Wales Residences: Kensington Palace, Adelaide Cottage & Anmer Hall

[muriel]

Are we sure they are even moving at all? Has there been an official announcement or is this the same rumour that has been doing the rounds now for over a year?

Very valid question. But given that this story has been out for a few months, gets consistently updated and never denied by KP, my sense is that it is true. Expect an announcement in a few weeks.

 

[FigTree]

I can see the logic of the potential move, and am quite relaxed about them taking on Adelaide Cottage.

> No material public money has been spent on doing the property up just now. I understand a major upgradation of the property took place in 2015, as part of an ongoing proposal to upgrade and renew the building.

> It will allow W&C to be much closer to HM in the last days of her reign. The benefit of that cannot be understated. Not only will there be a lot for them to learn, it will help bring their office much closer and better integrated with the BP / Windsor machinery.

> If such a move happens, they will, in essence, end up with 2 homes (Adelaide Cottage and KP 1A) that are taxpayer funded. Anmer is privately owned. Whilst AC can be their main home for the next few years, they will need a place in London as they will often be in London for work, a lot of which will not be in the public gaze. Further, their offices will remain at KP, which means there will be a lot of back and forth to KP.

> I do not think AC is a long term home for them. It has been suggested that in the next reign, W&C will move to Windsor Castle. C&C will divide their time between CH/ BP (once the decade long renovations of BP are complete) and Highgrove, and will perhaps only have a nominal presence at Windsor. To me, this makes sense, given Charles' love for Highgrove. At that stage, AC will revert to being the grace and favour home it has been for royal staff.

> KP 1A has already been used by W&C since 2013 (9 years now), barring the period 2015-2017 where they spent a lot more time at Anmer while William worked there for the Air Ambulance Service. Also, in the next reign, KP 1A will continue to be the London home for the Cambridge family. I suspect their next move in London, when the time comes, will be from KP to BP. All of this will mean that W&C will have gotten a fair amount of use of KP 1A since its 2013 renovation.

They have hardly really lived at KP. George is now in his fifth year at school and they spent all of the pandemic when the schools were closed at Amner and also didn't send Charlotte back when they opened for her class in June 2000.

It was obvious they they never really had any connection to it.

There is little reason, given Windsor's closeness to London, to ever stay there and it probably would be better to give it up and if needed use a small cottage for any over nights. Essentially really a pied de terre. Presumable they are taking all their furniture to Windsor.

While it hasn't been confirmed. The BBC announced it clearly in his Birthday and no one has denied it.

 

[DukeOfAster]

I have often thought that Clarence House as a possible London home for them once Charles is King. I can see once William is King then Camilla will move back into it.

 

[muriel]

They have hardly really lived at KP. George is now in his fifth year at school and they spent all of the pandemic when the schools were closed at Amner and also didn't send Charlotte back when they opened for her class in June 2000.

I am not sure I quite agree. They have lived at KP since 2013 (c9 years now), barring the 2015-2017 period when they were largely at Anmer as William was working for EACH.

They did spend both the lockdowns (March - June 2020 and Jan - March 2021) at Anmer, as did quite a lot of people with country homes. This is not dissimilar to them being at Anmer during the summer break, and at other school holidays.

 

[muriel]

I have often thought that Clarence House as a possible London home for them once Charles is King. I can see once William is King then Camilla will move back into it.

Once William is King, I can see Camilla largely retreat to Ray Mill House and not maintain a London home at all.

 

[FigTree]

I am not sure I quite agree. They have lived at KP since 2013 (c9 years now), barring the 2015-2017 period when they were largely at Anmer as William was working for EACH.

They did spend both the lockdowns (March - June 2020 and Jan - March 2021) at Anmer, as did quite a lot of people with country homes. This is not dissimilar to them being at Anmer during the summer break, and at other school holidays.

They were in Amner 6 months during lockdown one. They didn't return for the June opening of Charlotte's class.

They are basically there for holidays and from what I can make out most weekends.

They returned to weekday living at Kensington when George started school.

Problem for them is that the children are getting older and have friends parties and clubs and activities and already for George and Charlotte it is probably getting more difficult to do Amner at weekends.

Once they go to Windsor I can see less weekend hops to Amner. Which is just a function of the children's age.

I wouldn't want them entering their teens hanging around London. Media would be all over them. Apparently they already are but papers don't print.

