The Cambridges & Prince Andrew are beefing about Adelaide Cottage?

As we discussed on Monday, it seems that the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge have likely settled on a new home in Windsor. They’ve been talking about their move to Windsor for a year now, and it continues to be the weirdest thing. You would think, hey, William is the second in line to the throne, surely he would have his pick of lavish royal properties. But the Queen and Prince Charles really seem to be fighting the Cambridges on this. The Keens wanted Fort Belvedere, and it feels like they got told no. They wanted Royal Lodge, Prince Andrew’s home, and they were told no. They wanted Frogmore House and I think they were told no. So now they’re focused on Adelaide cottage, which is basically just the size of a nice family home. Not terribly grand, not the most top-notch royal property. And even then, it looks like there are problems. One problem in particular: Prince Andrew had earmarked Adelaide Cottage for Princess Eugenie.

Prince Andrew is at the centre of a new royal row over claims his family want a grace and favour home for one of his daughters. The Duke of York has long coveted several royal residences as well as the security of royal life for his children, Princesses Beatrice and Eugenie.

Now it appears his youngest, new mum Eugenie, 32, has made advances of her own to take over Adelaide Cottage, just a few minutes’ walk from the Queen’s private apartments at Windsor Castle. But the Yorks’ plans may soon be scuppered, as they face coming up against the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge who are planning a move to Berkshire to be nearer the Queen.

Prince William and wife Kate have been looking for a new home after deciding to leave London behind, meaning they will vacate their stunning 20 room apartment within Kensington Palace home in favour of living in the Berkshire countryside. Sources have confirmed two most likely options for the Cambridges and their three young children – Prince George, eight, Princess Charlotte, seven and Prince Louis, two – are Adelaide Cottage or the vastly impressive Fort Belvedere, also on the Windsor estate.

Other sources have dismissed speculation the family are looking at a private residence, with one remarking “it would be neither appropriate nor a good look to spend millions on a private home”.

A royal insider said: “The situation could very well become an issue in the near future. The Duke of York has made no secret in the past of his firm held belief that his children should be treated no differently to Princes William and Harry, despite his daughters not being working royals. The word is Eugenie is also trying to find somewhere to live and would like to settle in Windsor.”

A source said: “This is yet another example of the Duke of York and indeed the York family’s levels of entitlement, it’s extraordinary.”

[From The Daily Mirror]

I mean… Andrew can “want” certain royal properties for his daughters, that doesn’t mean he’s going to get his way. Princess Beatrice doesn’t even have a royal grace-and-favour country home – Beatrice and Edo reportedly bought their own private Cotswolds home last year, although who knows where the money came from. There’s a reason why Eugenie and Jack are subletting Frogmore Cottage – because they haven’t been offered something better, and the Queen and Charles have clearly not been persuaded to give them something better. Charles is unlikely to ever give anything to the York princesses. So… what is this story really? A wedge between the Cambridges and Yorks? Or something else? If you told me that William and Kate are mad that they’re being shoved into a relatively minor cottage, I’d believe you. I think this whole “moving to Windsor” thing is a huge cover for some major sh-t going down across the board.

Photos courtesy of Avalon Red, Instar.

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117 Responses to “The Cambridges & Prince Andrew are beefing about Adelaide Cottage?”

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  1. Loretta says:

    All this story is so strange, something is happening behind the doors.

    • Andrew's_Nemesis says:

      …and I wonder if PWT knew that Noncy Drew wanted the house for Eugenie, a close friend of Harry’s, and thus decided to punish Eugenie for her affiliation with PWT’s mortal enemy: his own brother. It must drive Kaiser Bill mad that Harry has any allies whatsoever in the ‘family’; his hubris, arrogance and exceptionalism leads him to believe that he is owed absolute loyalty, and that Harry should have been tied to a cart and horsewhipped for leaving those toxic, claustrophobic mausoleums. PWT has no concept of loyalty (look at the way he treats his wife, and his father), honour (rampant cheating), what racism entails (dressing up as a colonialist dictator in the Caribbean), dignity (endless, screaming, narcissistic rages) or reason (constantly blaming others for his own sins). That piece Kaiser posted on how he wanted to punish people when he was King was very telling: anyone, ANYONE who thwarts him must be made to suffer. I wonder how Eugenie copes with her cousin’s generalised awfulness?

    • Lulu says:

      William and Kate aren’t moving into a cottage. No way. Totally agree with Loretta, something’s going down.

      • Well Wisher says:

        The Duchess first meeting with the Queen was at the Royal Lodge.

        The Weston scion (of Fort Belvedere) initiated the branch of SoHo Club in Toronto. Markus was in charge of the start up having worked in the original in England. Markus and Meghan were friends from Toronto SoHo and he may/may not have accommodated the Sussexes first date.

        What did he said he’ll do when he becomes king??

        Eugenie and Jack socialized with the Sussexes during their dating period.

        Back to the question and his view of the idea of loyalty as a one way street.

        No pretense, the gloves are off.

      • notasugarhere says:

        Which duchess? Kate first met the Queen at Frogmore House at Peter and Autumn’s wedding reception. She attended alone because William was off at a Craig family wedding and didn’t consider Kate important-enough to introduce to the Queen on his own. Meghan first met QEII at tea at Windsor Castle.

      • Well Wisher says:

        The Duchess of Sussex. One of the sources – from the Oprah interview. Fergie came out and showed the Duchess how to curtsey.

      • Wiglet Watcher says:

        Well wisher
        I thought the Oprah interview Fergie teach Meghan was in reference to no one showing Meghan the ropes and Fergie swooped in to help guide Meghan.
        Never a specific moment.

  2. equality says:

    Royal Lodge and Fort Belvedere are on legal long-term leases. If PW wants either he would have to buy out the lease and the lease-holder would have to be willing. If somebody wants to lease out a crown property, can they not just make an offer and come to an agreement with the company in charge or does the Queen have to approve any leases?

