Sussex Residences


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Yes I do understand the uncertainty over their plans.

Indeed they do but they don't usually get to live somewhere like Windsor Home Park . Not for all the money in the world.

Hopefully everything will become clear sooner rather than later.

Thanks for the chat. It's good to hear differing viewpoints.


I watch those home buying shows and some of them are in the U.K. ...and there seem to be quite a number of ppl in the U.K. living in homes I could never afford so.....perhaps it's all relative to the individual?


Yes nice to chat...it's interesting!



LaRae
 
Yes I do understand the uncertainty over their plans.

Indeed they do but they don't usually get to live somewhere like Windsor Home Park . Not for all the money in the world.

Hopefully everything will become clear sooner rather than later.

Thanks for the chat. It's good to hear differing viewpoints.

There are businesses and non royals who have properties among the crown estates. Sandringham, Windsor, Kensington, all non royals there too.

And plenty of family members who were not working royals as well.

Nothing at all new here.
 
Leaving a perfectly habitable house empty on the off chance that its one time occupants might return on occasion for an indeterminate period of time seems wholly unsatisfactory.

This situation could continue for the next sixty years or so.

I do understand that not any old tom dick or harry can live on the Windsor estate but Fort Belvedere has been let commercially although I do realise that the fort is much further away from the castle.

Homeless people can't obviously live in Frogmore cottage but we have a major housing crises in this country. The optics of an immensely rich couple living in a (no doubt) sizeable house in North America whilst retaining a not insubstantial occasional residence in this country are not good.

APT 1 sitting empty too. Frogmore will be used when it’s needed. Harry and Meghan will pay for it, so it’s really not an issue to anyone.
 
There are businesses and non royals who have properties among the crown estates. Sandringham, Windsor, Kensington, all non royals there too.

And plenty of family members who were not working royals as well.

Nothing at all new here.

It was the Home Park I was thinking of specifically. I'm sure you're right about the others. I don't have details to hand.

APT 1 sitting empty too. Frogmore will be used when it’s needed. Harry and Meghan will pay for it, so it’s really not an issue to anyone.

I seem to be in a minority of one on this. Ah well I'll live as they say.

Let's hope I'm wrong & Frogmore cottage doesn't become an issue. It's not as if the royal family need any more controversies just at the moment!
 
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This thread is about Frogmore Cottage. If you wish to discuss the residences of the Queen, Charles or any other member of the BRF, please take it to their threads.
 
As I noted upthread, it is apparently far from clear how much rent they are actually going to pay.

Or how much Charles is going to be paying for them.

I think you are correct, they might only pay for it if they use it. It would make no sense for them to pay market rent year round on a property that was only occupied for short periods.
 
I think you are correct, they might only pay for it if they use it. It would make no sense for them to pay market rent year round on a property that was only occupied for short periods.

I doubt rent would be calculated on a sliding scale based on usage. It is not an Airbnb rental.
It can’t be rented out to others or be open for tourists when the Sussexes are not there.
 
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I wonder if some people on here get two residences mixed up.

Frogmore House is a substantial mansion. In my view.
Frogmore Cottage is a much smaller residence that I would never call substantial.
There is no way Frogmore Cottage could ever compete as a grand residence compared to some hollywood homes for instance.

However, Frogmore House would be a competitive grand residence compared to some Hollywood type homes.
 
They've been told that they've got to pay commercial rent on Frogmore, now that they're no longer working royals.

Although that was the suggestion at first, the Telegraph was later told that the Duke and Duchess of Sussex will only pay a token rent on Frogmore Cottage.

Prince Charles to fund the Sussexes for a year

Aides last night rowed back on suggestions that the couple would pay a commercial rent on Frogmore Cottage, their Grade II-listed home on the Windsor estate, suggesting they would only pay a peppercorn rent and running costs when they are in the UK.​


ETA: The link was shared earlier by Ista: https://www.theroyalforums.com/foru...-nottingham-cottage-45791-45.html#post2285895
 
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That's even more annoying. All that money spent on doing it up, and now it's going to lie empty and they won't even be paying rent on it. What a waste of money!
 
Will they be paying rent all year round to keep the property or only rent when they stay in the UK?
 
My personal view is that the Frogmore cottage was at one point made up of multiple small cottages, which staff used at one time. I am not saying they were made to move or anything like that, but with the benefit of hindsight it would have been better use of funds to renovate while retaining the multiple occupancy.
It seems such a waste of a lovely property and money for it to lie unoccupied for lengthy periods of time.
 
