Wales Residences: Kensington Palace, Adelaide Cottage & Anmer Hall

[Osipi]

Perhaps when it's time for George to go to Eton (if that's the school the Cambridges choose) then it would be better to move to Windsor.

Didn't William used to stroll from the school to the castle each week, to meet with his grandmother?

I think this is what I remember most about reading of William's time at Eton. How he used to walk over to Windsor Castle on Sundays for tea with the Queen and "king lessons". I'm sure that this is something that William remembers and holds dear to this day.

 

[Durham]

I'd be very surprised if they chose Eton. The school's a byword for all that's objectionable about the British class system. I suspect they'll choose a fee paying day school full of middle class kids not scions of the aristocracy. The more "normal" the better I would think.

After all that's the aspiration of the House of Windsor, to become a bourgeois dynasty with clear water between it & its imperial past.

 

[Durham]

Windsor castle has been used by monarchs going back to the reign of King Henry I and has given its the name to the British Royal House .I really hope that William does not abandons the tradition of Windsor being a royal residence whether he needs it or not as its symbolic and steeped in history and tradition.

Windsor is certainly a very grand residence. The only British palace that can really go toe to toe with the likes of Versailles or the Hofburg. Although there have been very long periods when it was unoccupied. George iv brought it back to life & Victoria made it her principal royal residence of course.

That said the aircraft noise over Windsor is pretty awful. I'm not sure I could live with it. It was very noticeable the last time I went.

 

[Mirabel]

I'd be very surprised if they chose Eton. The school's a byword for all that's objectionable about the British class system. I suspect they'll choose a fee paying day school full of middle class kids not scions of the aristocracy. The more "normal" the better I would think.

I believe Gordonstoun had mostly middle-class kids when Charles attended, and he was bullied there.
On the other hand, William apparently enjoyed Eton.
(I did think they might select Marlborough instead.)

Whatever they decide, I hope they choose what is best for the children and disregard any other agenda.

 

[Drakes]

I'd be very surprised if they chose Eton. The school's a byword for all that's objectionable about the British class system. I suspect they'll choose a fee paying day school full of middle class kids not scions of the aristocracy. The more "normal" the better I would think.

There's also the security risk - although there's a lot of visible and hidden security at Eton, the grounds are surprisingly accessible to the public

 

[Mirabel]

There's also the security risk - although there's a lot of visible and hidden security at Eton, the grounds are surprisingly accessible to the public

Yes, but William and Harry had no problems.

I really think that, although it's fine to say the Cambridge children shouldn't just associate with the aristocracy, let's face it: These are the people they'll mostly socialize with when they are grown.

 

[Prinsara]

So isn't it better that they have some exposure to people with other perspectives before returning to posh bubbles? They say you learn things at school for a reason. And there's likely a better topic for this.

 

[Claire]

I think there is a lot more choice now for the Cambridge children for schooling when William was a boy and especially when Charles was a boy.
Yes - Gordonstoun was a bad fit for Charles, but many other boys had no trouble there at the same time period. However it is in Scotland and recently has suffered a number of scandals that I doubt it will have a royal occupant for a while.
Eton, Harrow and a number of the elite schools come with the benefit that the security is actually cheaper and easier due to the amount of billionaires, foreign royals and celebrities Children attending. But it is also a problem in that these are the children the kid is going to be hanging out with.
That been said we live in a different world now - Louise and James will be the first semi royals that have never boarded. They are entirely day students - dropped off and picked up. I suspect that William and Kate will do the same for their children. So I expect something in the area - and might not be a historical royal school.

 

[ladongas]

Yes, but William and Harry had no problems.

I really think that, although it's fine to say the Cambridge children shouldn't just associate with the aristocracy, let's face it: These are the people they'll mostly socialize with when they are grown.

William has the advantage of having a large group of friends from his schooldays: consider the number of weddings he has attended- many of them as a groomsman. Charles didn’t come to adulthood with a wide circle of friends. Those are relationships you can’t start building in middle age.