    • Andrew's_Nemesis says:

      I doubt he has any money. Mrs Bennet bilked him of every pound he was worth while counselling her daughter to be a doormat in return for gaining a coronet.

    • Becks1 says:

      I think the Crown Estates have to approve any lease obviously but I don’t think the Queen is looking over each and every application, but I really have no clue how it works.

      Regardless, I don’t think William has the money to buy out either Royal Lodge or Ft Belvedere lease-wise.

    • Katya says:

      PrinceAndyPandy’s negotiated a 75 year lease for Royal Lodge rent free …. that has the extraordinary clause of allowing his progeny to continue the leasehold or his “widow”.

      Edward pays rent on Bagshot Park as do Harry&Meghan on that horrid “cottage”.

  3. Tessa says:

    That expression on Williams face says it all

  4. ThatsNotOkay says:

    The Cambridges are livid Eugenie has not disowned the Sussexes. Also Charles doesn’t want to give up any more properties—maybe wants to make them public properties or museums and collect the cash. Andrew is leaning on mumsy to secure the future of his kids because when she’s gone, they’re all out in the cold. The already fractured Royal Family looks to be splintering even more.

    • Chloe says:

      Something is definitely going on behind closed doors regarding this story. And with the Queens declining health everyone seems to be getting more anxious

      • Yvette says:

        @Chloe … I’ve thought something was going on behind the scenes for quite some time now, and I believe it has something to do with Harry and Meghan deciding to split their time between Montecito and Frogmore Cottage … or Charles trying to get them to do so. There is also Harry’s cryptic line about Montecito being their home “for now.”

        Why, after 12-years, is William so keen to move to Windsor? The Queen has only named Windsor her official home this past year, but the rumor of William and Kate being keen to move there has gone on longer than the Queen’s announcement.

        I don’t think William wants Harry back in England, and certainly not on the Windsor Estate. I think this is William’s way of keeping Harry in check. If William and Kate move to Windsor, they would have precedence over everyone at Windsor except his father and the Queen.

    • MeganC says:

      William and Kate want something, but I doubt it’s a cottage in Windsor. I think they want a grand property with hundreds of acres and they want Charles to pay for it after they “run out of options” at Windsor.

    • Allegra says:

      What is planned for Windsor Castle after the Queen passes? It could be that Will and Kate want to live there themselves and all this pretending to look at cottages and houses in the area so that the kids can all be at school together etc, is just to smooth the way.

  5. Bettyrose says:

    They can’t have Frogmore because Eugenie is there and can’t have Adelaide because it’s been promised this her? Then of course they can’t have Andy’s residence. These stories make it seem like the Yorks have taken over all of Windsor.

    • SAS says:

      That’s what makes me think this one is fully KP leaked/created. They know anything Andrew is an easy public hot potato right now; anyone out there vaguely thinking “why do W&K need yet another property?” suddenly switch to “mitts off, perv! Give it to W&K!”

      I believe Eugenie would like to be excluded from this narrative!

    • Nancy says:

      They want Frogmore House which is a different piece of property than Frogmore Cottage where Eugenie is subletting from Harry & Meghan. What struck me most about this is the Daily Mirror clearly has no fact checkers , Prince Louis is four not two.

      • Becks1 says:

        One of the stories circulated over the past 10 months has been that they want Frogmore cottage, which makes zero sense like I said below for a few reasons but nothing about this really makes that much sense at this point.

    • aftershocks says:

      The reports have NEVER said W&K want Frogmore Cottage (where the Sussexes own the lease and allow Eugenie and Jack to live). It’s the grander, adjacent Frogmore House that W&K reportedly had on their Windsor house-hunting list.

      It’s just that a lot of people, especially the media, continually mix up the two adjacent (and historically associated) Frogmore-named properties.

      • Becks1 says:

        No, it was one of the random stories from last fall, maybe late last summer. Like I said it made zero sense but it was definitely something bandied about. “They want Frogmore House! No wait its Frogmore cottage! No wait Royal Lodge!”

      • aftershocks says:

        ^^^ Ummm, oh really? Whoever said Frogmore Cottage was making things up for effect, or getting the two separate, similar-named properties mixed-up.

      • Becks1 says:

        Oh I’m sure they were making things up for effect, but I have felt that way about half these houses mentioned. My take on it (I don’t remember if this was my take on it at the time but is now after the past 10 months of this damn story) was that FC was either being mentioned erroneously OR that it was about trying to shove H&M out. Like someone in the tabloids wanted to make it clear that W&K had the power to make H&M move out if they really wanted to. Of course that overlooks the whole issue of the lease the Sussexes have for FC, but when do facts stop a good tabloid story? I also don’t think the Cambridges would ever consent to live in H&M’s former house, given their jealous and entitled natures.

        Anyway kind of the same way Royal Lodge was mentioned – it was presented as a power move on William’s part (he’s the future king so he gets to kick Andrew out if he wants) but that overlooks the reality of the 100 year lease that Andrew holds for the lodge.

        that’s part of why this ongoing story has been so weird, because we’re getting all these different properties mentioned, half of which just make zero sense, and yet the story of them moving to Windsor persists.

    • Alice says:

      No, they don’t want Frogmore Cottage which was leased to Harry and currently occupied by Eugenie. They want Frogmore House, a huge palatial thing that would require tens of millions of pounds to restore. It’s in dreadful shape.

  6. Chloe says:

    These stories are getting weird. Bea wanting this property makes no sense considering they just purchased their own home, like you just pointed out. I can see Eugenie wanting it but isn’t it a bit grand for a non working royal? Even if she is the grandchild of a monarch?