 

[muriel]

They were in Amner 6 months during lockdown one. They didn't return for the June opening of Charlotte's class.

Given that the lockdowns from March 2020 broadly rolled into the summer break with the schools only briefly reopening in late June before the summer break, that is probably correct.

 

[FigTree]

Given that the lockdowns from March 2020 broadly rolled into the summer break with the schools only briefly reopening in late June before the summer break, that is probably correct.

Schools reopened after the May Bank Holidays for Years R, 1 and 6. But as they are at private school they would have been open about a month.

It didn't reopen for George and they decided not to go back.

They closed again at Christmas and again they went on holidays mid December and stayed closed (for them) until around mid March.

It was an appallingly dark time in school. Those months from September to December were horrendous.

 

[Mirabel]

I don't see the point in the Cambridges moving into Adelaide Cottage.
It has only four bedrooms, so how is that even feasible?

 

[JR76]

I don't see the point in the Cambridges moving into Adelaide Cottage.
It has only four bedrooms, so how is that even feasible?

Four bedrooms is more than enough for a family with three children. I grew up in a two bedroom flat in a family of two adults and two children.
If you're worried about staff and guests there are, by the look of it, additional lodgings close to the cottage.

 

[FigTree]

I don't see the point in the Cambridges moving into Adelaide Cottage.
It has only four bedrooms, so how is that even feasible?

I think most people now feel dreadful about their life. They have a huge house in Norfolk and a huge office in London.

Why would they need a spare room? By all accounts they have people to stay at Amner. There is also a lodge linked by a tunnel beside the house if Maria needs someplace tontine andnai don't think they would have any other live ins.

 

[CyrilVladisla]

The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge revamped a Kensington Palace living room.

 

[DukeOfAster]

Once William is King, I can see Camilla largely retreat to Ray Mill House and not maintain a London home at all.

Do you think that will a place that she can have proper security?

 

[Curryong]

As the widow of a King she would be given all the security she needed wherever she chose to live and I agree it would probably be Ray Mill. However, who’s to say Camilla would outlive Charles. The Windsors live for ever. Even if Charles survived ‘only’ to his mother’s age now, not to nearly 100 like his father, Camilla is older than him by over a year.

 

[Iluvbertie]

Do you think that will a place that she can have proper security?

Ray Mill is already fully protected 24/7 as it is her private home. It is no different to Highgrove, Sandringham or Balmoral and is protected at the same level.

 

[DukeOfAster]

Ray Mill is already fully protected 24/7 as it is her private home. It is no different to Highgrove, Sandringham or Balmoral and is protected at the same level.

Just looks like it is close to it's neighbors or is the pictures I have see her entire property.

 

[Denville]

Do you think that will a place that she can have proper security?

why would you think she does not have proper security? She is the wife of the POW, she would have security as needed.

 

[Mirabel]

Four bedrooms is more than enough for a family with three children. I grew up in a two bedroom flat in a family of two adults and two children.
If you're worried about staff and guests there are, by the look of it, additional lodgings close to the cottage.

Well, I think they will feel cramped; they are used to plenty of space, and a four bedroom cottage will soon seem claustrophobic.

 

[FigTree]

Well, I think they will feel cramped; they are used to plenty of space, and a four bedroom cottage will soon seem claustrophobic.

It isn’t a Cottage. It’s really quite big. Have a look earlier in the thread at photographs. I actually think it probably has more bedrooms. There is a lodge side it which is linked by a tunnel. When people report on it they get the two houses mixed up. Not as big as Amner but a very substantial house.

 

[FigTree]

Media still reporting this and no confirmation. Saying today their Nanny won't be living in but nearby...maybe house next door?

Is it actually happening?

 

[muriel]

Media still reporting this and no confirmation. Saying today their Nanny won't be living in but nearby...maybe house next door?

Is it actually happening?

As you said, there has been no official confirmation, just ongoing speculation by the media.

That said, I would not be surprised if the move did take place.

It makes a lot of sense for W&C to be closer to the Queen on a day to day basis. And if they are going to move to Windsor in the next reign, why not enrol the children in local schools there from now itself.

 

[FigTree]

As you said, there has been no official confirmation, just ongoing speculation by the media.

That said, I would not be surprised if the move did take place.

