Wales Residences: Kensington Palace, Adelaide Cottage & Anmer Hall

[Zonk]

I think it was rather silly of the press to lump William & Catherine with the total restoration of Kensington Palace. We already knew that their own private residence would be renovated. The other parts of Kensington Palace have nothing to do with the Cambridge's renovations. They are two separated situations and I think lumping the two stories together is what got some people bent out of shape.

Its the Daily Mail, and IMO they got the reaction they were looking for as they were playing to their audience.

Why let the facts get in the way of a good story? Its all about shock value, inflammatory headlines and increasing the clicks on the story.

 

[Dman]

Duke and Duchess of Cambridge to keep Kensington Palace as official residence-
Prince William and Kate Middleton to stay in Kensington Palace until Will becomes King | Royal | News | Daily Express

 

[HRHHermione]

That's a bit of a poisonous article from Richard Palmer, who is usually very fair minded and often gives them very positive press.

I think the royal reporters are quite fed up with William and Kate's offices, because they often give conflicting information

 

[cepe]

decidedly snippy. I think te knives are out for William.

Health warning on all articles from here on in. All because te media are never taken into Williams confidence.

Interesting that he thinks te air ambulance job will befull time and they will live ar Anmer

 

[Elly C]

Yes I think you are right cepe. Several publications are giving both William and Kate some lousy press. The old adage of building them up to knock them down is beginning to show its ugly face.

 

[GrammaSueSue]

That's a bit of a poisonous article from Richard Palmer, who is usually very fair minded and often gives them very positive press.

I think the royal reporters are quite fed up with William and Kate's offices, because they often give conflicting information

I just got through telling someone that I could not understand Richard Palmer of all people. He is one of the positive reporters that I enjoy following. What is going on?

 

[HRHHermione]

Hmm- I do think if they do intend to make Anmer their base, it was a bit tone deaf of their aides to insist Kensington Palace would be their official base and main place of residence.

If the palace didn't anticipate this reaction in the press, they were foolish


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[Osipi]

No one ever makes a fuss over Charles residing at Clarence House yet also residing at Highgrove or Birkhall. It doesn't take rocket science for anyone to figure out which residence is nearest and dearest to Charles. (although it just might be a toss up between Highgrove and Birkhall)

Why can't it be the same with the Cambridges residing at KP 1A and Anmer Hall? I really don't see much to be different than what several of the main line of the Windsor family does. After a late night or business in the City, KP is a good official base to have and is close to many "official" places they may need to be and close with their staff. Anmer Hall is, from what I see, a private family home in the country.

 

[tommy100]

I wonder if the press are turning a little against William and Kate as when he left the RAF it seemed the couple were about to become close to becoming 'full time' royals as such which would mean more chance for the media to see them and report about them. Now instead they are going to 'hide away' in Norfolk.
To be fair, didn't Charles get stick from the media for the cost of renovating Clarence House after the Queen Mum died? I don' think this is anything new as such, its just that Anmer and the KP apartment are both being renovated at the same time so there is alot of expensive building work going on!
Interestingly the renovations of Clarence House cost £4.5million which (and lets take all the figures with a pinch of salt) when you compare with the work on the KP Apartment seems like quite good value for money IMO.

 

[AdmirerUS]

No one ever makes a fuss over Charles residing at Clarence House yet also residing at Highgrove or Birkhall. It doesn't take rocket science for anyone to figure out which residence is nearest and dearest to Charles. (although it just might be a toss up between Highgrove and Birkhall)

Why can't it be the same with the Cambridges residing at KP 1A and Anmer Hall? I really don't see much to be different than what several of the main line of the Windsor family does. After a late night or business in the City, KP is a good official base to have and is close to many "official" places they may need to be and close with their staff. Anmer Hall is, from what I see, a private family home in the country.

Ah Osipi, you are using logic, rather than vitriol.
What a prefect, old-fashioned word vitriol is, no?

 

[Isabella]

That's a bit of a poisonous article from Richard Palmer, who is usually very fair minded and often gives them very positive press.

I think the royal reporters are quite fed up with William and Kate's offices, because they often give conflicting information

Richard Palmer (like many royal reporters) does get tend to get a bit of a bee in his bonnet every once in a while and will blow a minor story out of proportion because, as you said, the reporters get a bit frustrated with the information they're getting from the royal offices. (Though I'm not sure that this is this is the best way to get information from them in the future!

Has been a bit frustrating, because I see the information from the British articles getting carried over into the US media as well (earlier today I was reading an article about the KP renovations and the accompanying photo was an aerial view of the entire KP complex - which I know will only lead people to believe that William and Kate are occupying the entire place.)

 

[Osipi]

Ah Osipi, you are using logic, rather than vitriol.
What a prefect, old-fashioned word vitriol is, no?

Oh I definitely think so. Maybe we can start a trend and get folks to "vitriol" on folks. Vitriol is the new hate. How much more pleasant that word is to the ear than hate eh?