    Either way i don’t think andrew is in any position to make demands. But it is interesting that “royal sources” point out that the Cambridges wanting another home is outrageous considering they already have 2 homes and the times we live in.

    • TigerMcQueen says:

      I think this brief is because the FFQ doesn’t want a minor property as her ‘separation’ house (and that’s what it is). She’d probably rather a place not on royal property closer to her own mummy, and the Cambridges may be getting pushback over the cost of that. I think that’s where some of this is coming from.

      I mean, Andrew may have ‘earmarked’ Adelaide Cottage for Eugenie, but she clearly hasn’t been offered it since her marriage. Charles has made it clear he doesn’t want Andrew’s daughters to be ‘working’ royals, so he wont be offering crown property to live in the way TQ did. I think this particular story is more about the cost of a private property (how much money does Elegant Bill even have???) than anything. The people at KP are dim enough to push this story and admit there’s pushback over the coast of a private place, and they get to throw Andrew under the bus while they’re at it, so that’s a win as far as they’re concerned.

    • Becks1 says:

      This story is definitely getting weirder and weirder with every “update.” the fact that we’ve been hearing this story since last summer and its not going away (I think in the story from Monday the line was that KP “declined to comment,” which tells me there is something to all of this or else KP would have said “the cambridges have no intention of moving at this time.” But with every update we are hearing about new reasons for the move (to be close to Kate’s family, to be close to the Queen, to be close to the unknown school the kids are going to attend, etc) and we hear about a new possible residence – house hunting for private residences, then we’ve heard everything from Frogmore (Cottage and House, neither of which makes any sense) to Windsor Castle itself (also makes zero sense) to Royal Lodge to Ft Belvedere and now Adelaide cottage. It really does seem like they’re just looking at a map and saying “this one!” and someone keeps shooting them down.

      Also this story has the tidbit about them vacating their KP apartment, when what we’ve heard in the past was that they would not be vacating it, just keep it as their London residence.

      • Chloe says:

        @becks1: good catch about the London base. I didn’t even see that until you pointed it out and you are right. Wasn’t the original story that upon moving to berkshire they would let go of Amner Hall? Moving to Berkshire and letting go of a house that costs the taxpayer £4 million in refubs somehow sounds even more terrible.

        The fact that the story keeps changing is proof that the british press also doesn’t really know what is going on. But that it keeps resurfacing proves that there is definitely something brewing.

    • aftershocks says:

      LOL! Not Bea, it’s Eugenie! Non-Britishers constantly mix-up the York Princesses too! Oh boy, the rumors, royal misappropriations, mistaken identifications, fabrications, and what-have-you continue to fly. Popcorn anyone? 🤪🍿

  7. Scorpion says:

    Everybody was kung fu fighting, hooh hah 😂😂😂😂

    The moment Betty pops it, all bets are off.

  8. Miranda says:

    “it would be neither appropriate nor a good look to spend millions on a private home”.

    So in other words, right on-brand for these 2 useless parasites?

    • Sofia says:

      I found it interesting that a “source” actually admitted this. Makes me wonder if W&K were told this by Charles or something and because of that, they’ve basically been going through a list of properties in Windsor and going “Can we get that one?” and being told no again and again.

    • Noki says:

      Tone deaf yet again! You would think they would ask their British Media buddiesto not report such extravagance at this time. The world and closer to home UK is truely not in the mood to hear how a bunch of entitled misfits are fighting for more palaces.

    • KTate says:

      @scorpion I woke my baby up laughing at this!!! 🤣🤣🤣

    • Moneypenny424 says:

      Ha ha!

      I read it as a dig against Harry and Meghan.

  9. Sue E Generis says:

    I think it’s just shuffling and repositioning for when Charles becomes king. Likely before year’s end. Everyone is fighting to establish their place in the new order.

  10. Snuffles says:

    Honestly, Eugenie and Jack need to remove themselves from this system and financially support themselves. The infighting happening now is just going to a thousand times worse when the Queen dies.

    If Eugenie and Jack had any sense, they would have spent the past 2-3 years saving their money to buy their own home while they were living rent free on royal property.

    It doesn’t matter how much Andrew is the Queen’s favorite, Charles is gonna drop the hammer on all of the Yorks and the Wessexes and yank as many perks as he can from them.

    • Harla says:

      Charles will have to be a bit careful not to pull too many perks as none of these ppl have held real jobs, are very used to a certain style of living and won’t be shy about consorting with nefarious characters in order to fund their desired lifestyle, which will bring more shame onto the house of Windsor.

      • KFG says:

        I doubt Eugenie and Jack want the Windsor house or anything. I think this is W&K trying to distract from the negative press they’ve gotten for asking for a new house thats like 20 minutes from their other lavish house. I also think that keen and peen are mad that Eugenie is making her own money and a name for herself that makes both of them look foolish and lazy.

    • notasugarhere says:

      Right now they’re living in a property with rent paid by Harry. We don’t know if Eugenie/Jack are reimbursing Harry or not. So that’s what they might be doing – saving up to buy their own place. I doubt Eugenie wants the Crown Estate lease for Adelaide Cottage but stranger things have happened.

    • jais says:

      If they did want Adelaide Cottage, it might be for security purposes? Assuming security is free on the estate. The two couples are friends and it would be nice for H and M to visit at Frogmore and walk over to Adelaide to see the other couple without anyone seeing anything. Idk that’s the only reason I could see them wanting to stay on a crown estate. Getting far away from all the vipers would be my first move.

  11. Becks1 says:

    First, while in general I’m on board with the idea of Andrew being insanely entitled, I’m laughing at that description in the context of this article, where W&K are pitching a hissy fit because they want a third residence. Seems like there’s enough entitlement in this scenario to go around.

