Kensington Palace

[magnik]

Probably you know it:

Welcome to Kensington Palace

Flickr: Search

Category:Kensington Palace - Wikimedia Commons

[muriel]

Originally Posted by Stefan

Don't think so. I heard it's the Intention of the Government and the Queen to make the entire KP a Museum in the not to distant future. Probably these is also the reason the Appartement of Princess Margaret and Princess Diana are now vacant.

A few years ago I had also read of the plan to eventually vacate KP, and for it to be "returned" to the government. However, I was a little surprised when I had read that Prince Michael of Kent ws now going to pay an increased rent on their flat at KP - indicating that it was likely to be used as a royal residence for longer..... or at least until the current generation of Kents and Gloucesters are alive.

[muriel]

Originally Posted by Jo of Palatine

I think that the apartment Charles and Diana took over after their marriage was just a temporary solution - surely they thought they would take over Clarence House once Queen Mum was not longer alive. Who would have thought that Queen Mum would live so long? Odds were against it, IMHO. That's why they took these rather dark rooms to the north side of KP, IMHO.

I guess a similarly "temperory" arrangement could be made for Prince William and his wife when the time comes. His grand mother is already in her 80s, so in the medium term, there is a prospect of a place of residence on the Mall coming up.

[CasiraghiTrio]

^ What about Marlborough House? Is that used for something? It is a huge palace and therefore could likely accommodate Will's marital household. And it is in walking distance of St James and BP. The location is convenient and he and his wife wouldn't have to be tossed into the KP ghetto.

[CasiraghiTrio]

Originally Posted by magnik

Probably you know it:

Welcome to Kensington Palace

Flickr: Search

Category:Kensington Palace - Wikimedia Commons

I like the first link (above) a lot.

Some more:
Kensington Palace - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

The Royal Residences > Kensington Palace

Kensington Palace

These people wrote about their visit and have pictures on their blog:
Andrew and Debbie: Kensington Palace

Has anyone eaten at the Orangery Cafe? IT seems very nice.

[MAfan]

Marlborough House was donated by Queen Elizabeth II to the Commonwealth Secretariat in 1953, so I don't think the House will be soon free for William...

[kimebear]

Originally Posted by CasiraghiTrio

Has anyone eaten at the Orangery Cafe? IT seems very nice.

Yes. It is quite lovely. A nice respite after touring KP.

[muriel]

Originally Posted by CasiraghiTrio

^ What about Marlborough House? Is that used for something? It is a huge palace and therefore could likely accommodate Will's marital household. And it is in walking distance of St James and BP. The location is convenient and he and his wife wouldn't have to be tossed into the KP ghetto.

It was donated by the Queen for use as the Commowealth Secretariat after the death of Queen Mary - so highly unlikely that it is going to be used as a royal residence in a hurry

[Harold]

Why is the government keen on closing KP as a residential palace?

[muriel]

Originally Posted by Harold

Why is the government keen on closing KP as a residential palace?

I am not sure the initiative came from the government, but probably from BP - consistent with the theme of a slimmed down monarchy, with fewer overheads

[Skydragon]

This is probably in the wrong place but -

Britain's most senior Army officer is living in Princess Diana’s former apartment at Kensington Palace at the expense of the taxpayer.

Army chief is given keys to Diana's old London home - and taxpayers picks up the tab | Mail Online

I thought we had it on here that her old apartments were being used as offices for Charles charity work.

[CasiraghiTrio]

Maybe the part for Charles's charitable work use are their marital home, numbers 8 & 9, and this Army CoS is at number 7? I know number 7 is a lot smaller than the one Diana lived in before the last few years of her life. Sometime in 1995, or 1994, she moved into number 7.

This Army Cos living there ties in with what muriel said about the royal family not using it so much in future.

[Skydragon]

Originally Posted by CasiraghiTrio

Maybe the part for Charles's charitable work use are their marital home, numbers 8 & 9, and this Army CoS is at number 7? I know number 7 is a lot smaller than the one Diana lived in before the last few years of her life. Sometime in 1995, or 1994, she moved into number 7.

Thanks CasiraghiTrio, that would explain it.

[sirhon11234]

Originally Posted by CasiraghiTrio

Maybe the part for Charles's charitable work use are their marital home, numbers 8 & 9, and this Army CoS is at number 7? I know number 7 is a lot smaller than the one Diana lived in before the last few years of her life. Sometime in 1995, or 1994, she moved into number 7.

This Army Cos living there ties in with what muriel said about the royal family not using it so much in future.

The Princess moved from apartments 8 and 9? I thought it was part of the divorce settlement that she would retain the apartments. CasiraghiTrio do you have an article or other source that says she moved to 7? :)

[CasiraghiTrio]

Originally Posted by sirhon11234

The Princess moved from apartments 8 and 9? I thought it was part of the divorce settlement that she would retain the apartments. CasiraghiTrio do you have an article or other source that says she moved to 7? :)

More than one....

Source: The New York Times, 29 August 1996, byline: Sarah Lyall

In a letter signed by Eric Golding, administrator for the couple's settlement, some 40 of the Princess's favorite stores were instructed to begin sending their bills to Diana, not to Charles.
''With effect from 2 September 1996, any expenditure incurred by or on behalf of Her Royal Highness the Princess of Wales, on or after that date should be invoiced directly to the Princess of Wales's Office, Apartment 7, Kensington Palace, London,'' said the letter, dated Aug. 21 (hence the use of Diana's old title).

Another Source: Diana: Her New Life, by Andrew Morton

Other sources testify that Diana vacated the marital home in the mid-90s for a smaller apt in KP though they don't mention any apartment numbers. This always made sense to me, as Diana didn't need so large a house as a single woman with a significantly cut staff.

Also, check the transcripts from the Inquest hearings. It was mentioned a few times that her apartment was no. 7

[muriel]

My sense is that Diana's offices may have been at 7 KP. I would be very surpised that Diana would have moved to a 2 bed flat at KP, despite the changed circumstances after the break up of her marriage. The boys woujld still hav spent time with her, and since KP was her only home, I would be surprised if she would agree to living in a 2 bed flat.

[Menarue]

Is Kensington Palace very big?

[CasiraghiTrio]

Well, I don't want to do battle over it. For my part, not trying to convince anyone, I believe Diana lived at No.7. Even Tina Brown said Diana certainly moved to a smaller part of KP sometime in the years after the separation but before the divorce, though Brown does not give the apartment number. This is what I believe and it makes sense to me.

Anyway, sources can be misinformative, as in the case of Richard Kay saying the Gloucesters apartment has 11 bedrooms, and one of their former equerries told me that is a high exageration.

The BBC says Prince and Princess Michael's KP apt has seven bedrooms.
BBC NEWS | UK Politics | Kensington Palace: Who lives there
But The Independent says the Kents' apartment has five bedrooms, five reception rooms: Queen pays £1m to let Kents stay in palace - Home News, UK - The Independent

The Daily Mail agrees with the Independent on the # of bedrooms in No.10
Princess Pushy to finally pay the £10,000-a-month rent on Kensington Palace apartment | Mail Online

[muriel]

Originally Posted by Menarue

Is Kensington Palace very big?

Its certainly bigger than 10 Downing St

[Menarue]

It seems until we are invited there we won´t know and then they probably won´t show us the bedrooms......
5 bedrooms and 5 reception rooms well that is not exactly cramped so I gather Kensington Palace is quite big.....