General Discussion about Royal Residences 2: Sep 2022 -Dec 2025

[tommy100]

if this doesn't show the hypocrisy of the media I don't know what does - the DM - who led the calls for Andrew to be booted out of Royal Lodge now say Charles may come to regret it because its opened the pandoras box of what royals pay / don't pay for their Crown Estate houses.

https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/royals/article-15358041/RICHARD-KAY-Andrew-King-royals-mansions.html

(Can't say I hugely disagree with the point - but the hypocrisy makes my blood boil)

 

[royal-blue]

Does Alexandra still need such a large second residence at her age? Apparently she's not stayed there for two years. Prince Michael and the Gloucesters have all downsized.

 

[An Ard Ri]

Where is Princess Alexandra living now?

 

[royal-blue]

Where is Princess Alexandra living now?

She has an apartment at St James' Palace.

 

[Curryong]

Are there any many lifts at St James’s Palace? If not I hope Prss Alexandra’s apartment is near to the ground floor. Imo this lady is much too frail to be toiling up and down flights of stairs every time she wants to go out.

 

[muriel]

Does Alexandra still need such a large second residence at her age? Apparently she's not stayed there for two years. Prince Michael and the Gloucesters have all downsized.

Does she really need to be moving at c90 years of age? She has served the country all her life, lets just leave her in peace for the rest of her time.

 

[An Ard Ri]

Does she really need to be moving at c90 years of age? She has served the country all her life, lets just leave her in peace for the rest of her time.

Exactly my thoughts too and its seems that the flood gates have opened on scrutiny of royal residences.

 

[Tatiana Maria]

Does she really need to be moving at c90 years of age? She has served the country all her life, lets just leave her in peace for the rest of her time.

Isn't @royal-blue referring to a residence she is not living in?

 

[hereditarytitles]

Are there any many lifts at St James’s Palace? If not I hope Prss Alexandra’s apartment is near to the ground floor. Imo this lady is much too frail to be toiling up and down flights of stairs every time she wants to go out.

I remember reading that she has a groundfloor apartment. I found this in a facebook feed: "As well as the Princess Royal, Princess Alexandra has a ground floor apartment which overlooks the garden"

Anne Boleyn Obsessed | Where does this remind you of | Facebook

Where does this remind you of? This is St James’s Palace. Still a working Royal residence today (in Kensington Park). Does it remind you a little of the gatehouse at Hampton Court Palace? Both built...

www.facebook.com

 

[yukari]

Does she really need to be moving at c90 years of age? She has served the country all her life, lets just leave her in peace for the rest of her time.

If it for her comfort and convenience, why not? My parents moved my late grandmother to live with them in her last years for that reason, she was 86.

 

[hereditarytitles]

As I understand it, the issue isn't that Princess Alexandra is being asked to move out; it's that she hasn't lived at Thatched House Lodge in Richmond Park for quite some time, instead has been living in St. James Palace, which means that Thatched House is now apparently empty, and that she is reportedly paying a very low rent. The PAC is now investigating all other properties where members of the Royal Family live to see if the rents are in line with current market rates.

 

[muriel]

Isn't @royal-blue referring to a residence she is not living in?

Do we know for sure that Princess Alexandra does not live at Thatched House Lodge any more, or is it just the Daily Mail speculating?

 

[muriel]

If it for her comfort and convenience, why not? My parents moved my late grandmother to live with them in her last years for that reason, she was 86.

And that is a choice for Princess Alexandra to make, not the Daily Mail or any of us. She has a lease on the house in Richmond Park and she has an apartment in St James', she can live where she so chooses.

 

[hereditarytitles]

And that is a choice for Princess Alexandra to make, not the Daily Mail or any of us. She has a lease on the house in Richmond Park and she has an apartment in St James', she can live where she so chooses.

Yes, indeed. But you tell that the PAC which as is written in several papers hoping to get more money value for the taxpayer. Sounds to me like a political decision to appease the taxpayer.