    This bit about Eugenie wanting Adelaide is interesting though – I wonder if the plan has been that Beatrice takes over the Royal Lodge lease, and Eugenie will be given a lease on another property to sort of “make up” for that. This also explains why the Cambridges are suddenly so interested in adelaide cottage, if they want to punish Eugenie for her closeness with Harry and Megan.

    Finally, I wonder if Harry really is planning on spending more time in England, so the whole “the Brooksbanks live in Frogmore Cottage and Harry and/or Meghan stay there for a night or two a few times a year” isn’t as functional an idea as it was a year or two ago? And maybe they all always knew that but FC was a temporary stopgap until Eugenie moved into AC?

    • Chloe says:

      I do think that Eugenie and Jack living in FC was always meant to be temporary but where they’ll go from there is honestly a mystery to me. From the looks of it it seems unlikely that they’ll be moving into any crown estate property (i don’t know if i believe that Eugenie want Adelaide). They could move into the royal lodge. I know that living with your parents again isn’t really ideal but surely the RL is big enough. Anyway, she should have bought something outside of the crown estate.

      As for frogmore: isn’t the sussexes lease up already? I haven’t heard anything about them renewing it.

      • SAS says:

        @Chloe Harry renewed it in the last few months, for two years I think?

      • Becks1 says:

        Yeah I think Harry renewed it. And we don’t know if Eugenie and Jack are paying rent to the Sussexes, but I bet they’re not.

        Honestly, the Queen just should have put an end to this and bought each grandkid a house (privately) when they got married. She has the money. She just should have done it and been like “here’s your inheritance” and that could have been it.

  12. Noki says:

    I am so amused at them naming these places Forts,cottages,lodges etc and then you hear they have 31rooms.

  13. TigerMcQueen says:

    The FFQ doesn’t want a minor property as her ‘separation’ house (and that’s what it is). She’d probably rather a place not on royal property closer to her own mummy (and the Cambridges may be getting pushback over the cost of that). I think that’s where some of this is coming from.

    I mean, Andrew may have ‘earmarked’ Adelaide Cottage for Eugenie, but she clearly hasn’t been offered it since her marriage. Charles has made it clear he doesn’t want Andrew’s daughters to be ‘working’ royals, so he wont be offering crown property to live in the way TQ did. I think this particular story is more about the cost of a private property (how much money does Elegant Bill even have???) than anything. KP gets to keep pushing for a private place for the FFQ, and they get to throw Andrew under the bus while they’re at it, so win win for them.

  14. OriginalLala says:

    These people, omg. How many Britons are losing their homes right now and these chuckleheads are fighting for their free umpteenth palaces?!?! Are they just begging for a revolt?

    • Geegee says:

      I know. I have been thinking why isn’t this the big royal scandal of the moment with Britons struggling. These two hardly work. When they do they are terrible. They don’t deserve a third free mansion while Britons starve.

  15. Alse says:

    I think the Cambridge and their rota fans are trying to throw Eugenie under the bus because of her friendship with Harry and Meghan. They want Eugenie to become public enemy No 1. I doubt she wants to move into Adelaide and if she does, so what. The Cambridge have how many homes now. Windsor is just a short drive away from London.

  16. JMoney says:

    Adelaide Cottage is indeed “smaller” (what I would give to be gifted a cottage like this) which makes me think its not “big” enough for the Cambridges. I think that cottage would be more for W while C and the kids either live with her parents or in a private property. Notice we never hear about C visits to her parents and we know they have a close relationship but I’ve noticed no one in Berkshire talks to the press. The invisible contract holds firm that there will be zero reports on when C visits or stays with her parents.

    W is hellbent on living in Windsor and while I do think in part its about being able to “gatekeep” The Queen so that the Sussexes won’t be able to pull off secret visits to her in the future , I think W wants to also “gatekeep” his dad when TQ passes and Windsor Castle will go to Charles. Never forget W is a bully and I think both TQ and Charles see through W b/c he’s not bright whatsoever and this is TQ and Charles pushing back W to stay in his lane and far away from them.

    • Steph says:

      While I do think the Keens were livid about the sneak visit, they’ve been talking about this for a year. So I think they’ll want to make sure H&M never get to see the Queen I don’t think that’s their whole reason.

  17. AJ says:

    As much as it pains me to side with the keens, there is no reason why Eugenie and her husband can’t buy their own home. They aren’t first line royals so they don’t deserve a grace and favor home. I mean the the Cambridges should absolutely be denied yet another home but at least they are in line for the crown.

    • Becks1 says:

      But they can have a house on crown property and pay for the lease themselves, so maybe that’s being discussed?

      I wonder if this is about the Queen having made promises to Andrew that Charles is not willing to keep.

    • equality says:

      But the Crown Estates would come out ahead if the property is leased to a lower down royal and not given free to a higher-up.

  18. C-Shell says:

    This is exhausting, and they are NOT moving to Berkshire “to be close to the Queen.” Her days are numbered, and everyone knows this. They are jockeying for POST-Queen position in Charles’ new slimmed down monarchy. One article says they are keeping KP and giving up Anmer. Another says they are giving up KP. One says they are looking for a private home near Bucklebury and schools, another says it’s a bad look to “buy” a private home. They keep running Windsor grace and favor properties up the flag pole that get shut down in the next speculative article. I believe, like everyone here, that this move is the Cambridge’s separation arrangement, so I imagine the BTS negotiations with Charles about where to park Khate and the kiddos are very interesting. I doubt W cares, so long as he can get on with living his single dad life.

    IF it’s true that Andrew had Adelaide earmarked for Eugenie, then I absolutely buy the theory that Bulliam is going after it to punish her for her loyalty to Harry (and Meghan). Whatever, this won’t be the last cockamamie iteration of this move to a “country” house. But, summer is coming … the wheel will have to stop on this pretty soon, if they are to get moved before the children start school in the fall.

