such.
Princess Anne lives at her Gatcombe Park home most of the time, she stays at Buckingham Palace when she’s in London, Edward & Sophie live most of the time at Bagshot Park. It is only William & Kate, and C&C who really live in London plus the Queen when she’s not at one of her other residences (Windsor, Sandringham or Balmoral).
Anne has a townhouse at St James Palace as does Princess Alexandra. Andrew, Edward, Sophie have suites at BP.
Bagshot is only 50 minutes from Bucklebury. Is anyone going to protect Edward and Sophie?
@Steph I have most of the same questions that you do, but I remember William did have to pay a lot for “Middleton Manor’s” security to be upgraded since Kate and George were going to be spending a significant amount of time there. I’m not sure exactly how it was funded, but I doubt that Bill dipped into his personal £ for it.
Yes there are but they aren’t easy to track. The Frogmore Cottage thing came out of the blue, none of us were thinking of that for Harry and Meghan. There’s Adelaide Cottage, but W&K would think it too small. Also Frogmore House. I’m sure they’d love the gradeur of that but it would cost millions upon millions to renovate. Plus it isn’t very private.
I think they are going to purchase something and claim the Middletons bought it or something. If the home is to be part of a separation agreement, they won’t want to tie up any royal property for that.
If he paid a big part of the Midds new home, that might be seen as a post-nup. Securing a big private property with taxpayer money wouldn’t go over well.
Well Windsor is in Berkshire and the lands around are all protected
How many bathrooms? (Asking for a friend.)
@Amy T: I call 15 bathrooms. Even if whatever house they end up in comes with more, they’ll purposely change them into closets or something purely out of spite, Flybe style, so the press can crow about how down to earth and “normal” they are compared to the Montecito royals.
This really looks like they are setting up a separate household for Kate in some kind of separation agreement that they will never disclose unless the UK media decides to do their job and stop covering for them.
This all the way, but as I said above I don’t see the downside for Kate, who gets to be closer to mum and the likely boarding schools her kids will attend, as well as being nearer the fashionable shopping districts. Unless the separation is a prelude to divorce and her losing titles, why should she care if she ever actually sees Wills in person?
There isn’t going to be a divorce. I don’t think she would have been given her vanity institute if a divorce was imminent. That institute killed the divorce rumours for me.
@Nic ita, and I mentioned this above, but I’m curious if Kate was aware of this plan, pre-wedding.
For Bill to quietly work out a “ten-year-plan” sanctioned by Charles but unbeknownst to Kate would be unbelievably cruel, but I wouldn’t put it past him for a moment. He’s shown us plenty of times what a horrible, selfish, spiteful person he is.
Given how the Middletons rushed in and have manipulated him for years? I don’t see any victims here, other than the three innocent children from a marriage that should not have happened. And would not have happened without Mummy Carole’s machinations.
I think the ten year time frame is more that it sparked William to take more action than before. I doubt he would have a contract of any sort. But also they were showing obvious signs of separation last year when William got covid and Kate did not and the move to sandringham for zooms for no real reason (except that William was likely living at wood farm by then).
All this happened in year nine. Really the motivation for this might be Philip having passed and William realizing he doesn’t want to be to tied to a relationship where he dislikes his spouse.
William didn’t even make it to the seven year itch year of marriage, given the straying with blondes in Switzerland, Rose, and others.
They are in the Queen and Philip state of Marriage, living separate lives getting together for public appearances. Remember only Cain had Covid-19.
They are two master bedrooms in Apt 1A.
Just saw on Twitter(???) when unable claimed she was supporting her brother at his therapy sessions, it was not him getting help.
What goes around comes around, Charles is getting his, waiting around for his mother to die, and she looks healthier than him.
This is it. Philip got Wood Farm for his retreat to hang out with Penny and Kate is going to get something similar.
But will Kate go quietly, or will she call up Katie Nichols to make sure the public knows that she was “blindsided” by Bill, and is heartbroken?
We already know that even though they already have the £, homes, jewels, and titles, the Middletons *do* still care enough to get their side out there via the press.