 

[Mirabel]

William has the advantage of having a large group of friends from his schooldays: consider the number of weddings he has attended- many of them as a groomsman. Charles didn’t come to adulthood with a wide circle of friends. Those are relationships you can’t start building in middle age.

Exactly! When Charles was considering schools for his sons, I read that the decider was when a friend told him that all his life-long friendships were the ones he made at Eton.

 

[Drakes]

Yes, but William and Harry had no problems.

Times are different in the UK now, sadly, the official terrorist threat level is 'Substantial' and an MP was killed in a knife attack a couple of weeks ago. I couldn't imagine that George would be allowed to walk over Windsor Bridge to the Castle in the same way that William and Harry were.

The layout of Eton means that it's very much part of the town. Students walk to the boathouses and the playing fields along roads and footpaths that are shared with the public. We're quite used to seeing celebrities in Eton High Street, especially when parents are visiting, and generally they're left alone. It all feels a bit too accessible, though, for anyone who intended harm.

 

[muriel]

I'd be very surprised if they chose Eton. The school's a byword for all that's objectionable about the British class system. I suspect they'll choose a fee paying day school full of middle class kids not scions of the aristocracy. The more "normal" the better I would think.

I do think Eton has changed a lot in the last 20 or so years. It runs a generous bursary scheme, is far more international than it ever was, and is now educationally rigorous in a way it never was. A lot of the current crop of Etonians are children of professionals (doctors, lawyers, accountants and bankers) from the South of England.

 

[Somebody]

I do not think that William and Kate want Royal Lodge. At this time, they have their London home (Kensington) and their country home (Amner), I would also guess they have a lodge of some type they use at Sandringham and Balmoral. I think that Andrew stays put at Royal Lodge for now, but I would not rule out a move to something smaller on the Windsor Estate in the future.

Anmer is at Sandringham, so no need to have another lodge to use within a few km from their own home.

 

[tommy100]

They apparently have use of a small cottage at Balmoral and have used it since their university days.
TBH at this point Royal Lodge may bring too much baggage with it to be considered helpful.

 

[Denville]

They apparently have use of a small cottage at Balmoral and have used it since their university days.
TBH at this point Royal Lodge may bring too much baggage with it to be considered helpful.

Royal Lodge is Andrews house. He has a long lease on it. It is his home. Why would WIlliam want or get it?

 

[tommy100]

I has been speculated a lot in the media and in this thread that they might use it, I'm not saying i agree just pointing out that actually with all the attention on Andrew atm Royal Lodge hardly screams "drama free" living.

 

[Osipi]

I has been speculated a lot in the media and in this thread that they might use it, I'm not saying i agree just pointing out that actually with all the attention on Andrew atm Royal Lodge hardly screams "drama free" living.

If there's any changes that will be made as far as who is residing at Royal Lodge, I really don't believe that it'll happen until after the Queen has passed away. With the flurry of engagements and duties that most of the family have stacked up on their daily planners going forward, it's kind of nice that Andrew being at close proximity to Windsor Castle can spend all the quality time in the world with his mother and really connect again. That, to me, is priceless.

Now is not the time to play switcheroo with royal residences. To be honest, I see Andrew remaining at Royal Lodge and living out his days there in retirement.

 

[Iluvbertie]

Andrew has paid for the lease on Royal Lodge to at least 2078 if not to 2102 so it would be hard to get him out. That money, along with the close on 8 million pounds in renovations were paid by Andrew upfront.

I think he will remain there for the rest of his life.

Charles apparently isn't interested in moving to Windsor preferring to continue to go to Highgrove for his weekends so I can see William moving into the Castle proper shortly after the change of reigns, if not earlier.

 

[royal-blue]

Could Andrew and William somehow swap Royal Lodge and Anmer Hall? If the Cambridges want to he in Windsor and Andrew wants a quieter, more private life then this could work potentially.

 

[Iluvbertie]

In theory they could but I doubt that either Charles or William would want Andrew anywhere near them and Anmer is on the Sandringham Estate - an Estate they will both eventually own.

