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The royal family

Three Houses or Four

231 replies

antelopevalley · 18/08/2022 12:54

Yahoo has an update piece about the three houses the Cambridges now have, alongside some of the renovation costs. Still, it is one less than Charles who has four residences.
William and Charles - the great environmentalists.

"When they moved into Kensington Palace: There was understandably some controversy when it was revealed that the move would also be coming with an eye-watering renovation bill to be picked up by the British taxpayer. Neglected and run-down, Apartment 1A at Kensington Palace required a number of major changes and updates for it to be brought up to liveable standards (and allow the couple to add their own personal touches). In 2014, the Sovereign Grant confirmed that it cost over $5.4 million (£4.5m) to complete.

A necessary investment: At the time, press aides told outlets, including myself, that the costs were a necessary investment as the couple planned to use the property as a permanent base to work and raise a family. This house, they assured, would be their forever home. Though the Cambridges had another residence in Norfolk—a property on the Sandringham Estate for school holidays and escaping the city—the $1.8 million (£1.5m) renovation costs for Anmer Hall, a wedding gift from the Queen, were all paid for privately.

The new driveway: In 2019, the duke and duchess added a further $1.2 million (£1 million) to their Sovereign Grant-funded renovation costs at Kensington Palace by installing a new driveway. It was a figure that left many scratching their heads, but was mostly ignored by sections of the press who were more focused on how much Harry and Meghan would be spending on their new crib.
The move to Windsor: Despite the palace promise, the Cambridges’ time at “KP” has come to an end after nine years. Later this month they will move to a new abode in Windsor, for a life “away from the goldfish bowl” in London and what a source tells me is an effort to give their children “as normal a life as possible”. It’s a decision that has raised a few eyebrows, particularly at a time when the country is dealing with a major cost of living crisis. Picking up a third home, especially when one of them cost the public so much to renovate, is hardly the norm for regular folk.

Adelaide isn’t costing the taxpayers anything?? Still, Adelaide Cottage comes at no expense to anyone but the couple, I’m told. Rather than buy, the couple have chosen to privately rent. Any desired cosmetic work or refurbishments will be paid from their own pockets. (It remains to be seen how the duke and duchess will travel to and from London—their love for helicopter trips, which the British press prefer to turn a blind eye to, are not just an unfair cost to the public but also go completely against William’s environmental concerns).

They wanted to get the kids out of London. “They thought about moving to [their home in] Norfolk, but as active senior working royals they could never be that far away from London, so that’s where Windsor came into the picture,” says the source."
uk.style.yahoo.com/prince-william-kate-windsor-move-kensington-palace-153609273.html

OP posts:
CathyorClaire · 20/08/2022 21:21

I think you think the general public are stupid

Huh, me?

Maybe re-read.

LittleBearPad · 20/08/2022 21:27

Do you think the general public think this is a cost saving measure?

Roussette · 20/08/2022 21:28

LittleBearPad · 20/08/2022 21:27

Do you think the general public think this is a cost saving measure?

I bloody hope they're not that stupid

LittleBearPad · 20/08/2022 21:31

Roussette · 20/08/2022 21:28

I bloody hope they're not that stupid

Well so do I - if they do we’re really buggered.

Though given the state of the current and future government we are generally fucked!

CathyorClaire · 20/08/2022 21:53

Do you think the general public think this is a cost saving measure?

Given the level of royal support and apathy to their doings even in the face of credible links to the contrary on this forum alone it wouldn't surprise me so yes. I think the general public will swallow it whole much as they always have.

mondaytosunday · 20/08/2022 21:59

Ho hum. Is this really a surprise to anyone that the Royals have multiple residences and fly around in helicopters? I don't think they hide it from anyone. They are not regular people. They don't have regular jobs. I don't expect them to live like regular people.
The Crown estate (visitors to the Royal Residences, sales of souvenirs, income from property it owns - all of Regent St for example - and more) generates an income of almost £500m a year. Net this is about £270m, of which 75% goes to the treasury. 25% is the Sovereign Grant which supports the Royal Family, and which will be reduced back down to 15% in 2027 once renovations to Buckingham Palace are complete.
(The net is after taxes and expenses). So the Crown has already paid millions in taxes (the royal taxation is complicated) and then hundreds of millions in revenue. A year.
There is an argument that if the Royalty was abolished tomorrow, the Crown Estate would be owned by the government so no loss of revenue - though the ownership structure of various part of the Estate are complicated. And all that tourism money is BECAUSE of the Royal family.
I don't begrudge them the small percentage they cost compared to the revenue they bring in. As to their environmental footprint - pah it's fairly negligible compared to some. They could certainly do more for sure.

ajandjjmum · 20/08/2022 22:06

I think of the two of them, Catherine had a much happier and more stable upbringing than William, and they probably want to emulate that for their DC, particularly knowing the responsibilities that are likely to fall their way in coming years.

This is probably a very small window where they can 'try' to live a normal family life.

Good luck to them.

Puzzledandpissedoff · 20/08/2022 23:29

Do you think the general public think this is a cost saving measure?

Well, some insist (on a basis that instantly falls apart on inspection) that they bring in more than they cost, so if the RF wanted to claim this I don't doubt some would choose to believe it

ajandjjmum · 22/08/2022 13:21

ajandjjmum · 18/08/2022 19:31

Don't be so defensive - I haven't said I don't believe it will happen, I have simply said that it has not been formally announced. There's obviously something going on, but none of us know exactly what. As you say, time will tell, as the new school term isn't far away. But I'd rather wait and see what happens than waste my energy on supposition and vile rumours.