@Lorelei: Kate will have a very difficult fight if she tries to not go quietly. William will have the support of the government, media, royals and aristos because (and perhaps only because) of his future future king status. Kate will have her family, a small group of the general population and maybe a few journalists like Katie Nicholl as you mentioned. So she can try and fight all she wants but the media doesn’t have to report on it.
Or the media decides they can get a ratings circus and facilitate a “War of the Waleses 2.0”. Or the BRF goes “Here’s an extra cheque. Now sign this NDA and keep your mouth shut.”
I think Kate was trying something with the peacemaker and revolutionary stuff but it flopped since no one cared. And William was able to exclude her from the statue unveiling without an outcry that she was being treated poorly.
This is a woman who still has not corrected a false story that slandered her own sister in law’s character and was used as the basis of media attacks for three years now.
So there is not going to be a lot of sympathy for someone who can be this cruel to her own sister in law.
The whole moving to be closer to the center of power would make since to me if not for the fact that it’s pretty clear Charles is the center of power and he doesn’t live in Windsor. I wonder if it’s a two prong scheme coming from both of them to keep both Andrew and the newly minted look at us Wessex’s in check?
Windsor is in Berkshire and close to where the Middletons live and that’s the only reason why this is happening. Queen Carole is setting up her own court.
Watch for more stories about Kate (and William) needing to live near Eton when George starts there next year.
Maybe another school near for now because he needs to be 13 to attend Eton I think. Maybe Ludgrove, where Harry and William boarded before Eton? Maps shows it is halfway between Buckleberry and Windsor Castle. Who knows?
That’s possible and there are Louis and Charlotte as well to consider, but they will be trying to sell this as a good move for the kids regardless of where they attend school.
Nic919, if it happens it will also be an excuse to not board the kids for school. Another excuse for W&K to keep being lazy for another 15 years.
Charles has made it known he wants to be based at Windsor Castle and Clarence House when he’s king. He doesn’t want to live at Buck House, but I doubt he’ll get away with that.
It’s not like they are stuck in Friday evening traffic from KP to Amner, they have a damm helicopter. The do- nothings have no concept of work, they want all the perks with none of the work. I am so sick of these two self centered entitled assholes.
And yes, I believe him and Rosey parted ways around the time we found out he had Covid, however I think he is still banging someone, the big question however is, man or woman?
To me this is ground work for a future official separation or divorce – Kate is setting up a base near her parents/family and he is potentially looking for a bolt hole to move his new love into.
Kate will never get a home owned by the family – I know Diana got to continue to live in KP but she didn’t own it.
At some point the press will blow open the dire state of the Cambridge marriage and the separate lives they lead.
I think the article about the house shopping in Berkshire is likely the most accurate about how this will play out. A home near Middleton manor in Buckleberry that is privately owned by Kate where she can be with the kids near school.
Kicking out people from a home just because the Cambridges can’t tolerate living together would look poorly. Not that they really care.
@Nic we already know these two are so self-absorbed and entitled that they have absolutely NO problem kicking someone out of their home if they want it for some reason.
@Digital Unicorn, re: “ At some point the press will blow open the dire state of the Cambridge marriage and the separate lives they lead.”
I agree with you that it will most likely happen eventually because the repetitive Sussex bashing isn’t going to continue bringing in the same amount of £, and has already probably started tapering off a bit.
My question is, so what are they waiting for?!!
@lorelai I can only think it’s until the queen passes possibly. Just a certain amount of respect for her to not have a marital implosion story ala 1992 to cast a pall over her final years. I think a LOT of bets are off when she passes, invisible contract or not. And certain people know it.
Also, they need to figure out the PR for a separation. They can’t go all out bashing Kate because she’s mother to the heir to the throne. Plus, William initiating a divorce is at odds with the stories that have been burned into our brains about sweet little Wills passing Kleenex under the door to his mum whilst she was locked in the loo crying about the sorry state of her marriage, how damaging his parents’ divorce was to him, etc. William’s been painted as one who took his time and chose his bride carefully to make sure his marriage didn’t suffer the same fate, so it’ll be a real challenge to spin a separation or divorce in a way that makes him look good.