 

[JoanHarry]

There are reports that Fort Belvedere on the Windsor estate has been flagged for the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge:

https://www.architecturaldigest.com...letons-potential-new-residence-windsor-estate

 

[Osipi]

There are reports that Fort Belvedere on the Windsor estate has been flagged for the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge:

https://www.architecturaldigest.com...letons-potential-new-residence-windsor-estate

Now that's a property I've heard about quite a few times. Mostly in relation to the lifetime of the Duke and Duchess of Windsor. I believe that was David's residence where he did some major upgrading to modern amenities and it is where he and Wallis Simpson spent many hours entertaining prior to the death of King George V and the subsequent abdication.

I know there's been a lot of rumors abounding that suggest the Cambridges are looking into getting and using another residence. My guess is that there's plots and plans and such of moving around but I don't believe it'll happen until after the Queen passes and Charles invests his son and heir as The Prince of Wales.

JMO of course.

 

[An Ard Ri]

Fort Belvedere I had forgotten about it and had assumed it was sold of

 

[Queen Claude]

That article seems rather dubious - I would have thought that Architectural Digest would be above publishing such an article, or at least be more forthcoming on what they are basing their assertion that Fort Belevedere (FB) has been "earmarked" for the Cambridges.

It has been mentioned in previous discussions about Fort Belvedere on this site that a non-royal has a lengthy lease on the property, probably similar to the lease that Andrew has on The Royal Lodge. Galen Weston, the non-royal, passed away in 2021, but it was a given that his lease was going to outlive him, so it stands to reason that one or more of his heirs can occupy Fort Belevedere until the end of the lease. Perhaps his heirs aren't interested in occupying Fort Belvedere, and if that is the case, then presumably they will sell the remaining lease to another party. If William and Kate want to occupy FB then they can buy the lease, but I am not sure if they can afford it.

When royals take over new residences, there are invariably articles about the money involved in acquiring and/or upgrading the property. I am pretty sure if the royals really want a property, they will take their lumps in the media and with the public, but I am not sure that FB is a residence that is desired enough for the Cambridges to endure the negative press.

As I mentioned before, if the Cambridges move to Windsor, it makes the most sense for them to move into the castle. Since Windsor Castle is the largest occupied castle in the world, I am pretty sure that there space in the castle for the Cambridges to occupy without The Queen feeling like she is being encroached upon.

 

[JoanHarry]

I know there's been a lot of rumors abounding that suggest the Cambridges are looking into getting and using another residence. My guess is that there's plots and plans and such of moving around but I don't believe it'll happen until after the Queen passes and Charles invests his son and heir as The Prince of Wales.

JMO of course.

I wonder if Prince George’s age is a factor. Perhaps the boarding/day school he will be attending means they need to relocate. Eton is in Windsor, for example.

I’m just not at all familiar with the British schooling system.

 

[Iluvbertie]

Eton is a boarding only school so there is no need for the Cambridge's to re-locate to Windsor for him to attend as he would still have to board anyway.

If they are planning on sending their children to boarding school (and I am not convinced they are) I wouldn't be surprised if they don't choose Marlborough - where Catherine went - as it is now co-educational having changed from all boys some decades ago now while Eton is still all boys. That would have the advantage of all three children being able to go to the same school and thus same holidays etc.

 

[JoanHarry]

The Telegraph also reporting on the rumor of the Cambridges moving into Fort Belvedere:
https://www.telegraph.co.uk/royal-family/0/royals-suburbia-inside-new-windsor-set/

 

[Durham]

George V called FB "that queer old place" or some such. It's a rather odd looking house. In a nice spot though. Close to Virginia Water.

 

[tommy100]

These rumours just keep on coming. I guess it would be a good residence and would do some work to make away any slight lingering scandal associated with Fort Belvedere.

 

[Duc_et_Pair]

According Wikipedia the Weston family still had a long lease on Fort Belvedere. How can the Cambridges move in then?