Wales Residences: Kensington Palace, Adelaide Cottage & Anmer Hall

[muriel]

BP was last remodeled in 1948/49.

Apartment 1A was remodeled 1963 and we do not know if Margaret or Lord Snowdon had any addition upgrades.

Whist BP may have had the private apartments remodelled in 1948/49, lets not forget that for c63 years the very same occupants live there. I suspect the next major repairs to the private apartments there will bbe when C&C move in.

 

[Duc_et_Pair]

It was not "the roof" of Windsor Castle or "the roof" of Buckingham Palace. I can assure you the entire roof of both buildings wil cost millions. It were repairs to the roofs of both buildings.

The difference with both named residences and Kensington Palace is that the last one was alywas "the scrapheap of the royal family" and never a real royal residence. Many appartments have been empty for decades. Others were used as a pièd-à-terre and not as a permanent residence. That is a whole difference with the first two named residences which are full continue in use.

 

[Queen Camilla]

William may inherit all some or none of the Queen's property.

Highgrove has 4 family bedrooms.
Anmer has 10 family bedrooms.

Clarence House was renovated as offices/public rooms on 2 floors and family residences on 2 floors. It was the residence for 4 adults, later 5 adults.
KP Apt 1A was renovated as 4 floors for private family residence for 2 adults and 1 child.

Anmer Hall was occupied.
Apt 1A was occupied.

Clarence House was vacant.
Highgrove was for sale.

 

[Duc_et_Pair]

Oh yes , this I have noticed , Prince William is the only one who gets the privilege of picking any home he chooses anywhere he wants and at any time, he is coming off as spoilt atm . Not even charles was given this much freedom , hold on .....not even the queens own children were given so much leeway as william and kate get in regards to their homes and lifestyle.

Heu... the Queen has given all her children fantastic estates. Gatcombe Park (Anne), Royal Lodge (Andrew), Bagshot Park (Andrew) are really grand mansions.

 

[wyevale]

RE : Buckingham Palace -

I suspect the next major repairs to the private apartments there will be when C&C move in.

I hope Charles and Camilla will unertake a redecoration and refurbishment of the State and semi-state apartments too.. The wall hangings and curtains [in particular] look very 'tired' and the colours are badly faded [especially in the rooms on the West Front].They haven't been touched since 1952 !

 

[Duc_et_Pair]

From a ground floor plan of Clarence House which includes the rooms & the sizes of the rooms.

Clarence House is not large by royal standards.

There are 3 rooms that face the Mall: The Garden room, the Lancaster room and the Morning room plus the main hall. (The width of the building.)

There are 3 rooms on Stable Yard road: The Morning room, the Library and the Dining Room. (The length of the building.)

Multiple the length & the width.
Subtract the large "L" shaped open area in the center of the building.

See a plan from one of the floors (there is a souterrain, the main floor and three floors). It is really a pretty large city mansion.

Floor plan: http://fixr.wpmedia.s3.amazonaws.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2011/04/clarence-plan.jpg

Picture: http://sin.stb.s-msn.com/i/23/5F8376AE974CF774BC08BF0B09814.jpg

 

[Pranter]

Since none of us were there to inspect the condition of the apartment (and I doubt many here are electricians/plumbers etc) then we aren't going to know why and really...if it needed to be done then it needed to be done. I am sure there were private monies involved in the renovations as required.


LaRae

 

[Queen Camilla]

The Queen's children received country estates.

William is the Queen's grandson.

Peter Philips lives in a cottage on his mother's estate. He has 2 children.
Zara Philips lives in a cottage on her mother's estate. She has 1 child.

Princess Beatrice and her sister shared a flat in St. James' Palace which their father is said to pay the rent.

None of the Queen's adult grandchildren were given a London townhome and a country estates.

Infact none of the Queen children received both a London townhome and a country estate, except for the heir. William is not the heir and until he is the heir he need to live like his cousins.

If Peter & his wife along with 2 children can live in a cottage then William and his wife and 1 child can live in a cottage on his father's estate.

 

[muriel]

William may inherit all some or none of the Queen's property.

Highgrove has 4 family bedrooms.
Anmer has 10 family bedrooms.

