This summer will see a big move as Prince William and Kate Middleton will swap addresses at Kensington Palace following a recent announcement from Queen Elizabeth.
Prince William and Kate Middleton currently have two homes
Currently, the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge have both a townhouse, located at Kensington Palace, and a country home in North West London in Norfolk.
Called ‘Apartment 1A’, Prince William and Kate Middleton’s home at Kensington Palace is a far cry from the American idea of small, flat apartments. The palace is divided into several large houses all grouped together and called “apartments”, the Duke and Duchess being the largest and grandest. The house has 20 rooms including five reception rooms, three bedrooms, a nursery, a gym and staff quarters.
The couple’s country home, Amner Hall, is located in Norfolk, around 110 miles north of London, on the Queen’s Sandringham estate. The grand Georgian house has been the royal couple’s favorite over Kensington Palace since their wedding in 2011 when Queen Elizabeth gifted them Amner Hall and has served as both a retreat for the Duke and Duchess’s family, as well as a safe place for quarantine. during the pandemic. The much more secluded and spacious Amner Hall has 10 rooms spread over three floors and was redecorated by Kate personally when the couple moved in.
The Royal Family plans to move to Windsor to be near the Queen
Following Queen Elizabeth’s recent announcement that she will not be returning to live at Buckingham Palace but will be staying at Windsor Castle, Prince William and Kate Middleton are also moving from their home at Kensington Palace to reside near her. Royal correspondent Kate Nicholl recently said OK! Magazine (via Martha Stewart) that “…neither William nor Kate were ever Londoners and never enjoyed the chaos of the city. Although their home at Kensington Palace was highly secure, they often felt neglected and lacked privacy.
Nicholl left the fate of the beloved family home of William and Kate at Amner Hall uncertain saying the Duke and Duchess “…love being in Anmer. But they need a base close to the capital so they can easily return for engagements and public events. Windsor seems to be the ideal situation.
Located about 25 miles west of London, Windsor Castle is the oldest and largest inhabited castle in the world with around 1,000 rooms and 484,000 square feet, some of which are dedicated to private apartments, such as the Kensington Palace. And, while the castle apartments are undoubtedly luxurious, the Duke and Duchess have decided not to live at Windsor Castle with Her Majesty and are currently looking for a private residence in Windsor for their family.
Will Prince William and Duchess Kate move into Harry and Meghan’s house?
Among the private residences spotted by the royal couple, Prince Harry and Meghan Markle’s home at Frogmore Cottage is said to be among the finalists. First purchased by Queen Charlotte (who gained contemporary fame through her fictional portrayal in Netflix Bridgerton) in 1790, Frogmore House is located just half a mile from Windsor Castle on the castle grounds with its 10 bedrooms freshly renovated by Harry and Meghan in 2019.
Another contender for the royal couple’s new home is Adelaide Cottage, which is also located on the grounds of Windsor Castle and was also gifted to Harry and Meghan by the Queen, however, there are restrictions involving the cottage being a site of the Grade II heritage prevented the couple from owning the house. Given this, it’s unclear if Prince William and Duchess Kate will be able to own the house, if they choose, or if they would also be considered tenants.
Kate Middleton’s mother, a frequent visitor to Kensington Palace’s 1A apartment, is likely delighted with the family’s plans as Windsor is much closer and will be a much shorter journey for the doting mother and grandmother.
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