William and Harry were at boarding school. At most they saw/lived with their mother several weeks a year. In other words, the tissue story is a whole lot of Diana exaggeration.
Kate has done nothing to garner goodwill; she’ll be easy to move aside as ‘Uni girlfriend I never should have married’. If the Midds play hardball?
All William has to do is claim mental health, he was vulnerable away from home, the Middletons manipulated and controlled him. No one likes the Midds, they’ll be easy prey for the tabloids if William wants to divorce Kate. He’ll come out looking good, because the tabloids and conservative govt want him looking good.
This is a five prong move:
1. Wills gets away from Rose, who I suspect he’s long since dropped, making things awkward in Norfolk. Note: I wonder if Wills hasn’t discovered the Turnip Toffs don’t like him much more than Kate. Is he escaping social embarrassment?
2. Wills gets closer to TQ. He wants her as an ally against Chuck. Note: Being closer to TQ makes it easier to keep tabs on Meg ans Harry, since they’re in touch with TQ. Is Wills secretly hoping to get details from GanGan to leak to the press?
3. Wills gets a spot that is closer to his rumored London lawyer side piece. But without being in London and its prying eyes. Note: I wonder if Wills is trying to cut the press off from details about this woman to avoid a repeat of the Rose debacle.
4. Wills gets more toys– he loves amassing royal goodies to show off. Note: could this be a bribe to work more?
5. Kate gets closer to her family, allowing more separation of residences (separation of time with the kids), in a permanent manner easy to hide (from those who don’t look closely). Note: Wills has definitely gotten to the point he can hardly tolerate Kate, and could be preparing for official separation/divorce, but IDK. Kate is definitely getting a separate non royal residence so if divorce happens, she’s off of all royal properties.
Agree.
If the rumors are true, Will is going from tending to rose bushes to handling legal briefs.
Where is this info? Links please!
@Agreatreckoning Hahaha! that is a good one!
@Rapunzel I hope your first prong is true. It would be so well-deserved.
I don’t think it matters where you live, if the queen doesn’t want to be close to you she won’t be.
Strange with queen and the sussexes having such a reportedly close relationship, ie zooming and all, the shamebridges now want to be close to her. Also the wessexes being so close to the old girl, and old boy in the past, can’t be allowed to be the story.
Also the Charles for hire story coming out now, i smell shamebridges pr at work. So they have been out of the news, coming up with these stories, still working at becoming the next fk, and fq, be very wary Charlie and cammie. Imho the battle has started in real time.
Why aren’t they going to Scotland again? What happened to DUTY? I’m sure he can find a mistress and Keen can take extended vacations from Scotland.
Because they can’t stand each other. Moving to Scotland would be a bit isolating for them. They need outside distractions (Kate’s family, William’s sidepieces and friends) or they’ll stop being able to even tolerate each other during public events.
I’m sure Carole would find a way to move to Scotland!
I thought the reason was because TOB wanted to exile Harry and Meghan to another country, but nobody is allowed to do that to him.
I think it was really about sending Andrew to Scotland, to get him out of royal (BP) or Crown Estate property. Made better tabloid fodder to be about W&K though.
I was reading on the UK Guardian yesterday that the British public are finally questioning why the Lambridges need all these multiple houses when they are rarely seen working. Apt 1A at KP cost millions to refurbish as did Amner with its new kitchen, pool, tennis court and additional land because of privacy. The British public foot the bill for that. Now with a possible move to Windsor, why should the public foot the bill for another one! Little Willie should be prepared break open his own wallet if the Lamebridges can’t manage life with only a massive London apartment as well as a massive country house. He did receive millions from Diana as did Harry. He should use that money to pay for a house for Kate if he wants her out of his sight, non?
Considering we’re still in a pandemic and with Brexit hitting the economy, does the British public really want to shell out tens of millions to renovate yet another house for the Cambridges, especially since those two work so little?
For the amount of media freak out over the renos at Frogmore and the fact they were repaid, it’s pretty hypocritical that most of the media in the UK is pretty silent on the Cambridges acquiring another house in addition to the palace space and manor house they already have. They really can make do with what they currently have, which is far more than the average British taxpayer can ever aspire to have.