    • Crowned Huntress says:

      How interesting!
      But what if Charles denies them everything? After their disaster tour, what does Will and Kate have to offer in order to let this shadow marriage continue?
      Charles doesn’t strike me as particularly caring about his son so he could easily dangle this over William’s head and impose upon him the same reality that existed between him and Diana.

      What is William going to do? Run to the press? Expose his divorce and interfamily politics? Sounds like he’s cornered himself by running Harry out of town. He’s lost all cover and has no one to help him manuver around his father.

      • The Duchess says:

        I think Charles may push for Keen to move into Adelaide to cause as less of a fuss as possible. If she’s in her new separation home, she’s quiet and Keen knows how to be discreet. The longer this goes on, the bigger the stink it creates for the entire family. It’s instability Charles just doesn’t need right now (with TQ in her final years/months and the disastrous Caribbean tour the Keens just embarrassed themselves on). I suspect William just wants rid of Kate from his immediate life, so he can carry on and propel the single dad lifestyle he’s grown accustom to. Kate is clearly a thorn in his side and it’s dangerously showing at the engagements they’re forced to appear together at. If they *do* divorce, it will be a few years after Charles ascends to the throne.

  19. Lady Esther says:

    Game of Thrones: Real Estate Edition continues. I can’t believe William’s ego and rank would allow him to row with one of the York daughters – not even Andrew himself, how embarrassing – over an admittedly not-grand property like Adelaide Cottage. The Mirror saying outright that the Cambridges would give up KP is also interesting, that’s the first mention of that in print IIRC.

    Regarding the money issue, even with current pressures on RF finances and optics regarding UK economic difficulties, if Charles wanted to fund William’s dream of a “house-greater-than-Montecito with enough privacy for private funsies” he could, through Duchy (read taxpayer) money. But in exchange for what? It would have to be a rather big quid pro quo. Can’t wait to see the next episode….

  20. Digital Unicorn says:

    Interesting – there is CLEARLY sh!t going down behind the scenes. I also agree with others who are saying Khate is not going to settle for a ‘minor’ grace and favour property for her divorce home – she (and Mummy) won’t settle for anything less than a big grand house. If they can’t get one of the royal properties it will have to be a big private house with a lot of land (am thinking something Amner sized – but that ain’t big enough for the Middleton ego).

    Something is afoot and the paps know about it and they are drip feeding it to the public – none of this looks good for the Keens. Grasping for more homes at a time like this – tsk tsk!!!

    • Becks1 says:

      I think Anmer would actually be perfect for Kate but alas, too far from her parents and surrounded by Turnip Toffs.

      • The Duchess says:

        Didn’t Kate like living up in Norfolk at first until *that* affair happened and until she needed Mummy by her side to fix her marriage again? You’re right, Anmer is absolutely perfect for her, so it’s interesting to see how keen she is to suddenly flee.

  21. Alexandria says:

    I’m thinking of clicking on any stories of Andrew vs William so that the clown rats will write more about these two douches.

  22. Ciotogista says:

    It’s odd that they are doing this now. When Charles becomes king, the Cambridges get a huge fund, don’t they? And could buy their own place wherever. There’s got to be something else going on for this to be happening.

    • Becks1 says:

      Someone on here knows more about the duchy finances than I do, but basically the money is not a free for all, although the Duke of Cornwall has a lot of “discretion” over the funds. So William couldn’t take 40 million pounds and buy a country estate wherever he wanted, I don’t think. I think though he could use Highgrove (which is owned by the Duchy I think?) so that would give him a country estate away from Norfolk.

    • notasugarhere says:

      The Duchy controls the finances. When Charles wanted Highgrove House to be purchased as the Duke of Cornwall’s home, the Duchy had to agree. They also then sold off the previous home they had purchased to house Charles. It isn’t a free for all, just like Becks1 wrote.

      That’s what I was thinking, Becks1. William gets access to Highgrove House when Charles becomes king. Automatically William becomes Duke of Cornwall and Charles is no longer allowed to live at Highgrove. It is designated (by the Duchy) as the home of the Duke of Cornwall. That would put more weight on W&K wanting a private home purchased for Kate (with what money?) as her separation home, close to the Midds but also closer to Highgrove. That gives the ability to share custody out of the spotlight. Highgrove is 1.5 hours from Windsor Castle, 1 hour from the Middletons in Berkshire.

      • Becks1 says:

        I’m starting to think this is what makes the most sense. William gets highgrove. Kate gets somewhere else. Anmer Hall is gone because they don’t need it anymore (especially if there are no more royal christmases at Sandringham). so they keep KP for William’s London base; Kate doesn’t really need a London base bc she’ll still be close enough to do events in London, esp with the helicopter (assuming she’s still “working” occasionally bc there is no official divorce.) So that’s why there is such an emphasis on a place in Windsor or close to it – easy access to the royal helicopter maybe?

      • Lady Esther says:

        The Duchy of Cornwall owns Highgrove, but I am not sure that it is earmarked for or attached in any way to the current Duke of Cornwall. Meaning, there is no legal reason why Charles can’t stay there even when he becomes King and William becomes Duke of Cornwall. Much like there is no legal reason for William not to take Frogmore House, even if it’s used for events; Crown Estates with RF input could change that status toot suite and turn it back into a private residence if they wanted, unlike the other Windsor properties bandied about which as everyone notes have long-term leases no one wants to buy out.

        Charles has shown he prefers his own properties that he has painstakingly and slowly molded to his own preferences (Birkhall vs Balmoral, Highgrove vs other mooted country homes, Clarence House vs Buckingham Palace). He famously wanted to “give” Balmoral to the Scottish people (not least because it apparently costs 3 million pounds a year to run) and to open Buckingham Palace as a museum. I honestly can’t see him suddenly leaving Highgrove in William’s favour.

