Kensington Palace 1: Ending Sep 2022

[Hallo girl]

^ And generations to come ? Are the core Royal family [likely with young Children] to be expected to live in a place so woefully 'unfit for purpose' [as I detailed above] ?

I do not think any of them will have to worry about accommodation. There will be plenty of baths and running water.

 

[Mbruno]

It makes sense to me Camilla/Charles staying in CH ...it goes with his reported more streamlined monarchy. BP will be used as a museum and hold state dinners etc there perhaps..they only do a small handful of those a year.

By the time William is King they could shift to CH and George could go to KP apartments etc.


LaRae

I don't see Charles living in CH as king. It wouldn't be considered consistent with the royal dignity by British standards.


In other countries, there are precedents such as Juan Carlos and now Felipe VI living at Zarzuela instead of using the Royal Palace of Madrid (actually the largest royal palace in western Europe) as Alfonso XIII did , but it is a different situation of a slimmed-down monarchy that was restored after 45 years out of the throne.



I guess one could also mention Carl XVI Gustaf living at Drottningholm and keeping the Royal Palace of Stockholm as a working palace only, or Philippe of Belgium living at Laeken and working in the Royal Palace of Brussels, but, in both cases, the permanent royal residences are "big country houses/ castles" and not a town house like CH.

 

[muriel]

I can almost guarantee it won’t be Johnson or Corbyn in that seat.

I so wish what you say could be true ?

BP will be used as a museum and hold state dinners etc there perhaps..they only do a small handful of those a year.

Barring the current period of repair and renewal, hundreds of public engagements take place at BP all year. Relocating them all is not easy, and certainly not something that can be done over the long term easily.

I guess one could also mention Carl XVI Gustaf living at Drottningholm and keeping the Royal Palace of Stockholm as a working palace only, or Philippe of Belgium living at Laeken and working in the Royal Palace of Brussels, but, in both cases, the permanent royal residences are "big country houses/ castles" and not a town house like CH.

Perhaps the equivalent property to Drottningholm and Laeken is Windsor.

 

[Hallo girl]

I so wish what you say could be true ?

One can always hope..

 

[JR76]

I guess one could also mention Carl XVI Gustaf living at Drottningholm and keeping the Royal Palace of Stockholm as a working palace only

The King and Queen live in one part of Drottningholm, not in the whole Palace. Most of the palace is a museum that's open year round for the public with the palace church being used by the local parish for services and concerts. The palace has about 700 000 visitors a year. While we don't know how big part of the palace they live in it's in the south part of the palace and they themselves call it a flat. We've rarely seen pictures from their private home.
The comparison to Windsor isn't a bad one since King Carl Gustav's two predecessors used it mainly as an autumn and winter residence and either travelling to the Royal palace when necessary or having visitors such as the government come to them.

 

[tommy100]

I think Apartment 1 will go to W&K, it wouldn't surprise me if they are keeping quiet about it for now as they don't want a million stories about W&K preventing M&H from having the apartment.

I don't know what they will do with CH when Charles is King but I Do think that Charles will move in to BP - he is, IMO, keen to be seen as King in every way including using the traditional residence of monarchs- secondly don't forget that when Charles becomes King it may well be that his siblings move out so having space in CH would be useful.

 

[wyevale]

There will be plenty of baths and running water.

Indeed.. but no safe, secure Garden/grounds, insufficient numbers of reception rooms and Guest accomodation, and [all round] dinginess..
Have you been to Clarence House yourself ? I have, and found it quite astonishingly depressing.
The idea that it might become the primary residence of a King and Queen is fit only for a Corbyn dystopia..

 

[Stefan]

It’s also not about what a PM tells them to do, BP is the home of the monarch which is I think half the reason people visit it. If it’s the home of past monarchs, that’s less interesting.

But people still visit the Royal Palace in Stockholm, the Royal Palace in Madrid, the Royal Palace in Amsterdam despite the fact that they royals don't live there but use it as their offices or for official occasions.

 

[wyevale]

Perhaps an alternative solution may be to build a residence for the Royal family,[along the lines of the Zarzuela] in the grounds of Buckingham Palace ?

Such a thing was thought of in the George Bernard Shaw's play 'the Apple Cart' as early as 1928.

 

[Hallo girl]

Indeed.. but no safe, secure Garden/grounds, insufficient numbers of reception rooms and Guest accomodation, and [all round] dinginess..
Have you been to Clarence House yourself ? I have, and found it quite astonishingly depressing.
The idea that it might become the primary residence of a King and Queen is fit only for a Corbyn dystopia..