But seriously, this is all boiling down to money and spending. They can't complain about what's spent on Anmer Hall as its none of their business really as its the Queen's own private property. Work at KP 1A is to preserve a historic building in the hopes that it will endure in the centuries to come and long after Wills and Kate are figures in history books. They tend to skip over the part where it states that whatever goes into the apartment to reflect the Cambridges tastes and such are being financed by themselves. 30 years from now, 1A may be turned over to George and his family and they may renovate the appearance to fit their taste. The apartment though would still be standing firm for them to renovate though.

 

[Dman]

I think it was always expected that William & Catherine would have a London base residence and a country house for the weekends. I think some of the veteran royal reporters and correspondents understand that the cost for the Cambridge's apartment is being met by them and not the taxpayer.

I think the frustration is coming in on the fact that it appeared that William & Catherine was going to focus on "transitioning" over to royal duties, more charitable causes and big conservation work. Of course it was made clear that William is looking to a new career but not something that would cause them to now move again from their official residence and to their country house and then take on a job that would probably cause them to reduce (it's already little as is) their official duties. If it's true ( we still don't know) that William will go and work with the Air Ambulance, it may cause them to neglect some of their official work and that's not going to go down well. It was already hard for them to find time and focus on their royal duties when they were a military family.

It's about balance and they can't be seen retreating from their official lives again. A lot really don't seem clear and I think that's getting the press's underwear in a bunch. I'm hoping that an official announcement will clear some things up and show a better balance than before.

 

[Osipi]

I think it was always expected that William & Catherine would have a London base residence and a country house for the weekends. I think some of the veteran royal reporters and correspondents understand that the cost for the Cambridge's apartment is being met by them and not the taxpayer.

I think the frustration is coming in on the fact that it appeared that William & Catherine was going to focus on "transitioning" over to royal duties, more charitable causes and big conservation work. Of course it was made clear that William is looking to a new career but not something that would cause them to now move again from their official residence and to their country house and then take on a job that would probably cause them to reduce (it's already little as is) their official duties. If it's true ( we still don't know) that William will go and work with the Air Ambulance, it may cause them to neglect some of their official work and that's not going to go down well. It was already hard for them to find time and focus on their royal duties when they were a military family.

It's about balance and they can't be seen retreating from their official lives again. A lot really don't seem clear and I think that's getting the press's underwear in a bunch. I'm hoping that an official announcement will clear some things up and show a better balance than before.

The statement of William going to work for the air ambulance service does seem to imply that it would be a full time job and even listed the pay scale the pilots receive. If one checks the EAAA's website, it can be noted that there are also volunteers who give of their time to this charity. To me, it wouldn't be hard to fathom that with William working as a volunteer for EAAA, it wouldn't necessarily cut into any of his other royal commitments and give him satisfaction of serving his community as well as being able to still fly.

My hubby worked both as a professional medical transport EMT and a volunteer EMT for our local volunteer fire and rescue department. If he was available when a call came through for the local squad, he'd respond. It never interfered with his "work" EMT duties. Its very possible that this is how William will work his service with the EAAA. We just don't know yet but it is a possibility. In this respect, he would be serving the people of his own community where he resides.

 

[Eden]

All the royals have received a residence, remember the furore with Andrew and Sarah! The press always like to make noises about spending even when it's not public money. These are old buildings and old requires modernising plumbing, electrical and other structural issues. It will blow over and is so not important.

 

[AfricanAUSSIE]

Duke and Duchess of Cambridge to keep Kensington Palace as official residence-
Prince William and Kate Middleton to stay in Kensington Palace until Will becomes King | Royal | News | Daily Express

He may be frustrated at the lack of information or conflict of information but to me he seems to be arguing value for money.

Weren't they all planning and budgeted for a couple to enter full-time royal work? And now it looks like it is not going to happen.

Think of all the people that were depending on this and invested on it. They must be seriously aggravated by William's decision and now the fur is flying.

 

[angieuk]

Bill for Kensington palace renovation rockets to add room for cosy suppers | Mail Online

Judging by the Daily Mail comments, Kate is getting all the blame for this??

 

[Dman]

The articles on their apartment renovations are purposely directed towards Catherine so she can get the criticism.

 

[Roslyn]

The articles on their apartment renovations are purposely directed towards Catherine so she can get the criticism.

Either that or it's just darn sexist, based on the assumption that anything to do with the home, especially the kitchen, is the province of the little woman, and thus all decisions relating to it can be blamed on her. Whichever, I have noticed this tendency to blame Kate for this stuff when I suspect that she is not the one calling the shots.

