Two years ago exactly, Rose Hanbury’s name was flying around the gossip blogs and royal social media. That’s because the Princess of Wales was missing, and suddenly everyone remembered those years-old rumors about Prince William and his Norfolk neighbor Rose Hanbury, aka the Marchioness of Cholmondeley. Since then, Rose has made an effort to go back underground, or at least not be featured so heavily in stories about the Wales marriage. But Rose is still around, and she has a new scheme to bring in money for her husband’s grand Norfolk estate: Rose and her husband are building a “nature-focused retreat” on their property.

Prince William and Kate Middleton’s neighbours have received planning permission to build a stunning woodland spa next door to the Prince and Princess of Wales’ home in Norfolk. The Houghton Estate, which borders Will and Kate’s Anmer Hall in Sandringham, is the stately home of the Marquess and Marchioness of Cholmondeley – David Cholmondeley and his wife Rose Hanbury.

The couple have been given the green light by King’s Lynn and West Norfolk Council to build a ‘nature focused retreat’ on their land which will include saunas, outdoor plunge pools and copper baths.

Rose and David are known to be good friends with their royal neighbours, with Kate having been previously pictured at a garden party held on their 1,000 acre Houghton Hall Estate. Rose Hanbury, 42, is a former model who also previously worked for the former Tory MP Michael Gove. Her husband David Cholmondeley, 65, became Marquess of Cholmondeley in March 1990 on the death of his father. He is a direct descendant of England’s first prime minister, Robert Walpole. They married in 2009 and have three children together – twin boys Alexander, Earl of Rocksavage, and Lord Oliver Cholmondeley and a younger daughter, Lady Iris, seven.

The Wyld Cabins, which will be just one-and-a-half miles from Kate and William’s country home, will feature 45 tranquil timber cabins nestled in the woods, where guests can escape the bustle of everyday life. They will also have panoramic woodland views, private outdoor bathing areas with copper bath tubs, woodburning stoves and blackout blinds, to allow guests to switch off and relax. The 50 acres site will also include three special wellness pods offering contrast therapy, hot saunas inside as well as icy outdoor plunge pools and hot water pools on the decking. This experience claims it will offer guests the chance to ‘unwind, digitally detox, and reconnect with nature.’

The planning statement says: ‘Guests are encouraged to experience their natural environment, to slow down, relax, absorb and enjoy the surrounding tranquility.’

The Marquess and Marchioness of Cholmondeley are known to host lavish parties on the estate including a music festival known as Houghton Festival. Billed as Britain’s only 24-hour music festival, it is the brainchild of DJ Craig Richards, who launched the event in 2017.

[From The Daily Mail]

I don’t think I ever realized just how close the Houghton estate is to Sandringham. The two estates are adjacent? That’s interesting. Anmer Hall is less than two miles away from Houghton Hall? Damn, William is not a hunter, is he? He was allegedly falling d–k first into rose bushes less than two miles away from his country home. As for the Cholmondeleys’ latest money-making scheme… it costs a lot to operate those grand estates, and from everything I’ve seen, the lady of Houghton Hall is quite smart about getting tourists over there. Not just the festival, but they’re always hosting artists and displaying huge works of “public” art as well. In some ways, I wonder if the alleged-affair story hasn’t helped the Cholmondeleys’ fortunes and made people more interested in the Houghton Estate.

Photos courtesy of Avalon Red, Cover Images.