@Chrissy, you’re right, it’s beyond egregious at this point. Doesn’t Amner have multiple kitchens? It definitely has at least two, one of which had just been renovated (I think possibly by professional chefs? Not positive, but we saw photos of it and it was state-of-the-art and gorgeous) before William and Kate moved in, but they didn’t like it enough so they gutted it anyway.
At least one room had to be completely repainted because Kate had approved the paint swatch but then decided she didn’t like how it looked once the whole room was done. IIRC, she thought it looked “too purple.” (Correction: we heard about one room where that happened; there were probably more.)
And how much did it cost for them to move the tennis court over like a foot or two? They’re absolutely ridiculous spendthrifts. But I doubt Bill has or will ever go into his own wallet; he and Charles are both known to have pulled some accounting tricks in order to get whateverTF they want, but hide from the public how much is actually spent on what.
At least three. The one in the main house, the one in the nanny quarters, and the one in the RPO quarters in one of the outbuildings.
Lorelei
The purple room was several rooms. Paint, furnishing, everything was purple tinted. Kate did it on her own with William checking in on nothing. It was millions more to undo the purple hues at KP.
I think it’s pretty obvious, the kids will be starting boarding school so they want to be nearby to the ones that, historically, have been attended by the previous generation. They’re all in and around windsor.
Also, W&K have always lived apart, with the exception of a few months Kate lived with him in Wales (pre-marriage leading up to engagement) and early in their marriage at Kensington. I really think they only briefly cohabitated. This new arrangement allows William to live in London while Kate is close to her family in Berkshire. And yes, Amner is out of the picture. It will bring up too many bad memories of his affair.
I really hope Kate finds her own happiness. She is skeletal in that header photo. It’s got to be a lonely place.
I agree about Kate, she looks so very unhappy, even when she is forcing a smile.
I agree kate looks absolutely miserable, which is why I can’t understand why she would want to stay living such a depressing life. Is it really worth it? I know that if they publicly separated, KP and Willie would begin smearing her, but she would smear him straight back. Also Kate seems to get a pass for anything no matter how nasty she is. I mean her fans have no problem with her making lies up about her pregnant SIL which made her suicidal. Willie must have some pretty damaging dirt on the middletons for her to cling on this hard, but she probably has plenty of dirt on him too.
@February Pisces ita that Kate got a total pass from her moronic stans for her part in the smear campaign, which is infuriating. But I’m a complete hypocrite, because at the same time, I actually feel sorry for her too.
She did some horrible things when it came to Meghan, but she’s so obviously a miserable person herself. Idk. My feelings about Kate are more complicated than they are about William. Kate victimized Meghan for sure, and that’s unforgivable— but she’s also a victim in many ways. Even though she fought long and hard to get into that position and was an adult who made an informed decision to marry into that family. I constantly go back and forth on whether or not she deserves any of our sympathy.
I do think the fact that Meghan went out of her way to say Kate was a “nice person” on Oprah means that Kate is seriously suffering behind the scenes, far more and far worse than we know, to the point that even Meghan felt sympathy for her even though Meghan herself said Kate’s lie about the crying was a “turning point” for her.
I guess the bottom line is that I don’t WANT to feel sorry for her, because in my head I know she did it all to herself, and I can’t forget her meanness toward Meghan, but I can’t help it— part of me just always does.
Meghan’s friend Serena William’s said ‘Meghan is too nice’. I think Meghan was being nice to Kate, a little lie to ease the blow of how awful Kate was to her. Meghan was giving her a chance to BE a good person, to step up and admit the lies about crying. Instead, her family went all out to the press re-lying about it.
Don’t think we’ll hear Meghan giving Kate the benefit of the doubt again. I think both W&K are guilty of the skin colour discussions, in addition to everything else.
Everytime I could feel sorry for Kate she always does something which reminds me of just how awful she actually is as a person. I really wouldn’t waste my sympathy on her, she would literally step on a dead body to prop herself up. That’s why I don’t see her as a victim, she played her part.