So you were right @Roussette - the rumours have been confirmed.

But not the 'vile rumour' introduced by the OP - as William and Kate are moving into Adelaide Cottage together with their children!

I hope it will be a happy home for them, and give them the privacy and family life they desire.

antelopevalley · 22/08/2022 21:55

@ajandjjmum Stop being a bully!
I said no such thing as you know.
And it was always clear that this was going to happen even though you insisted it was just a rumour.

OP posts:
toomuchlaundry · 22/08/2022 22:38

@antelopevalley you said there was speculation that they were splitting up. You were the one who brought that up

antelopevalley · 22/08/2022 22:49

toomuchlaundry · 22/08/2022 22:38

@antelopevalley you said there was speculation that they were splitting up. You were the one who brought that up

As you know I said there was speculation as many people do not understand that it is normal for the Royal Family members to have many houses.
You simply want to continue bullying me to make me stop commenting on MN.

OP posts:
Ohnonevermind · 23/08/2022 00:06

@antelopevalley

You were repeating rumours (again) that you gleamed from your nasty gossip site. No-one is bullying you, you just need to check facts before rushing to post, otherwise you’ll get pulled up again on your inaccuracies.

antelopevalley · 23/08/2022 00:10

You keep missing the point.
I was not posting facts. I was explaining that much of the public do not understand the Royals routinely have many houses. That lack of understanding has led to speculation about why they need 3 or is it 4 houses.
I have explained this to you about three times now. I am not sure why you can not understand this obvious point.

OP posts:
CPL593H · 23/08/2022 00:32

I honestly think that a British person would have to have spent their life under a rock not to realise that the Royals have many houses at their disposal.

I also think you've forgotten the content and tone of your OP.

Dinoteeth · 23/08/2022 00:44

Who cares but having lived between two houses it was a bugger if you'd lost anything. God knows how you'd ever find stuff if you were moving between 4 houses. 😂

fallfallfall · 23/08/2022 00:47

I honestly think that a British person would have to have spent their life under a rock not to realise that the Royals have many houses at their disposal.

this
and who cares the super wealthy live very very different lifestyles to a standard working couple.

GordonMcgregor · 23/08/2022 01:09

This reply has been deleted

This has been deleted by MNHQ for breaking our Talk Guidelines.

sashh · 23/08/2022 01:53

Readinginthesun · 18/08/2022 14:16

How many houses is it acceptable to have @antelopevalley ? I have 2 . Obviously I don’t live in the both at once but they each serve a purpose . Should I now refer myself to The Tower ?

Who paid for them?

donquixotedelamancha · 23/08/2022 02:36

How many houses is it acceptable to have @antelopevalley ? I have 2 . Obviously I don’t live in the both at once but they each serve a purpose . Should I now refer myself to The Tower ?

If you live on taxpayer handouts, one. If you earn your money, who cares?

If they had any self respect they'd earn their keep by shilling to the media like H and M or flogging arms to dodgy regimes like Andrew.

We pay far too much in benefits to that one disfunctional family. Generation after generation of fucked up kids, unqualified and ill equiped for real life, knowing nothing but living off the state. Social services should have been involved years ago.

ajandjjmum · 23/08/2022 06:32

antelopevalley · 22/08/2022 21:55

@ajandjjmum Stop being a bully!
I said no such thing as you know.
And it was always clear that this was going to happen even though you insisted it was just a rumour.

If the definition of bully is someone who insists on sticking to the facts, rather than repeating a completely unfounded rumour, then yes, I'm a bully.

But I think we both know that's not the case @antelopevalley

Roussette · 23/08/2022 06:32

It was never rumour, it was always going to happen, they just hadn't put out a statement that's all.

Personally... I'm more gobsmacked at the cost of just under £60,000 a year for three little kids to go to school, and more concerned about how much they are going to helicopter between KP and Amner Hall. I cannot see the family or even just K&W sitting in traffic jams doing the 21 miles to KP, or the family 120 miles to Norfolk. Their use of helicopters (which they use very frequently) is only going to increase massively.

As I understand it, they like to spend a lot of weekends in Norfolk, maybe the fact they have 'more freedom' as they say in Windsor, they won't, who knows.

ajandjjmum · 23/08/2022 06:35

@Roussette I did acknowledge that you had been proven correct on the other thread. Smile

Roussette · 23/08/2022 06:36

ajandjjmum · 23/08/2022 06:32

If the definition of bully is someone who insists on sticking to the facts, rather than repeating a completely unfounded rumour, then yes, I'm a bully.

But I think we both know that's not the case @antelopevalley

To be fair to antelope she never said she thought they were going to split up. She repeated a rumour, yes, but good god, it's what happens on MN all the time. People read stuff, they repeat it on here. Look at the H&M threads, full of unfounded rumours someone has dug up somewhere. It is absolutely endless. If you're going to pick up on this passing statement, you need to do so on all the H&M threads too, you have enough material to go on with that!

I hate a pile on, I've had it happen to me enough.

Roussette · 23/08/2022 06:38

ajandjjmum · 23/08/2022 06:35

@Roussette I did acknowledge that you had been proven correct on the other thread. Smile

I know Smile
It's just I wasn't trying to be proven correct, it was all over the papers, every single source of UK media along with US media saying they were moving, I just didn't consider it rumour. The royals are always doing stuff and things happening, they rarely put out statements, doesn't mean to say it isn't happening!