Future Home for Prince Harry


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There is not a pressing need for Harry to move from Nott Cottage to a larger place right now. Not until he has a child on the way would he need a larger space.

What is the size of Nottingham Cottage (sq ft)?

I love the idea of a smaller living space as a single/newlywed. Did William and Catherine live there briefly - or am I imagining that?

I have four kids, and we maintain a good-sized and busy home. My dream is to move to a small home/cottage on the water in my older years! :)
 
I think a lot hinges on this 10 year renovation project starting in April. In 10 years, Charles will be 78 and Camilla even older. Who knows what will happen between now and then. Charles may opt out to stay at Clarence House at least until the renovations are completed and maybe even after that decide to remain.

I can't help but wonder if the move to finally start working on Buck House might not have been timed strategically so as to (a) give the Queen an out to finally leave the one royal residence she never really wanted to live in and (b) improve Charles' chances of being able to stay at Clarence House with a minimum of uproar, by making sure that when it's done he's entered the phase of life where he might be able to beg off as being "too old to move."

Not that it would be a foolproof plan if that were the goal.
 
The Gloucesters have a 21 room apartment at KP. It's said they offered to move when William and Kate became engaged and were looking around for properties, according to Camilla Tominey, and would probably do the same for Harry. The Gloucesters have two places of their own in the country. If their KP flat was renovated that could be a possibility.
 
Camilla Tominey also claimed Eugenie was getting engaged in 2016... I can't see the Gloucesters leaving their rent free apartment, where they've lived since 1972.

If the Queen lives for another 10 years, and Harry marries and starts a family in that time frame then I can see these possibilities.

1. Harry and family keep Nott Cott as their London base, but Charles buys them a large country home as their primary residence.

2. If The Duke and Duchess of Kent predecease Harry becoming a father, then Harry and family move into Wren House.

3. Somewhere else at KP is found, either Diana's old apartment or apartment 4b. Something of that ilk.
 
If Harry and his wife have two children or more of different sexes Nott Cott will be extremely squashy for the family (and nanny) as a London residence. If the Gloucesters moved out their old apartment would make an ideal home. If they offered to do so in 2010 they can't be that attached to it. Wren House is fairly large and is another possibility.
 
If Harry and his wife have two children or more of different sexes Nott Cott will be extremely squashy for the family (and nanny) as a London residence. If the Gloucesters moved out their old apartment would make an ideal home. If they offered to do so in 2010 they can't be that attached to it. Wren House is fairly large and is another possibility.

Um, you missed the part where I said the country house would be their primary residence. The kids wouldn't be living at Nott Cott, it would only be a stopover home for Harry and wife when they were working late in the city and didn't want to commute back to their main home. Very similar to how Anne, Andrew, and Edward have a small suite of rooms at BP, but they and their families live in the country.

I don't believe the Gloucesters ever offered to leave, that was my other point, I don't rate tabloid sources as credible.
 
My guess is that Harry's primary residence will be a Windsor home or a large home near London but not in London. I don't think that Harry is a dyed-in-the-wool city boy and therefore I don't see him using his "housing allowance" for a big home in London rather he will be based on a large property near London that will allow him to easily participate in his sporty interests.
 
I have no idea what he has done with his money - and it is his business.

He may have spent it all on parties and holidays or may have invested it wisely. He does go to a lot of parties and holidays and someone has to pay.

I did say 'assuming he hasn't spent it all' - not that he had spent it.

Yes he should pay for his own home.

The Queen bought Anne's home. Edward's and Andrew's are leased - Edward's on an annual basis I believe and the lease is being paid by The Queen (no idea what will happen when she dies - will Charles continue to pay it or will Edward have to leave???). Andrew had enough money to pay a 75 year lease up front and so has about 65 years to run on that property.

By the way to quote someone simply press 'quote' at the bottom of the post and remove anything you don't want - it makes it clearer that you are quoting someone.
The Queen also bought Andrew that monstrosity he and Sarah had built - dubbed South Fork which was recently torn down by the new owner. So the Queen tried to set Andrew up as she had Anne & he did pocket the $13 million or so from its' sale. Andrew's 75 year lease for Royal Lodge at Windsor was arranged after he vacated the property the Queen originally gifted him. So there's precedent for the monarch to gift their children real property.
Edward seems to be the child who received the least, a 50 year lease on Bagshot.
In regards to Harry's finances, I'd submit that he has not traveled to as many exotic locales for weddings & vacations as his cousin Beatrice has in the last couple of years and like her he has his trust from the Queen mother. He also has the money he inherited from his mother. The income from his investments more than likely adequately covers his private activities w/out any need to dip into his capital. He may opt to acquire real estate, or he may opt to inhabit whatever residences the family offer him.
When William and Catherine were considering apartments at KP they supposedly looked at Princess Diana's place and at Princess Margaret's and chose the latter, so I assume the former could be made available for Harry. There are 3 sets of elderly Royal cousins w/ KP apartments/homes that will become available at some point in the future - the Michaels, Kents and Gloucesters, although perhaps not soon enough to fit Harry's needs
 
I don't believe the Gloucesters ever offered to leave, that was my other point, I don't rate tabloid sources as credible.