I think she is exhausted always trying to keep her head above water to save her position, I just don’t see why it’s even worth the hassle. She had 10 years of being treated badly by William and she still jumped at the chance to marry him. Kate valued having a title and money over her own happiness and self respect. Not only did she want this miserable life, she’s clinging onto it for dear life. I guess living separately whilst staying together is the only option where they both can get what they want.
I wonder if all of this dust-up about moves is a cover for closing KP offices and trying to contain William’s attacks on his brother. The damage to the RF image is enormous. British media lacks credibility, and they are the mouthpiece of the RF.
This seems likely. Someone noted above they already changed their IG. Another thought is the foundation is such a mess it will be closed and this is a cover.
…..with each other?
This seems like an obvious power play by William. TQ and Charles have never gotten along very well. Now they’re certainly at odds over Andrew and TQ is allegedly in close contact with Harry while Charles is not. William sees a chance to move in here, align himself with TQ and ice out his father. He’s an opportunist.
I am honestly a bit confused, isn’t kP in London? Why do they need another house there? Like even if they don’t want the country estate , why can’t they continue to live their separate lives in Kp? It’s massive
Andrew, Edward/Sophie have country homes at Windsor AND apartments at BP in London. For late night and early morning engagements in London, just like Princess Anne and Princess Alexandra have spaces at St James Palace in addition to their other homes. So no surprise if W&K keep 1A and have a home at Windsor.
In what universe did Prince Tampon think that moving KKKate and her husband to Scotland would convince them to stay in the UK? If anything, it expedite the pulling of the independence trigger. I’m surprised, as I thought he was supposed to be the brains of the operation.
I may be in the minority here, but I dont think William is banging anybody right now, although I imagine he is desperately searching for someone. I think an attorney in London would have too many other options to bother with him.
Im convinced the Berkshire move story was another one of the RRs sneaky way of outing them just like when they reported “kate easing Rose out”!! Its not just a coincidence that they never followed up on that & around the same time we were told James “got” a new mansion in buckleberry😏(with hints he didn’t buy it himself). It was honestly nonsensical because Norfolk few miles near the middleton house anyway..
This new story further highlights the increasing divide in the keenbridges household. I no longer think they’ll stay together(even if keenkate wants to) because willy boy wants a better stepford wife who can attract the same attention that Meghan gets!
“It was honestly nonsensical because Norfolk is just near the middleton house anyway”
It isn’t. It’s a 3 hour drive whereas Bucklebury-Windsor is a 45 minute drive. Unless the Midds got a place in Norfolk.
There was talk a while back of the Middletons looking to buy a place in the Norfolk area but that seems to have dissipated.
Pip’s Moderately Wealthy husband bought the petting zoo Kate keeps promoting by taking the kids there. With James also in Berkshire? The Midds are all focusing on that area now.
If only this was the end of articles about Carole and her wonderful figure, diets and appalling taste in clothes. To say nothing of wife beater miserable drunk Gary. What a shower! Surely TOB had time to make a ‘better’ choice. Not that he deserves anyone nice. This is the end. Of the monarchy.
So many stories now about a possible move. They really do want to plant this in people’s minds, don’t they?
I am wondering whether one of the roots of this was that Carole was finally kicked out of Anmer by William. There certainly seems to have been some sort of schism there (the “Carole was a better mum than Diana” stories won’t have helped). It’s pretty clear Kate can’t really function without her mother, so it makes sense that she’d want to move to Berkshire.
The bits about wanting to be “closer to the Queen” and becoming more senior members of the RF are crap. Although I do suspect they’re not that close to the Queen generally. And they are terribly lazy and lack direction – the Queen won’t appreciate that. (In her “leaving statement” about the Sussexes, she did make a real point of saying how hard Meghan worked – I sensed a bit of shade there).
Windsor is also an easy commute to London – plenty of people make that journey to work every day. In case William wants to visit any lawyers.
While I think the zooms from Sandringham were a sign that they weren’t living in the same home late last year (when Philip moved out of Wood Farm) it does seem like the photo shoot at the funeral was the turning point when William made it a point to exclude Kate from the statue unveiling not long after. This was also around the same time as the “Carole is a better mother than Diana” stuff was coming out and uncle Gary that Kate is going to replace Elizabeth as Queen along with being a peacemaker and revolutionary.