        I think that the endgame is that Charles will give William what he wants: a house suitable for his ego (read: equal to Montecito) and some arrangement for Kate where they can live separately (aka the Queen in formal residences and Philip at Wood Farm) and come together for events/holidays to keep up the show. The question is what is the quid pro quo for all of this? What will William have to agree to?

      • notasugarhere says:

        Highgrove House was purchased as the home for the Duke of Cornwall. Once Charles is no longer Duke of Cornwall, he doesn’t get to stay in the house. Charles won’t be the Duke of Cornwall so he’d have to pay hundreds of thousands in rent per year to the Duchy to stay there. Doesn’t make any sense. Plus he’s still never built the house he really wanted in the area, the design that was mocked by so many. He’s always said he would move to Windsor Castle when monarch, because he doesn’t want to live in BP and he wants to (try) to keep Clarence House.

        Frogmore House is only used for royal family events like wedding receptions. The gardens are open a few days a year for public garden tours, otherwise it is empty. The royals don’t own the Crown Estate. If the C.E. decides that Frogmore House is going to made available for lease, it would take millions of private funds (which neither Charles nor William has) to make it habitable. That’s how the leases for Bagshot and Royal Lodge were done. The royal (not the taxpayers) have to fund the restoration themselves in exchange for the lease. Given the current situation, W&K wasting millions on Frogmore House would hasten the fall of the Windsors.

      • notasugarhere says:

        Looking back there was that strange story in October that Charles would have to pay £700,000 rent annually to William (actually to The Duchy) to stay in Highgrove House. I wonder if William is trying to use Highgrove House as leverage. He knows Charles cannot remain in Highgrove without the Duchy and Duke of Cornwall’s permission. So ‘give me a separation house at Windsor for Kate or no Highgrove for you’.

      • Wiglet Watcher says:

        Nota
        Would William be able to install his own loyal to him regulators of the duchy funds? Is that a set board?

    • Queen Meghan’s Hand says:

      What do think is going on?

      • Jaded says:

        Two things are likely going on — the vultures (Keen and Peen) are circling and planning which estate to grab once TQ passes away. They’re basically separated and all the nonsense being alluded to about having a place in Windsor, moving into Highgrove, giving up their apartment in KP, getting a place close to their kids’ school, etc. etc. is their way of covering up the fact that they will be living separate lives in separate abodes.

  23. First comment says:

    This is a very weird story and the wording of the article is rather bizarre. According to the article, the Yorks and particularly Eugenie, plan to occupy a Windsor residence but the Cambridges are there to “prevent”their “advances “and their “level of entitlement ” by moving to the one selected to be close to the poor queen. Notice that the Cambridges would receive criticism if they decide on a private residence and not so, if they choose a royal one ( “it would be neither appropriate nor a good look to spend millions on a private home”). As if it’s quite normal and appropriate to acquire a third royal residence and spend money to renovate after spending already so much money to the two previous ones in 11 only years! I believe that they probably don’t want to use their cash money to buy a private house. And I think that for the first time, the article mentions that they will vacate Kensington palace.

  24. Crowned Huntress says:

    It sounds like the family is jockeying to be “closer” to the Queen in hopes of swaying her or gaining more of her favor. Is this because they want upgrades from her will?

    I always suspected Eugenie was staying in Frogmore because I’m sure H&M made great renovations, it’s close to the Queen, away from the family drama & gives H&M an easy path to visit quietly & in comfort.

    Though I suspect Eugenie may be thinking of following Harry’s route and eventually leaving England altogether. She did it in New York for a while, where I believe she met Meghan and the rest is history. I don’t think she’d be safe in England doing the trafficking awareness work she wants to do & be so close to her insane relations.

  25. fani says:

    he wants a separation (thinking that Kate will stay alone while raising their children while he is off …).

    His father and grandmother don’t want to let him for fear of what it will do to the monarchy.

    He thinks it can withstand it as long as it is well managed.

    He thinks the problem last time was his mother and that this time will be different.

    His father and his brother get to be married to people they love and he feels like he had to take one for the team.

    • notasugarhere says:

      William will never ‘take one for the team’ because the only team he is on is Team William and William Alone. He chose to marry a woman he didn’t love, out of laziness, because he wanted to stick it to his family, because he liked the freebie vacations and Mummy Carole’s attentions. William made that choice himself because he certainly didn’t choose someone the BRF wanted him to marry.

      Just as Kate is no victim, William is no victim either.

      QEII and Charles would rather William offload useless Kate and her horrid family. W&K divorcing will not shake the monarchy, there’s plenty of other reasons why the BRF are falling and rightfully so. Kate won’t even be an afterthought or footnote in history.

  26. Catherine says:

    I think this story is nonsense. The Cambridge’s clearly are not getting what they want behind the scenes and their PR media mouthpieces are trying to drum up public support for this move. So why not bring up Andrew who the public is against as well as Eugenie who has connections to the Sussexes who the tabloids and the trolls are against. The problem is it doesn’t appear that even hard core Cambridge stans care about this. For me the bottom line is (1) they don’t want to live in London anymore surrounded by media now that they don’t have the Sussexes to sell out anymore. The pressure/scrutiny is too great. (2) They aren’t comfortable with George being a full time boarder but don’t want to admit that because they have set themselves up as the “ones who follow tradition unlike the Sussexes”. (3) William wants to spin the narrative that he is assisting the Queen. And last but not least I think William wants to be at Windsor because he believes that in the future the Sussexes will visit more often and he wants to be able to spy on their comings and going’s.

    • First comment says:

      I totally agree!

    • Laura D says:

      “And last but not least I think William wants to be at Windsor because he believes that in the future the Sussexes will visit more often and he wants to be able to spy on their comings and going’s.”