Of course they wouldn't leave, where else could they find a place in central London for the peppercorn rent they pay?


Lucky for the Gloucesters and the Kents that the Queen intends to honor her pledge to allow them living quarters at KP.
 
The Queen also bought Andrew that monstrosity he and Sarah had built - dubbed South Fork which was recently torn down by the new owner. So the Queen tried to set Andrew up as she had Anne & he did pocket the $13 million or so from its' sale. Andrew's 75 year lease for Royal Lodge at Windsor was arranged after he vacated the property the Queen originally gifted him. So there's precedent for the monarch to gift their children real property.
Edward seems to be the child who received the least, a 50 year lease on Bagshot.
In regards to Harry's finances, I'd submit that he has not traveled to as many exotic locales for weddings & vacations as his cousin Beatrice has in the last couple of years and like her he has his trust from the Queen mother. He also has the money he inherited from his mother. The income from his investments more than likely adequately covers his private activities w/out any need to dip into his capital. He may opt to acquire real estate, or he may opt to inhabit whatever residences the family offer him.
When William and Catherine were considering apartments at KP they supposedly looked at Princess Diana's place and at Princess Margaret's and chose the latter, so I assume the former could be made available for Harry. There are 3 sets of elderly Royal cousins w/ KP apartments/homes that will become available at some point in the future - the Michaels, Kents and Gloucesters, although perhaps not soon enough to fit Harry's needs

The Michaels and Gloucesters aren't that old. The Duchess of Gloucester is only one year older than Camilla, and Richard is only two years older than his wife. Richard's mom lived longer than the Queen Mother, if he inherited his mother's longevity the Gloucesters will be at KP for another 30 years.

Of course they wouldn't leave, where else could they find a place in central London for the peppercorn rent they pay?


Lucky for the Gloucesters and the Kents that the Queen intends to honor her pledge to allow them living quarters at KP.

I don't believe they pay any rent. It's in exchange for the engagements they undertake. It's the Michaels that used to pay peppercorn rent, until the media pressured them to pay much more.
 
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The Michaels and Gloucesters aren't that old. The Duchess of Gloucester is only one year older than Camilla, and Richard is only two years older than his wife. Richard's mom lived longer than the Queen Mother, if he inherited his mother's longevity the Gloucesters will be at KP for another 30 years.
...

I didn't mean 'elderly' as in the Queen& Phillip elderly, heck I'm younger than all of them & call myself old when it suits me :)
The Windsor longevity is part of the reason I don't see any of those apartments/Wren house being available soon enough for Harry. Perhaps for George & Charlotte when the time comes.
 
I didn't mean 'elderly' as in the Queen& Phillip elderly, heck I'm younger than all of them & call myself old when it suits me :)
The Windsor longevity is part of the reason I don't see any of those apartments/Wren house being available soon enough for Harry. Perhaps for George & Charlotte when the time comes.

The Wren House could be a possibility, not to be too morbid. The Kents are both in their 80s and both have had health problems. While I would prefer both become centenarians, I think there is a very real possibility that Wren could be free within 5 years.

But we don't know Harry's timetable. He could get married next year or he might not marry for another decade. The Cambridges lived at Nott for the first 2.5 years of their marriage, and Harry could probably do the same. And like other posters suggested, Harry may very well opt for a home in the counties instead of a grand London home. So all this hand wringing over KP could be for naught. :lol:
 
The Queen also bought Andrew that monstrosity he and Sarah had built - dubbed South Fork which was recently torn down by the new owner. So the Queen tried to set Andrew up as she had Anne & he did pocket the $13 million or so from its' sale. Andrew's 75 year lease for Royal Lodge at Windsor was arranged after he vacated the property the Queen originally gifted him. So there's precedent for the monarch to gift their children real property.

Yes, but that example also highlights that there's potentially also precedent for such gift to have been regretted later on.

That said, I get the impression that in the specifics of how real estate is handled, beyond the big issues of Sandringham and official royal residences, tradition and precedent is probably a bigger deal to royal watchers than it is to members of the firm. They mostly want to (a) have nice places to live and (b) see their children happy while (c) be mindful of their public image. And the details of how to best check off all three of those boxes shift with each generation.
 