Clarence House was renovated as offices/public rooms on 2 floors and family residences on 2 floors. It was the residence for 4 adults, later 5 adults.
KP Apt 1A was renovated as 4 floors for private family residence for 2 adults and 1 child.

Anmer Hall was occupied.
Apt 1A was occupied.

Clarence House was vacant.
Highgrove was for sale.

> So what if Anmer was occupied? The Queen terminated the lease nobn her property, as she desired.
> KP Apt 1A is still the same size as it was when Margaret lived there.
> Highgrove is quite a large property, and has had several additions to it. Also, how is the size of Highgrove relevant at all?

 

[Pranter]

The Queen has 1 grandchild who is the future heir. Of course he is going to need a different housing situation than the other grandchildren. That is not to say the Queen has not done things for the other ones, we are not privy to monies given or many other things.

None of the Queen's grandchildren are living in anything near middle class let alone poverty. This socialistic idea that everyone has to live the same is silly.


LaRae

 

[muriel]

William is not the heir and until he is the heir he need to live like his cousins.

Why? Who decides that? Do you? Do I? or does the Queen?

If Peter & his wife along with 2 children can live in a cottage then William and his wife and 1 child can live in a cottage on his father's estate.

Why should they? William is the direct heir, and future King, which none of his cousins are. Also, do you know what sized properties do Peter and Zara live in?

William is the Queen's grandson.

Peter Philips lives in a cottage on his mother's estate. He has 2 children.
Zara Philips lives in a cottage on her mother's estate. She has 1 child.

Princess Beatrice and her sister shared a flat in St. James' Palace which their father is said to pay the rent.

None of the Queen's adult grandchildren were given a London townhome and a country estates.

None of the Queen's grandchildren, other than William and Harry, carry out royal engagements. None of the other cousins are sons of the heir to the throne.

 

[Queen Camilla]

Duc et Pair,

Clarence House is still smaller than KP Apt 1A. The floor plan includes part of St. James' Palace.

What is labeled as carpenter's room is now the garden room. This is where Clarence House ends.

The grey shaded section below the carpenter's room was an open courtyard. Later floor plan shows this area was partially closed. Even with this additional space it is still smaller than KP Apt 1A.

 

[muriel]

Duc et Pair,

Clarence House is still smaller than KP Apt 1A. The floor plan includes part of St. James' Palace.

What is labeled as carpenter's room is now the garden room. This is where Clarence House ends.

The grey shaded section below the carpenter's room was an open courtyard. Later floor plan shows this area was partially closed. Even with this additional space it is still smaller than KP Apt 1A.

What is the point you are driving at?

 

[Queen Camilla]

William is going to need more than his cousin when/if he becomes the heir.

Until William is the heir and working full time there is no need for homes that are larger than the homes of the heir.

 

[Queen Camilla]

Muriel,
I was responding to Duc et Pair post.

 

[muriel]

Until William is the heir and working full time there is no need for homes that are larger than the homes of the heir.

Is that a statement of fact or a personal opinion?

 

[Queen Camilla]

I thought it would be logical that the heir (Charles) will have a larger residence than his son but if others do not think that is logical then they are more than welcome to see their own logic.

 

[wyevale]

William is not the heir and until he is the heir he need to live like his cousins.

Since when QueenCamilla were you Head of the House of Windsor ? HMQ makes these decisions in consultation with the PM and advisors of long standing and experience. I prefer to trust her decisions, rather than your rants...

 

[muriel]

I thought it would be logical that the heir (Charles) will have a larger residence than his son but if others do not think that is logical then they are more than welcome to see their own logic.

The RF do not occupy a modern purpose built condo complex where a specific hierarchy of square footage can be maintained. I have not researched the matter of square footage and have reservations about the veracity of the numbers you have put out, but that is besides the point entirely. As a Londoner, IMO, CH is certainly a more grand home (and one befitting the heir to the throne) than an apartment at KP - not just visually, but also in relation to its location and history.

 

[cinrit]

The charity used Apartment 1A and it held public events. If it was dangerous, then the public would not have been allowed into the building. The rewiring was for modern technology.

Apartment 1A was used for storage by a charity. I don't believe it was occupied, and public events were not held there.