It makes a lot of sense for W&C to be closer to the Queen on a day to day basis. And if they are going to move to Windsor in the next reign, why not enrol the children in local schools there from now itself.

And they would need to leave Thomas' at 11 anyway. But you know the media.

 

[muriel]

And they would need to leave Thomas' at 11 anyway. But you know the media.

THere is now a senior school at Thomas' that goes up to 18.

That said, George will be starting Year 5 in a few weeks. The entrance exams for 11/13+ schools will be taking place in the first two terms of Year 6. So if they do expect to move in the next 2 years, from George's perspective, this is the time to do it, so that he can settle into his new school and be ready for the ramp up ion academic pressure that typically takes place as Year 5 progresses and Year 6 approaches.

 

[FigTree]

THere is now a senior school at Thomas' that goes up to 18.

That said, George will be starting Year 5 in a few weeks. The entrance exams for 11/13+ schools will be taking place in the first two terms of Year 6. So if they do expect to move in the next 2 years, from George's perspective, this is the time to do it, so that he can settle into his new school and be ready for the ramp up ion academic pressure that typically takes place as Year 5 progresses and Year 6 approaches.

That would be a different school though. You are right. Now would be the time to go. With Louis probably starting, although they have discretion in private, and Charlotte going into KS2. Now would be the time to move.

 

[royal-blue]

It is now officially confirmed - the Cambridges have a third residentice.

When Charles is King, will W&K's trio of homes be sufficient? After all, William will be Duke of Cornwall. He may need a new residentice further west, especially when he is PoW too. Then there's the very real possibility of them taking on Birkhall at some point too.

Is 4 or 5 homes too many to utilise sufficiently? How will this be viewed by the public? Will they retain their existing homes?

 

[Hallo girl]

It is now officially confirmed - the Cambridges have a third residentice.

When Charles is King, will W&K's trio of homes be sufficient? After all, William will be Duke of Cornwall. He may need a new residentice further west, especially when he is PoW too. Then there's the very real possibility of them taking on Birkhall at some point too.

Is 4 or 5 homes too many to utilise sufficiently? How will this be viewed by the public? Will they retain their existing homes?

As we all know they do not actually own any of them, they all belong either to the Queen or the crown.

Lots of families are in the position to move home when circumstances change, they are no different.

 

[royal-blue]

As we all know they do not actually own any of them, they all belong either to the Queen or the crown.

Lots of families are in the position to move home when circumstances change, they are no different.

I agree they can have as many home as they like, but the recent press coverage was quite negative regarding the acquisition of AC.

 

[Hallo girl]

I agree they can have as many home as they like, but the recent press coverage was quite negative regarding the acquisition of AC.

As we have said about other stories on these forums, headlines to sell papers, if they had moved into a run down building and expected the tax payer to fund a refurbishment etc I would have seen the need for headlines.

One reporter had a negative headline but the actual story was quite balanced about how they are paying the rent, no funding other than their own , good for the kids etc etc.

There were newspaper stories some time ago that they were looking to buy a new home in the area near to her parents, then schools for the children, maybe there was some truth in that and a compromise has been found with a home in Windsor.


This is all part of a bigger picture we just do not know the whole story yet.

 

[Heavs]

It is now officially confirmed - the Cambridges have a third residentice.

When Charles is King, will W&K's trio of homes be sufficient? After all, William will be Duke of Cornwall. He may need a new residentice further west, especially when he is PoW too. Then there's the very real possibility of them taking on Birkhall at some point too.

Is 4 or 5 homes too many to utilise sufficiently? How will this be viewed by the public? Will they retain their existing homes?

Any homes they use as part of being Duke and Duchess of Cornwall will be owned by the Duchy. For example if they use Dolphin Cottage in the Scillies again the headlines theoretically might be "Wales use 6th holiday home for only 2 weeks a year!" But the reality will be that it's not privately owned, not something they can just decide to sell and is rented out to tenants most of the time.

These headlines are exactly what happened when they moved into both Amner and KP and will happen again. It doesn't help that there's nothing much else to report on at the moment.

 

[Alison H]

There's been quite a bit of negative press about their having three homes, but moving to Adelaide Cottage rather than a bigger house has had positive press. There's been a lot of positive talk about them paying the rent themselves, not having any live-in staff and sending the children to a day school and driving them there themselves.