      I think it’s more to do with the Sussexes than anything-else. No matter how the Cambridges try to spin it H&M came in when they were out of the country and they knew absolutely NOTHING about it. It may be a long way off but, if icy relationship between Charles and Harry thaws there’s every chance that he’ll visit Windsor to see his dad (and bring his wife and children with him). I may be going against the majority but, I would love for Charles, Camilla, Harry and Meghan try to and find a way to sort their differences. It would make a great front page cover across the world and short of running across the gardens of Windsor, there wouldn’t be anything the Cambridges could do to stop top the headlines.

      I’ve just realised after typing the above that although I’m not too happy about the way Charles and Camilla have treated Harry and Meghan, it’s the Cambridges who I’ve come to despise.

      • Becks1 says:

        We’ve been hearing this whole “moving to Windsor” thing LONG before Harry’s visit a few weeks ago. The ability to keep tabs on the Sussexes may play a part here, but its not the motivating factor. In fact, when we first heard about this move, it was all about them househunting in Berkshire and looking for a private home, and THEN the talk about Windsor and another crown estate property surfaced.

      • Blithe says:

        I realize, reading your post, that I’m hoping that Charles and Camilla meet up with Harry, Meghan and the kids when they do their upcoming Canada tour. I think Meghan and Harry both have experience loving-if-not-fully-trusting flawed fathers, and could ably navigate a cordial meeting with/for Charles and the kids. I also think it would be great for them to do a meet-up on neutral (Canada) or their turf (California— but harder to imagine pulling this off without publicity) without the hovering presence of William’s spectre exuding bad vibes.

      • Likeyoucare says:

        I dont trust charles with harry and his family.
        Remember that only the heirs are matters, charles will throw harry under the bus again when william ask him to in the future.

  27. Robert Phillips says:

    Everyone kept saying that this was a way to get Katherine a home for when the divorce happens. Maybe Charles and the Queen don’t want Katherine anywhere near after the divorce. You know if its withing walking distance Kat and her mother would be constantly trying to get to see Charles or the Queen. Maybe Charles is trying to get rid of the Middletons completly.

    • notasugarhere says:

      They don’t want the Midds having access to Windsor Castle, which is why I doubt Kate would get an apartment in the Castle proper. But while the kids are under 18, whenever they are with Kate her home needs to be secured. Easier to hide the costs of that in a Crown Estate property than a private home in Berkshire.

  28. Queen Meghan’s Hand says:

    Kate hates Eugenie and Eugenie HATES Kate. Does anyone remember that gif of Eugenie pushing Kate out of the way during the Christmas church walk photo op? Kate’s staffers are feeling desperate and emboldened and have nothing to do so Eugenie’s name is in their mouth.

    As for Baldingham wanting to keep an eye on Prince Harry’s potential comings and goings at Windsor: he’s simply too lazy and too stupid to even suggest such this plan let alone go through all this rigamarole just for that. And the seat of power is in London. Period. Vacating KP is an awful idea for the future Prince of Wales but that shows us again how lazy and ignorant William is. He wants the freedom to trim rose bushes and hang with the yummy mummies and easy access to his kids.

    William is planning to divorce Kate after Charles ascends the throne. And the only measure of the Cambridge’s success as working royals will be stripped away.

  29. Ace says:

    I think this is still more obfuscation from KP in order to get a house for Keen, any house at this point. It certainly seems that they’ve been repeatedly denied any other option and Adelaide Cottage is the most realistic one, but maybe Betty and Chuck are still dragging their feet about it so putting Andrew as the other option gives them an edge in the public eye.

    Who better to get AC, entitled Andrew who nobody likes or the FFK&Q (except it’s just maybeFFQ)?

  30. aang says:

    Does William automatically become POW once The Queen dies? Or if not the title, does he immediately get the Duchy of Cornwall? If so wouldn’t he have more than enough money to get whatever house he wants? The Queen honestly seems to be on her last legs. Sounds harsh but can’t they just wait?

    • notasugarhere says:

      He automatically becomes Duke of Cornwall. Charles has to decide when (or if) to invest him as Prince of Wales. The Windsors do not own the Duchy of Cornwall. There is a board of trustees that oversees the expenditures and decides how money will be spent. William cannot take millions out of the Duchy and purchase any home he wants, because the Duchy will never belong to him personally. Charles had to get permission from them to have the Duchy purchase Highgrove House, and after that purchase, they sold the previous house the Duchy had purchased as Charles’s home.

      • aang says:

        I see. Thanks for the explanation. So would he control Highgrove then? Could he ask to sell it or rent it out in exchange for a different house? Or does it stay under the control of Charles?

      • Becks1 says:

        It would be under the control of the Duchy.

      • Jaded says:

        @aang – William, as Duke of Cornwall, would take over Highgrove and Prince Charles would have to pay him rent (estimated at £700K a year) if he decides he wants to continue living there. I doubt he’d want to part with that kind of cash and will likely move into Buck Palace when he becomes king. As for Clarence House, who knows who’ll end up there, I doubt the Cambridges want it and it will likely be turned into some kind of work and/or official entertaining location.

  31. Over it says:

    I thought last week that they were giving Amner back to the queen in exchange for some other property ? I can’t keep up with these people and the fact that they know nothing and their house of lies

  32. Jay says:

    What. A. Mess.

    But hey, maybe if they keep talking about it in the press, people may begin to wonder why the heck the monarch should get to give out “grace and favour” hundred year leases to these useless grifters in the first place, and if perhaps there are better uses for so many properties.

    Personally, I think this is a power struggle spilling out between William ( who wants a third house), Charles ( who has slightly better PR sense and wants his loser son to step up before demanding handouts) and perhaps BP ( heavily influenced by Andrew). Who knows if Eugenie even wants Adelaide cottage, it’s entirely possible that it’s just her dad trying gain leverage.