For Frogmore, could it possibly be used by someone else in the family- Beatrice or Eugenie maybe?
 
My personal view is that the Frogmore cottage was at one point made up of multiple small cottages, which staff used at one time. I am not saying they were made to move or anything like that, but with the benefit of hindsight it would have been better use of funds to renovate while retaining the multiple occupancy.
It seems such a waste of a lovely property and money for it to lie unoccupied for lengthy periods of time.

There were documents provided by the papers of the property. It was mostly abandoned and worn down. No one really was moved. It was going to be renovated long before Harry and Meghan decided to move in.

The property was already sitting empty. Then Harry and Meghan moved in. Now it will be sitting empty again for parts of the year.
 
There were documents provided by the papers of the property. It was mostly abandoned and worn down. No one really was moved. It was going to be renovated long before Harry and Meghan decided to move in.

The property was already sitting empty. Then Harry and Meghan moved in. Now it will be sitting empty again for parts of the year.

but a LOT of money was spent making it habitable for one royal couple and translated from staff flats to one royal residence... Now it is going to sit empty possibly for quite long periods because I don't think they'll be in the UK much.
 
Will they be paying rent all year round to keep the property or only rent when they stay in the UK?

i'd imagine they have to pay rent all the time....I suspect that the idea that they'd pay a commercial rent came up at first because there was criticism of the expenses that had happened and so the RF felt it was better to say that they were recompensing for them.
 
but a LOT of money was spent making it habitable for one royal couple and translated from staff flats to one royal residence... Now it is going to sit empty possibly for quite long periods because I don't think they'll be in the UK much.

Money was going to be spent regardless. Point is I feel a lot of faux outrage is happening about a property that was basically abandoned for a long time before the Sussexes decided to move in. Where was all this concern about it sitting empty (as documented it was) prior to them?

They will figure it out.
 
It's my understanding that as a Crown-owned property it was on the list of properties to be renovated. However, I do believe that the timetable for that renovation was possibly pushed up for Harry and Meghan to be able to move into the property. That's really neither here nor there, though. Either way, it is a Crown-owned property that was on the renovation schedule as many Crown-owned properties are. I think the consternation from many posters here, myself included really, is that as a run down and empty property simply waiting its turn to be renovated it really wasn't doing anyone any good but neither was it really doing any harm. Just sitting in the queue, basically. Now the timetable was bumped it, the money was spent, it's by all accounts a beautifully done property that is 100% ready for occupancy and now it's once again sitting empty.

If the property had been earmarked for Harry and Meghan but the renovations had not yet taken place and they'd decided to leave then fine, allow it to continue to remain empty until its turn came up for renovations. But, since it was already bumped up on the list and done up for them, it's really a shame to let all of that go to waste and just have it there empty when someone else would appreciate living in a newly renovated and quite peaceful (as I understand it anyway) home.
 
Money was going to be spent regardless. Point is I feel a lot of faux outrage is happening about a property that was basically abandoned for a long time before the Sussexes decided to move in. Where was all this concern about it sitting empty (as documented it was) prior to them?

They will figure it out.

Well I feel the disquiet over this is perfectly legitimate.
 
Not just anyone can live in such a property for security reasons. It is one reason royals rent is not fair market value. Like the York girls paid at St James. There is limited rental potential. It’s not like any random family would rent.

How many people have vacation homes? How many people in the royal family alone have multiple homes? How much time does Charles spend at any of his homes? It’s not like the house is going to stand vacant and never be used by the couple. They plan to split their time with the UK.

And no a hotel doesn’t make sense. They plan to spend extended time there. And have a son. It’s far better and more comfortable for all to have a home to return to when in the UK.

The renovation cost is being paid back. And the house wasn’t inhabited anyways. No one was kicked out for them and no one is lacking housing due to them keeping it.
 
Money was going to be spent regardless. Point is I feel a lot of faux outrage is happening about a property that was basically abandoned for a long time before the Sussexes decided to move in. Where was all this concern about it sitting empty (as documented it was) prior to them?

They will figure it out.

I agree with you. The Crown Estate is winning here because now the cost of renovating the property will be covered by the Sussexes (or Charles). It isn't costing the taxpayer anything so any fuss being made about it seems OTT to me.
 
Not just anyone can live in such a property for security reasons. It is one reason royals rent is not fair market value. Like the York girls paid at St James. There is limited rental potential. It’s not like any random family would rent.