We were already noticing diverging PR angles from William and the Middletons prior to that, but it seems as though some line was crossed and William is more active in putting the Middletons and Kate, in their place. This moving story is likely another part of that scheme.
Wherever they end up, you won’t hear a peep about the cost to the taxpayers or carbon footprint of 4 residences or whatever.
Separation coming in 3…2…1…
Those kingmaker and future queen articles finally got to Baldemort huh.
Indeed. People here kept stressing that one of the things TOB liked about Middleton was that she didn’t try to outshine him. Well, she and her family certainly put that to rest with that ridiculous PR campaign you mentioned. And then there was her Joan-Collins-as-Alexis-Carrington-from-Dynasty cosplay at Philip’s funeral, complete with that posed photo in the car. So much for not wanting to stand out.
Notice the history re-written from the Fail. They had to move to Anmer because of his helo job? No, the whole time the courtiers were saying Anmer was just a weekend home, they were going to be based at Apartment 1A. Then he pulled the EAAA trick, but 1A and Anmer were the same travel distance to the EAAA base.
They always forget to mention that when William left the RAF he was supposed to start full time royal duties then. But then the part time EEAA job changed that and this was after all the renos at KP 1A for the express purpose of having them based there for full time royal work.
Then of course we got the nonsense about them being part time royals despite the full time perks.
I just want to know the number of bathrooms….
@Kaiser
‘PS… Back in June, I think Charles was trying to send Will and Kate to Scotland to live for a few years. I wonder if this is W&K’s answer: “We’re not going to Scotland, we’re going to Windsor and Berkshire!”’
I tend to think Charles might have been trying to ship Andrew to Scotland, but the tabloids making the talk be about W&K was a way to try selling more papers/clicks. Put him on a private estate, get him out of royal or Crown Estate properties.
Ft. Belvedere is the royal house that David Duke of Windsor entertained his married mistresses. Following family tradition?
W&K already live at Anmer Hall, where Charles and Camilla conducted their relationship under the friendly eyes of the Van Cutsem family.
In 2014 taxpayers paid 4.5 miilion pounds to renovate Kensington Palace for Prince William and Kate. It is called Apartment but it is actually a mansion with 20 main rooms and 9 bathrooms spread over 4 storey and a huge garden.
Is Prince Wiiliam asking the taxpayers to pay for a Windsor residence?
Why, in looking for a third house in Windsor, Bill has picked out two residences that are already occupied?
In Andrew’s case, a 75 year lease was not sufficient to deter. Simple, the Queen went to the Royal Lodge, to be able to meet Meghan? Andrew nor Fergie never let that out.
The Weston’s – Their son Galen brought a branch of SoHo house to Toronto of which Marcus was a part of the initial management. He is a friend of Meghan’s whom was a member of SoHo (Toronto) arranged private space for the Sussexes first date.
Princess Anne gave a positive quote in answering a question about the Sussexes move away from royal life. She had to relenquish her position as head of Church of Scotland to whom? TOB.
In terms of divorce, if Kate wants it, that will be a reality. She has accepted the life style and especially the status, not to mention her meal ticket. He is not seeing anyone, he would have been less bitter. While I am not advocating extra martial relationship, Rose would have given Kate enermous leverage.
In addition – the three scenarios were mere coincidence or part of an already established pattern?
William’s repeated affairs, including the one with the nextdoor neighbor, show Kate has no leverage at all. He cheated with Kate on his girlfriend, Kate did that willingly. She clung to him through 10 years of him cheating before the wedding, 10 years of him cheating after the wedding. He gets to cheat whenever he wants. The only time the Midds protest is when it goes public. Kate has no leverage, no matter how often he cheats. She’s agreed to it for 20 years.
If William wants a divorce and Kate doesn’t, he gets his divorce. That’s the reality.
I think that’s what terrifies her the most. The fact she has zero leverage or control over Baldy’s decisions. She knows if he wants out, she won’t have a say in the matter.