The article I read at the time indicated that BP would be the place of work for all the receptions, state dinners, meetings etc etc. Clarence House would be his home that he would go back to every day.He did not want to live over the shop. He wanted a home.
I am not arguing the point, I just put something in the mix for discussion.

 

[Lilyflo]

Indeed.. but no safe, secure Garden/grounds, insufficient numbers of reception rooms and Guest accomodation, and [all round] dinginess..
Have you been to Clarence House yourself ? I have, and found it quite astonishingly depressing.
The idea that it might become the primary residence of a King and Queen is fit only for a Corbyn dystopia..

I agree but I've heard grumbles about the private quarters in BP & I wonder if they could ever be improved enough to comply with Charles' requirements for a home. I can't see him quitting CH for BP.

As for William, I can see the logic of a Kensington Palace/Prince of Wales setting but I think when his turn comes, he'll move into BP because it looks to me like he models himself more on HMQ as monarch.

 

[LadyFinn]

The King and Queen live in one part of Drottningholm, not in the whole Palace. Most of the palace is a museum that's open year round for the public with the palace church being used by the local parish for services and concerts. The palace has about 700 000 visitors a year. While we don't know how big part of the palace they live in it's in the south part of the palace and they themselves call it a flat. We've rarely seen pictures from their private home.
The comparison to Windsor isn't a bad one since King Carl Gustav's two predecessors used it mainly as an autumn and winter residence and either travelling to the Royal palace when necessary or having visitors such as the government come to them.

Drottningholm Palace has 192 rooms. According to Svensk Damtidning's article king Carl Gustaf and queen Silvia's private apartment has about 20 rooms.
Hemma hos kungen – här är hans 8 slott _ Svensk Damtidning

 

[LauraS3514]

I don't want to dispute this, but people move all the time, because their needs change.
Once Charles succeeds, he will probably move into BP, for example.
.

However, BP is currently undergoing extensive renovations (wiring, plumbing, asbestos removal, and other much needed structural and infrastructure repairs) working around the Queen's private apartments for now. Those rooms are reportedly scheduled to be done after the change of reign - this has not been explicitly said of course - so Charles and Camilla will probably stay at CH for quite a while. Given that they will both probably be in their eighties before the renovations are complete, it might be better for them to just stay at CH.

 

[loonytick]

Indeed.. but no safe, secure Garden/grounds, insufficient numbers of reception rooms and Guest accomodation, and [all round] dinginess..
Have you been to Clarence House yourself ? I have, and found it quite astonishingly depressing.
The idea that it might become the primary residence of a King and Queen is fit only for a Corbyn dystopia..

It may not be to your taste, but by many accounts Charles adores the place. The photos I’ve seen have been lovely. Not as huge and grand as BP, but a nice balance between regal elegance and comfortable human-scale hominess.

I wouldn’t be surprised if Charles conveniently finds excuses to keep saying he’s “temporarily” staying in CH and just using BP for work farther into his reign than actually makes sense with any construction timeline.

 

[Dman]

The Gloucester’s are moving from Apt #1 today-

https://twitter.com/x/status/1177259087781908482

 

[Rudolph]

It’s going to the Cambridges for use as state rooms and offices

 

[Kitty1224]

It’s going to the Cambridges for use as state rooms and offices

I doubt it. Is this factual?

 

[Rudolph]

I doubt it. Is this factual?

At least two royal reporters made this prediction back in the spring. Apparently the Sussexes wanted to live there but the ‘Firm’ vetoed the move citing the apartment is being reserved for the Cambridges. We’ll have to wait and see.

 

[Kitty1224]

At least two royal reporters made this prediction back in the spring. Apparently the Sussexes wanted to live there but the ‘Firm’ vetoed the move citing the apartment is being reserved for the Cambridges. We’ll have to wait and see.

Why would they have that when they have APT 10 for offices and be used for state functions. I guess we will have to wait and see but I think it’s not likely. Who knows though.

 

[Pranter]

About 99 percent of what the tabloids say the Sussexes want to do is made up stories. So I don't think I'd even throw that into the mix.


LaRae

 

[Rudolph]

Why would they have that when they have APT 10 for offices and be used for state functions. I guess we will have to wait and see but I think it’s not likely. Who knows though.

The Cambridges have stated KP is there home until William becomes king. Apt 1a is decent enough for now but when W&K are the Prince and Princess of Wales things will expand rapidly. Charles as heir employs over 150 people.