Peppercorns and properties: why MPs are investigating royal rents

Public Accounts Committee inquiry hopes to ‘secure value for money for the taxpayer’

theweek.com

 

[tommy100]

As she holds the lease to Thatched House Lodge I don’t see the issue. The problem IMO is people not understanding the difference between renting a house and a leasehold. Leaseholds are never comparable to renting a property as effectively in most cases the occupier is on the hook for all upkeep, maintenance etc just as they would their own home. Renting is different as then the owner is often expected to keep the property maintained. The Crown Estate is making money by selling leases to people who then have to maintain and upkeep those properties so the Crown Estate doesn’t have to and can leave them without worrying about upkeep etc. a lot of these “could get better returns” comments are overlooking the fact these are leasehold not rented properties- if the crown Estate wants to change its business model to renting over leasing, let it. But the bills for upkeep, maintenance etc will be considerable in the end reducing any profit.

 

[Frelinghighness]

Thank you for explaining that.i imagine most don’t understand

 

[muriel]

Yes, indeed. But you tell that the PAC which as is written in several papers hoping to get more money value for the taxpayer. Sounds to me like a political decision to appease the taxpayer.

Peppercorns and properties: why MPs are investigating royal rents

Public Accounts Committee inquiry hopes to ‘secure value for money for the taxpayer’

theweek.com

There s little for me or you to do. this is just tabloid noise. The PAC can review the lease, and try and establish why the Crown Estate many have entered into the lease it did with Alexandra, whenever it did, and what comparable leases at the time were.

 

[Tatiana Maria]

this is just tabloid noise.

The article seems to keep to what was in the press release. But if you prefer to read the official press release from the PAC, you can find it at the bottom of this post:

General Discussion about Royal Residences 2: Sep 2022 -Dec 2025

And also makes me think of the future of St James's Palace? I could see the use remaining as per current time - offices and living area for minor royals as required. Maybe charlotte and Louis will have a small base here

www.theroyalforums.com

 

[hereditarytitles]

Thank you so much, Tatiana Maria, for always taking the time to remember previous posts and repost them along with all the replies. This creates clarity and helps keep track of the discussion and avoid repeating points. It's easy to lose track of things when dealing with a topic that interests many people. I sometimes get lost in the details and the amount of replies, and it's also time-consuming and tedious to reread all the replies.

 

[hereditarytitles]

As she holds the lease to Thatched House Lodge I don’t see the issue. The problem IMO is people not understanding the difference between renting a house and a leasehold. Leaseholds are never comparable to renting a property as effectively in most cases the occupier is on the hook for all upkeep, maintenance etc just as they would their own home. Renting is different as then the owner is often expected to keep the property maintained. The Crown Estate is making money by selling leases to people who then have to maintain and upkeep those properties so the Crown Estate doesn’t have to and can leave them without worrying about upkeep etc. a lot of these “could get better returns” comments are overlooking the fact these are leasehold not rented properties- if the crown Estate wants to change its business model to renting over leasing, let it. But the bills for upkeep, maintenance etc will be considerable in the end reducing any profit.

Thanks for the explanation. Then I wonder why British MPs commission a closer look at these things via the PAC. Surely they must know the differences between the two terms and should have known that it doesn't make sense and might be a false accusation. The tabloids just pick it up without doing any further research, seems to be trendy nowadays everywhere, quite alarming and disappointing.

 

[tommy100]

It is also worth noting that for most of the recent leases between members of the RF and the Crown Estate the deal have been looked at by Estate Agents like Savills, Hampston & Knight Frank - some of the best and most exclusive in the country use to working with large properties - who have scrutinised the deals. I would assume these agencies know more than most MPs (in most things but especially in property matters).

In other news, and I look for the article now, amidst the news of a new Crown Equerry (the chief of the royal mews) being appointed it was revealed that the Royal Mews are to move to Windsor.

 

[hereditarytitles]

It is also worth noting that for most of the recent leases between members of the RF and the Crown Estate the deal have been looked at by Estate Agents like Savills, Hampston & Knight Frank - some of the best and most exclusive in the country use to working with large properties - who have scrutinised the deals. I would assume these agencies know more than most MPs (in most things but especially in property matters).