    But I think the main players here are Charles and his heir, and Charles putting his foot down on the Cambridge’s best laid plans.

    • Saucy&Sassy says:

      Jay, “But I think the main players here are Charles and his heir, and Charles putting his foot down on the Cambridge’s best laid plans.” ITA. No one knows if Eugenie would even want to live in Adelaide Cottage, so I think this is just the bm trying to frame all of this. I can’t imagine that Keenless would be happy in such a small home, or that she wouldn’t want to sink millions into a remodel. I thought that the three children could continue at Their current school? Is that correct? George doesn’t have to board at this time, they could put that off for a few years. I said before that they kept choosing properties that weren’t available, which indicated that they wanted a private residence. I still think that. Does anyone know if this “Cottage” is big enough for all of their staff and the family (minus W)? This is definitely a power struggle and if W ever thought that he and his dad were equal in power, I think he’s finding out differently. This is going to be really interesting going forward.

  33. Julia K says:

    One of the stumbling blocks here is that Kate ( and Wm) have never lived independently where they were employed and solely responsible for paying their bills. Thus, they have no idea of the value of money and how much it actually costs to maintain households, much less a total remodel as well as security if they live privately. Perhaps their demands regarding a relocation are not reasonable and Charles cannot reason with unreasonable people. I think they are land rich and cash poor, especially after the Andrew payout. The bottomless money well is drying up for W and K.

    • Sonia jarvis says:

      William and Harry both inherited about twenty million each from their late mother. William was About 16 at the time. That was invested for him and there would not have been much reasons for him to touch this money. He also inherited money from his great grandma, the Queen Mother. This money must have increased in value substantially, given their access to the best financial advisors.

  34. karkopolo says:

    This reads to me like it could be a Mama Middleton briefing.

    We get the story that the Cambridges are settling for Adelaide Cottage. We are all theorizing, of course, that this is to be Kate’s separation home. She wanted something much grander, because she’s Kate.

    Mama Middleton catches wind of this and doesn’t think it’s good enough, so she looks for reasons why Adelaide Cottage can’t be an option. She wants Kate in a royal residence, and she wants it to be grand.

  35. yellowy says:

    I imagine Kate’s real goal is a Cotswolds estate like Anne’s, where the outbuildings can be renovated into country cottages for Charlotte and Louis when they are are adults.

    That way when William inherits Highgrove and if they separate, she will have a country pile and play the yummy mummy in a Barbour and Hunter wellies.

  36. Canadian says:

    I am still not convinced this is about a separation. W & K just returned from a family ski vacation – I don’t see them doing that just for PR purposes. Would be quite easy for one to take the kids skiing for a few days without the press realizing they were not both there? Yes, we heard they were in Courcheval at a friend’s home but there were never any photos.

    • Kyliegirl says:

      Remember that Charles and Diana vacationed together with H&W until the separation was announced.

  37. JRenee says:

    Nothing to report on so someone is throwing stuff out there to see what sticks. The York daughters can’t possibly expect a gifted residence after all of this time…

    • notasugarhere says:

      They might not expect a gifted home, but for granny to lean on the Crown Estate to make something formerly unavailable for lease now suddenly available. Much as Frogmore Cottage was made available for Harry and Meghan to lease. They would have to pay millions up-front for the refurbishment and ongoing lease, it wouldn’t be paid by the taxpayers.

  38. NurseScientist says:

    Long time lurker. Just signed in to say Louis, the forgotten, is not two. Didn’t he just turn four???!!!
    “ their three young children – Prince George, eight, Princess Charlotte, seven and Prince Louis, two –”

  39. Julia K says:

    I think Anmer Hall is perfect for Kate and the children. Her parents could move in with her, thus freeing up the Buckleberry place to sell and returning the loan to William and pocketing the increased equity. . Kate gets her house, her parents get to move to Norfolk and keep some house sale money. James can borrow from the bank of mom and dad to start another business venture. Win win for the Middletons.

  40. Bibi says:

    I can’t believe I’m saying this, but Prince Andrew has done more to protect his children than Philip, Charles and William combined and I’m kinda happy he continues to be a thorn in the sides of the Future-Futures.

    As to Skull & Bones’ move to Windsor, I believe it’s not about the Queen AT ALL -because we all know Bulliam has zero altruism and TQ will leave for the afterlife soon- and more about forstalling the Sussexes from having or developing a stronghold over Windsor should they decide to spend time in the UK.
    It is to show Harry that William can continue to be a disruptive force in his life. Everything Clench and Mumbles do is in a bid to one-up H & M. Everything.

    • Beverley says:

      Skull & Bones? Clench and Mumbles?
      I’m hollerin over here! 🤣😁😂🤣😁😂

  41. Pat says:

    Isn’t Eugenie the Queen’s favorite companion for tea? I think she’s spent more time with the Q than the rest of her generation. If so, it would make sense for Liz to want Eugenie to be minutes away from her apartment.

  42. Andrea says:

    I wonder if this is a bid on Andrew’s part to try to maneuver Charles to keep Beatrice and Eugenie’s HRHs after the Queen dies. As king, Charles will be able to issue new letters patent depriving them of the style afaik. It wouldn’t surprise me if he issued ones saying only the children of the current and past monarch and grandchildren of the heir apparent are entitled to them–which would shut out Lili and Archie but in keeping with the slimmed down monarchy concept. I don’t think he’d strip his own siblings of their styles butbwho knows, he might!

  43. Lizzie says:

    This is a strange saga, no? For a year they’ve been saying they are moving to Windsor then nothing happens.
    Is Keen demanding a certain level of grandeur for her separation home in order to keep Bill’s secrets? Are Chuck and Liz hesitating to give them another home due to the publics lackluster feelings for them?
    I guess we will continue to gather clues to the truth.