 

[Kitty1224]

The Cambridges have stated KP is there home until William becomes king. Apt 1a is decent enough for now but when W&K are the Prince and Princess of Wales things will expand rapidly. Charles as heir employs over 150 people.

I guess we will have to wait and see what happens.

 

[Minister of Court]

Poor old Gloucesters! To be chucked out of their home to satisfy the vanity of the younger generation.

 

[Osipi]

Poor old Gloucesters! To be chucked out of their home to satisfy the vanity of the younger generation.

Woah! Back up that horse here. Nothing has been confirmed about the Gloucester's KP apartment or that they've been ousted. Most likely they've been thinking of downsizing for quite a while now and perhaps are actually doing it. This couple is in their 70s and perhaps want a smaller place. It happens and to be honest, its something that my hubby and I are considering also as we gallop into our golden years.

 

[tommy100]

I wouldn't be surprised if, at some point in the near future, Apartment 1 is used by the Cambridge's, its been stated they want to stay there for years to come (code IMO until William is King) so more room will be required.

Either way, I don't think the Gloucester's were forced out at all, when W&K married it was said the Gloucester's offered to move out, and again when the Sussex's married. It may simply of been a case of waiting for somewhere else suitable at KP being available for the Glocuester's to move into. The Queen stated she wouldn't force Prince & Princess Michael out as she had promised them an apartment for life, when keeping them in it for free became too much of a problem HM paid rent personally on it for 7 years before the Michael's took it over themselves. Bear in mind this was for cousins who don't officially carry out royal duties so I can't see HM suddenly changing tack and demanding the Glocuester's, who have represented her all over the UK and world, downsize.

IMO this is the Gloucester's having no children at home, perhaps reducing their activities a little and deciding they don't need as much space as the massive apartment they inherited use of from his mother.

 

[JR76]

I'm sure the Gloucesters moved out volontarily. They're both over 70 and it would be only natural for them to want to downsize. They used to be a family of six living in that apartment and now it's only the two of them.

 

[Kitty1224]

I wouldn't be surprised if, at some point in the near future, Apartment 1 is used by the Cambridge's, its been stated they want to stay there for years to come (code IMO until William is King) so more room will be required.

Either way, I don't think the Gloucester's were forced out at all, when W&K married it was said the Gloucester's offered to move out, and again when the Sussex's married. It may simply of been a case of waiting for somewhere else suitable at KP being available for the Glocuester's to move into. The Queen stated she wouldn't force Prince & Princess Michael out as she had promised them an apartment for life, when keeping them in it for free became too much of a problem HM paid rent personally on it for 7 years before the Michael's took it over themselves. Bear in mind this was for cousins who don't officially carry out royal duties so I can't see HM suddenly changing tack and demanding the Glocuester's, who have represented her all over the UK and world, downsize.

IMO this is the Gloucester's having no children at home, perhaps reducing their activities a little and deciding they don't need as much space as the massive apartment they inherited use of from his mother.

So then what’s the point of Apt 9 and 10? Then? Honestly it wouldn’t surprise me if the apartment becomes Vacant for years and years.

 

[Pranter]

I hear it needs lots of updates...perhaps it will be converted into office space and/or staff housing.



LaRae

 

[tommy100]

Well for starters, I assume you mean apartments 8&9, Diana's old apartment, as far as I know apartment 10 is the one used by Prince & Princess Michael.

As someone pointed out earlier, if the couple stay there while Prince and Princess of Wales they will have a larger staff and thus need more office space for them. Also the rooms they currently use for staff, meetings etc are located over the courtyard from the Cambridge's apartment so it may be more practical for them to have access to at least some rooms adjoining their private apartment. I doubt apartment 1 will actually remain as it is and most likely IMO it will cease to be used as one single set of rooms. For the foreseeable future there is unlikely to be a member of the RF in need of such a large set of rooms for themselves. The Cambridge's may well use some of the rooms from apartment 1 as the years go on and other rooms (probably those further away from apartment 1a) may be used for other purposes in time.

Of course none of us know, but the fun of this forum is being able to speculate on such things.

 

[Lady Marlboro]

I always had the impression that the apartments at Kensington Palace could be reconfigured simply by unsealing some doors. With the Gloucester apartment next door, they could probably add it to 1A when the Cambridge family needs more space. Having said that, I am not sure William would want staff that close. I get the feeling the reason the office staff is across the courtyard is because he doesn't want them in the house.