In other news, and I look for the article now, amidst the news of a new Crown Equerry (the chief of the royal mews) being appointed it was revealed that the Royal Mews are to move to Windsor.

What is the royal mews?

 

[tommy100]

The Royal Mews, in this context, refers to the department that runs the transport needs (both motor vehicles and equine) for the Royal Household and Royal Family.
There is a Royal Mews building at Windsor Castle which presumably has horses and carriages using it but the suggestion seems to be that the "main operations" is moving to Windsor over Buckingham Palace.

King and Queen pick first female crown equerry to run Royal Mews

archived 11 Dec 2025 20:08:34 UTC

archive.is

In a sign of the monarchy’s operations further shifting from Buckingham Palace to Windsor Castle, it can also be revealed that the Royal Mews, which has been based at the palace for 200 years, will move from London to Windsor.

It is understood the move, which is already under way, is largely due to logistical reasons because senior members of the royal family no longer live in London. Buckingham Palace, which has been undergoing a ten-year, £369 million renovation, no longer serves as the London residence of the monarch. Charles, 77, has his private office at the palace but he and Camilla stay at Clarence House when they are in London. They are not expected to move into the palace when the refurbishment works are complete in 2027.

 

[hereditarytitles]

The Royal Mews, in this context, refers to the department that runs the transport needs (both motor vehicles and equine) for the Royal Household and Royal Family.
There is a Royal Mews building at Windsor Castle which presumably has horses and carriages using it but the suggestion seems to be that the "main operations" is moving to Windsor over Buckingham Palace.

King and Queen pick first female crown equerry to run Royal Mews

archived 11 Dec 2025 20:08:34 UTC

archive.is

Thanks for the information, always learning something new.
It certainly makes sense to move this institution to Windsor. I've always wondered, most recently during the German president's state visit, how the logistics of all those horses, carriages, and cars are managed.

 

[Sun Lion]

What is the royal mews?

The Buckingham Palace Royal Mews have their own thread here at TRFs hereditarytitles.

The Royal Mews, Buckingham Palace (Coaches, etc)

I just found some pics of the new Australian coach to be presented to Her Majesty sometime in the coming months. It will be a belated 80th birthday gift... The State Coach Britannia THE STATE COACH BRITANNIA

www.theroyalforums.com

I’ve went there a few years ago.

Wonderful chance to see the carriages up close and study them. Better than just seeing them trundle past you in a street.

A couple of the Windsor Grey horses were there too, and various stately cars as well.

 

[Stefan]

What i wonder about the Move of the Royal Mews. Will all the carriages brought to Windsor. Aus the Mews are also a Tourist attraction in London. And for Events like the the State Opening and Trooping they will be needed there

 

[Sun Lion]

What i wonder about the Move of the Royal Mews. Will all the carriages brought to Windsor. Aus the Mews are also a Tourist attraction in London. And for Events like the the State Opening and Trooping they will be needed there

Here is a link to the Buckingham Palace Royal Mews official website Stefan.

It may be no longer correct, but it does state that the Mews are closed to the public now for the rest of 2025, but are scheduled to re-open on 5th of March 2026.

I hope it is not closed down completely as it has a different atmosphere to the rest of Buckingham Palace.

A serene place just along from the crowds around the front of the palace, but with very few visitors … and seeing the horses up close, not just the carriages, gives it something special.

Visit the Royal Mews | A Glimpse into Royal Transport

Step inside the Royal Mews to explore historic royal carriages, meet the Windsor Greys, and learn the secrets behind equestrian traditions. Know more!

www.london-tickets.co.uk

I’ve just posted a well done video about the Royal Mews in that thread.

The Queen is quoted as saying that the Mews is Buckingham Palace’s village.

That is what it felt like to me, that really sums it up well.

 

[Marengo]

It is time to close this thread. You can find the new one here.