Yes, but that example also highlights that there's potentially also precedent for such gift to have been regretted later on.

What runs through my mind, too. :ermm: What a waste that was. I always wonder why it happened. Why should a new house like that be effectively abandoned by Andrew and Sarah? Have never understood that whole sequence.
 
It was abandoned when Andrew was given Royal Lodge, which was the Queen Mother's Windsor home. When she died she wanted it to go to Andrew and so he then had no need for two homes so close together and then moved out of his marital home and sold it. He then used that money to pay for the necessary renovations at Royal Lodge although the sale happened after the renovations the money was still going to be coming so he knew what he could do.
 
It was abandoned when Andrew was given Royal Lodge, which was the Queen Mother's Windsor home. When she died she wanted it to go to Andrew and so he then had no need for two homes so close together and then moved out of his marital home and sold it. He then used that money to pay for the necessary renovations at Royal Lodge although the sale happened after the renovations the money was still going to be coming so he knew what he could do.

Thank you, Iluvbertie. :flowers: Makes sense now. Thank you.
 
Camilla Tominey also claimed Eugenie was getting engaged in 2016... I can't see the Gloucesters leaving their rent free apartment, where they've lived since 1972.

If the Queen lives for another 10 years, and Harry marries and starts a family in that time frame then I can see these possibilities.

1. Harry and family keep Nott Cott as their London base, but Charles buys them a large country home as their primary residence.

2. If The Duke and Duchess of Kent predecease Harry becoming a father, then Harry and family move into Wren House.

3. Somewhere else at KP is found, either Diana's old apartment or apartment 4b. Something of that ilk.

I agree with what you said. I have to go with option 3 and 4.
 
There isn't an option 4 listed. And, considering Harry's love for Africa and for Meghan, he may buy a home in South Africa and/or in a gated community in California in the future for his leisure times.
 
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There isn't an option 4 listed. And, considering Harry's love for Africa and for Meghan, he may buy a home in South Africa and/or in a gated community in California in the future.
I think thats a fantasy that may not come to life.
 
We don't know what Harry's future plans are. Nobody knows. What is almost certain is that he will have a London apartment and a country home, probably on one of the Royal estates. Anything extra is in the lap of the gods. If he marries an American wife she may wish, for security or other reasons, to have a holiday home in the States, and one that's quiet and unable to be accessed by British paps.
 
Harry may very well opt for Princess Alexandra's flat in St. James's Palace, if it becomes available in the next few years. (I don't mean to sound morbid!)

Apparently the security is easy there and her rooms are lovely.
 
Are there any photos of this apartment or reports on its size?
 
The main complaint I have heard about St James' is that it isn't really suitable for raising children.

All those who have apartments there don't have it as their 'home' but more as their working apartment (or they are single like Beatrice and Eugenie who share a place there).
 
Are there any photos of this apartment or reports on its size?

Brian Hoey's book "Not in Front of the Corgis" implied that it was very grand and being considered for Prince William and Kate a few years ago but both Princess Alexandra and her brother The Duke of Kent pushed back and Alexandra got to remain there.

The flat is off Engine Court.
 
I've thought ever since Diana's apartment was taken back over by William and Harry as office space that it was to make sure it would be available to Harry in the future. I continue to think that's the most likely London home for him once married- his office is there, and I imagine being close to his brother would be a nice bonus incentive.
 
The main complaint I have heard about St James' is that it isn't really suitable for raising children.

I'm sure its suitable, if the children go out to Gloucestershire or Windsor on the weekend.

It's St. James's Palace, not an adults-only venue.
 
It is very much a concrete and stone structure. The gardens seen most often around it are those in Clarence House or the gardens that are open to the public. It isn't a palace like BP with large gardens or KP with the structure they have either. It is a central London stone and concrete structure - more suitable to the 1600s than to the 2000s for raising children and security isn't as tight there as elsewhere in many ways.

It is also largely government offices these days with a few apartments and many grace and favour places for retired senior civil servants.

The royals that do 'live' there - other than Beatrice and Eugenie usually stay for a night or two and return to the country most of the time. It is largely their offices and not really a 'home' as such.

In many ways it is an 'adults-only' venue as it wasn't designed for raising children in the 21st century.
 
The building needs repair. The Gloucesters are in residence there now. What hat did the Express pull out this rabbit of a story that connects Harry to this apartment. If the Gloucesters live there now, when did Harry "use" the apartment as stated in the headlines?

Next up. All the BP renovations are to be hurried up and completed or even put on hold as soon as possible because Harry and his bride want to be on the balcony. Makes about as much sense as this story does. :bang:
 
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