Though 350 sq ft is not a huge kitchen on the scale of a large hotel, I imagine it would still be designed as a commercial kitchen, with large appliances to cater for big dinner parties. I am not familiar with the layout of the place but it's possible that the main kitchen is close to the big dining room and not the family quarters. I don't think it's unreasonable for a small family to want the convenience of a family scale kitchen where they can prepare family meals for each other, and in close proximity to their family living area. Such a kitchen need not be very expensive and I suspect William might be able to manage it out of the interest on his inheritance rather than having to put his hand out to his father for the readies. After all, it was his father who provided William with his substantial inheritance via his divorce settlement on Diana. I think he's contributed enough and I think it would be a bit rude for William to ask for more money for him and his wife to have an extra kitchen to suit their own convenience.

 

[Osipi]

Actually I liked hearing that they're putting in a family kitchen. I may be way off base but my thoughts are that growing up in the Middleton household, the kitchen as the "hub" of family life as it is in families around the world. Perhaps William and Kate want their children to have the same home experience. IIRC, with Diana's apartment, there was a formal dining room and downstairs there was a extensive kitchen and she employed a full time chef. I would imagine that with a family kitchen, they'd have a kitchen dining area and they would do their own cooking and even Lupo under the table waiting for scraps. It also indicates to me that they won't be employing a full time cook too.

 

[Jacknch]

Personally, I don't care how much is spent refurbishing Kensington Palace, but I do think it only polite to at least show the tax payer what the money is being spent on - I wanna see the new kitchen and get inspiration!!

 

[Osipi]

Personally, I don't care how much is spent refurbishing Kensington Palace, but I do think it only polite to at least show the tax payer what the money is being spent on - I wanna see the new kitchen and get inspiration!!

I don't see that happening. From what I gather, the taxpayer is paying for structural renovation/repair, removal of asbestos and such. Anything that goes into the kitchen will be paid for by Will and Kate and that would include the tiling, appliances and the like. From what I've read somewhere I can't remember right now, it was stated that people would be surprise at how not lavish and comfortable the interior is.

Chances are this family kitchen could even be bigger than most of my home area as I live in a tiny cabin in the woods so no inspiration for me there.

 

[MarNoe]

...a tiny cabin in the woods... sigh... color me green...

 

[TortillaChips]

...a tiny cabin in the woods... sigh... color me green...

Sigh, seconded

 

[Dman]

This is a house of a future King and Queen.

 

[Osipi]

This is a house of a future King and Queen.

True that William will one day be King but it doesn't mean that he has to live a lifestyle of overabundance and luxury and being pampered ala Henry VIII or some of the other royals of days gone by. Just because his apartment is in a palace doesn't mean that the surroundings are palatial, ornate and filled with priceless heirlooms and the works of the Great Masters. That's Buckingham Palace. I can very much picture the Cambridges making popcorn and having a family game night like millions of families around the world would.

Just because there's been an expenditure of 4.5 million (which I understand is for the structure and asbestos etc), it doesn't necessarily mean that they're extravagant, have people at their beck and call 24/7 and turn their noses up at simple meals. How much the Cambridges are spending on their personal choices is not being made public that I know of.

 

[HighnessN]

I actually think that by only stating the amount and cost of selected things e.g the infamous 2nd kitchen(which they are paying for), most of the newspapers are making it seem like the 4 mil was spent on some lavish refurbishment of the apartment. According to an Guardian article, this is the cost "breakdown" :

"Taxpayers have footed the £4m structural repair bill for the four-storey apartment, which used to be the home of Princess Margaret and was later used as offices.

It was last refurbished in 1963 and needed to be virtually gutted before it could be made habitable.

Removing asbestos from the Sir Christopher Wren-designed building cost £500,000, while renewal of the roof cost a further £400,000.

The bill for rewiring, plumbing and other structural work was £1m, and the remaining £2m went on replacing floorboards, and repairing walls in the 22-room apartment, which will accommodate William, Kate and their baby son George."

It's clear that it was more the building itself than any lavish interior designs that the money was spent on. And all this was first approved by the Queen.

 

[Dman]

I think most people know that William & Catherine probably aren't living a lifestyle that's full of luxury but most likely living a more simple life. I'm just saying that Kensington Palace is their official residence and will be even when they're the Prince & Princess of Wales. If they want a bit of luxury in their home, so be it.

 

[TLLK]

...According to an Guardian article, this is the cost "breakdown"...

Thank you for sharing the information. I am not surprised that so much work needed to be done to replace and repair with this historic building once the walls, floors and ceilings were opened. Then work would have to meet current building codes.

 

[Jacknch]

Over the last few days, I have developed a bee in my bonnet that no doubt will fly away after stinging me. It has struck me that William and Catherine's position as members of a royal family are the equivalent of the positions that are held by Ingrid Alexandra of Norway and Christian of Denmark. Obviously the difference is that William and Catherine are a lot older and have a small child. As such, they do need their own homes in London and in the country - I have no problem with that, although it is going to be an awfully long time before their positions are elevated to such a status that would warrant a major change in lifestyle and everything necessary associated with that.
Accordingly, I do hope that the refurbishment and redecoration of the palace will be of the highest quality and will last a long time.