 

[Queen Camilla]

Apt 1A is not an apartment. It is a townhome. It is one entire section of Kensington Palace.

If you disagree with my figures you are more than welcome to review floor plans and do you own measurements.. I not only gave the figures but how I arrived at the square footage. I also stated you can count the number of windows on Clarence House vs the number of windows on the section of Kensington Palace that is designated as Apt 1A.

 

[cepe]

As a member of the BRF you take what is available and appropriate. you also create a home. This is what Charles and Camilla have done. CH is their home and that would rate higher IMO than Square footage. I think he will find it hard to move to BP.

Posters on here see things in terms of hierarchy, I think the BRF are more practical. However, the exception appears to be planned maintenance hence having to spend large blocks of money in one go. It isnt so much about William and Catherine being the reason for the spend, its years of not doing anything ( and the same applies the HRP for not maintaining KP)

 

[Osipi]

I guess size does matter to some eh?

What it all boils down to is that its the Queen's prerogative to do as she wishes with the properties she has control of and say so over.

I really don't think they play "my dogs bigger than your dog" games when it comes to square footage of a room or a field or a slice of pizza. It would be infantile.

 

[cepe]

Since none of us were there to inspect the condition of the apartment (and I doubt many here are electricians/plumbers etc) then we aren't going to know why and really...if it needed to be done then it needed to be done. I am sure there were private monies involved in the renovations as required.


LaRae

I know quite a bit, hence my earlier post.

 

[Dman]

I don't understand this constant need to complain about the Cambridge's official residence. Kensington Palace is their official seat and office. Just like Clarence House is Charles & Camilla's official residence and office, Kensington palace serves the same purpose for William & Catherine.

William & Catherine aren't abandoning their new home but it was always expected that they would have a country home fit for their status as the future Prince & Princess of Wales and King & Queen. It's the Wessesx's that have the largest house out of all The Queen's children and grandchildren.

 

[Nice Nofret]

The office of William, Kathrine and Harry are also located at Apt 1. It also has part official rooms and parts for family use. A big part is also plane storage for outfits etc. And there are some spare rooms for additional use - very sensible.

They will live probably for the next decades to come in this place - they will move out only that day, that they have to move to BP.

In England for the upper class it is the norm to have one or more country-seats and a house / apptmt in town.

Now everything is ready for them to step up their royal duties, if required. Now they have the space and facilities to entertain as well private as well offical and do their stuff, while living in a secure enviroment. It doesn't matter in the long run, if they have some more years of relative privat lives, till they have to step up. But once you are a fulltime working royal, you do your job, till you drop.

 

[Dman]

The office of William, Kathrine and Harry are also located at Apt 1. It also has part official rooms and parts for family use. A big part is also plane storage for outfits etc. And there are some spare rooms for additional use - very sensible.

They will live probably for the next decades to come in this place - they will move out only that day, that they have to move to BP.

In England for the upper class it is the norm to have one or more country-seats and a house / apptmt in town.

Now everything is ready for them to step up their royal duties, if required. Now they have the space and facilities to entertain as well private as well offical and do their stuff, while living in a secure enviroment. It doesn't matter in the long run, if they have some more years of relative privat lives, till they have to step up. But once you are a fulltime working royal, you do your job, till you drop.

I do agree that everything is setup for them to take on more and entertain official and privately at Kensington Palace.

 

[Rudolph]

The roof at Windsor Castle is a ten project. Obviously the Royal Household knows its priories better than us.

The money being spent on BP and KP is ongoing. Apartment 1A is finished.

As I stated in my previous post, in 2013-2014, the Royal Household was under budget by £400,000. They could have used this money if needed but didn't

 

[Rudolph]

William is going to need more than his cousin when/if he becomes the heir.

Until William is the heir and working full time there is no need for homes that are larger than the homes of the heir.

Ahhhh.... maybe the BRF is plotting to put Camilla out to pasture. Is this what you're worried about?

The Duke of Cambridge is getting "more" than Camilla

 

[Mirabel]

When Charles and Diana married, it was said that they wanted Clarence House as their London residence after the Queen Mother died.
(But of course she lived forever!)

Their apt. at KP was supposed to be temporary.

(Anyway, Camilla probably wouldn't want to live in the same palace where Charles lived with Diana).