How many people have vacation homes? How many people in the royal family alone have multiple homes? How much time does Charles spend at any of his homes? It’s not like the house is going to stand vacant and never be used by the couple. They plan to split their time with the UK.

And no a hotel doesn’t make sense. They plan to spend extended time there. And have a son. It’s far better and more comfortable for all to have a home to return to when in the UK.

The renovation cost is being paid back. And the house wasn’t inhabited anyways. No one was kicked out for them and no one is lacking housing due to them keeping it.

It isn't just about cost. Or indeed occupancy. It's about what feels right & what doesn't.
 
Her Majesty gives all the monies collect by the Crown Estates (tourist visits, gift shop etc) to the government. The government gives HM back 25% which is used for the upkeep of the Crown Estates. Frogmore Cottage, as part of the Crown Estates, what scheduled to be renovated and upgraded. The concern trolling of "taxpayers" livid about those costs (whipped by the press) was about nothing. So the Sussexes were paying HM back money they were always going to spend anyway?
 
It isn't just about cost. Or indeed occupancy. It's about what feels right & what doesn't.

When it comes to the Crown Estates, if they deem it feels right that things go this way and HM, The Queen feel its right and it is deemed that the Sussex family uses Frogmore Cottage as their UK home, that's what matters. They make the decisions.

What the public feels doesn't matter. ?
 
Her Majesty gives all the monies collect by the Crown Estates (tourist visits, gift shop etc) to the government. The government gives HM back 25% which is used for the upkeep of the Crown Estates. Frogmore Cottage, as part of the Crown Estates, what scheduled to be renovated and upgraded. The concern trolling of "taxpayers" livid about those costs (whipped by the press) was about nothing. So the Sussexes were paying HM back money they were always going to spend anyway?

Once again for me (& presumably others) it's more about what feels equitable. The nation provides for those who do a service for the crown. It certainly has nothing to do with trolls or the media!

When it comes to the Crown Estates, if they deem it feels right that things go this way and HM, The Queen feel its right and it is deemed that the Sussex family uses Frogmore Cottage as their UK home, that's what matters. They make the decisions.

What the public feels doesn't matter. ?

I do enjoy a good hearted discussion!

We certainly do have different perspectives on this. For my part it has nothing whatsoever to do with the individuals concerned.

I have no idea what The Queen feels about this but ,like yourself, can only speculate.

I am amused by the idea that public feelings don't matter. I'm sure that you don't really believe that.?
 
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If l recall correctly they have said they intend 'to split' their time betwixt the UK and north America - it could be a 50/50 split, or it might be 99/1 split.. or anything in between.

There seems to be a consensus [even amongst her devotees] that the Lady doesn't like being in the UK, and so certainly won't want her Son educated here.

With that in mind, i'd be very surprised if Frogmore was occupied for even as much as one month in twelve !

So an hotel seems a perfectly reasonable proposition..
 
Right now, I think we're all basically in a state of limbo as we have absolutely no concrete clues of how things are going to be other than we know this is a transition period.

It may very well be that they spend a good amount of time at Frogmore Cottage as it was stated (and I'm paraphrasing) that they want Archie to grow up knowing his heritage. They're not walking away from the family but rather the "Firm" side of the family.

[...]

We'll know so much more, I think, once things settle and they officially open their foundation and perhaps even have a calendar of upcoming events.
 
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Right now, I think we're all basically in a state of limbo as we have absolutely no concrete clues of how things are going to be other than we know this is a transition period.

It may very well be that they spend a good amount of time at Frogmore Cottage as it was stated (and I'm paraphrasing) that they want Archie to grow up knowing his heritage. They're not walking away from the family but rather the "Firm" side of the family.

[...]

We'll know so much more, I think, once things settle and they officially open their foundation and perhaps even have a calendar of upcoming events.
How are they going to split their time? In a few years Archie will be going to school, is he going to be educated abroad or in the UK? How are they going to bring him home (except in the summer) if he is at school in Canada?
 
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How are they going to split their time? In a few years Archie will be going to school, is he going to be educated abroad or in the UK? How are they going to bring him home (except in the summer) if he is at school in Canada?

Those are questions that cannot be answered at this time. Only time will tell.:D
 
They don’t need a hotel when they have their home. It’s really that simple. Almost everyone in this family has more then one home. So yes I do feel it’s faux outrage because people want to be riled up for whatever reason. Frogmore really is of no concern to the public as it wasn’t before Sussexes took over. They even paying the money back.
 
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