Royal Lodge - Is it forCamilla?

[KindnessJunkette]

This seems to have caught fire in some places:

https://www.gbnews.com/royal/prince-andrew-rift-king-charles-queen-camilla-royal-news

Royal Lodge was the home of the Queen Mother. If he thinks Camilla will outlive him it could come about. I can see him wanting to protect her status through that love.

Given that Camilla escapes to Ray Mill as often as possible, and it’s all set up with security, I think she’ll head there if she outlives Charles.

There’s plenty space at st James’, Buckingham palace or Kensington if she needs to leave Clarence House and requires a London base.

I don't think she'll be stuck for a bed in London anytime soon. How many properties might she have to choose from (via her husband maybe)?

From what I read recently A has a long lease on Royal Lodge and it might be difficult to ahem disLodge him.

I would think she would just go back to live in Ray Mill.

I agree with those saying Camilla would prefer her own house. I don't actually think there is anyone specific that Charles has in mind for Royal Lodge. It's more about moving Andrew to somewhere cheaper and more suitable.

More likely she would have an apartment in Kensington Palace for London use, and as pps have said, use her own house, and possibly Highgrove outside London.

RL makes sense in that the security she would get is more or less inbuilt but I think disgraced bro has an iron grip on it. Not sure continuing to pay for a whole separate set up for an effectively retired royal will go down well when people can't access even basic services in a timely manner although it's entirely possible C may have made private provision for it.

Highgrove is owned by the Duchy of Cornwall meaning C now pays his rent to W rather than himself. I can't see W keeping it on when he becomes king. I think it's most likely to be sold by the Duchy.

I think Camilla will retire to her own property with security provision funded by Charles and retain a small London base in KP.

I did read years ago that Charles' plan was for Highgrove to go to Harry as a country home - that idea has presumably been shelved!

Given that Highgrove is owned by the Dutchy of Cornwall I’d suggest that article was written by someone who didn’t get that and what it meant.

Charles could never have planned that as as soon as he became king he has zero say over Highgrove and now pays rent for it - which he’d always have known.

I don’t think anyone apart from the Yorks wants the responsibility of Royal Lodge - it’s huge and needs a lot of money spent on it.

I’ve no idea why articles keep popping up
claiming it’s being saved for someone else.

It seems very clear to me that William and Kate definitely don’t want it - out of all the choices they had when they decided to move closer to the Queen and the kids’ school they chose a smaller family-style home not a stately home type of property.

They know within a couple of decades or less they will be living in Windsor Castle and Sandringham etc

Camilla has loads of places to be if she outlives Charles - including her own property. I’m sure William would let her keep living in the Balmoral estate house they use right now. There, Clarence House and her own house which is near Highgrove seem to be the places she spends most time now.

Charles might be trying to solve the problem before he dies. He might know that William would really struggle with Andrew.

I would expect that a widowed Queen Camilla would divide her time between her own house, Birkhall and Clarence House (as that must feel most like a London home - they've been there for years). If Clarence house is needed for someone else, then apartments in BP, KP or StJP depending on where there is suitable space.

I actually think Charles is the one who struggles with Andrew because he comes across as very sentimental - I think he feels strongly about the sibling bonds as the oldest.

I suspect (hope) William is going to find it easier to deal with him.

I agree. Andrew is Charles’ brother so I can’t imagine William wouldn’t find it easier to feel
more detached being his nephew 🤷‍♀️

I also think it’ll be harder for Charles because he’ll have had more conversations with his mother about his brother. So it’ll be harder for him to go against what his mother wanted, whereas William will be doing what his father wants and that’ll make it easier

That said I don’t actually think any of them particularly want Andrew out of Royal Lodge. The issue is that Andrew can’t afford the upkeep, and Charles and William are both savvy enough to know that being seen to pay for lavish repairs to a large property for Andrew is going to get them a massive backlash.

If Andrew was looking after royal lodge then him moving wouldn’t even be up for discussion imo.

My solution is to have Royal Lodge condemned as unsuitable for human occupation due to it falling down.

Get rid of all the palatial homes, sell to the Labour Government for social use.

Buy a block of luxury apartments in a salubrious area of London. Separate entrances for each "user/owner". The penthouses for the top of the pile, the ground floors for the disabled/bewildered.

Security focused on one place, and all together like one big happy family.

Best thing for Royal Lodge would be to sell the lease to a billlionaire who is into house restoration - Andrew could take the cash which I am sure he needs and be moved into a smaller property out of the way - maybe Home Farm on the Sandringham Estate.

Then Royal Lodge can be restored and updated without it costing the Crown Eatate and therefore the tax payers

Bit like Fort Belevere which is also Crown property but has been leased out to a wealthy Canadian family for many years.

https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fort_Belvedere,_Surrey

Highgrove is owned by the Duchy of Cornwall meaning C now pays his rent to W rather than himself. I can't see W keeping it on when he becomes king. I think it's most likely to be sold by the Duchy.

That would be a shame, after the decades of work that have gone into developing the gardens. Unless it became a Trust, or part of the King's Foundation, as Castle of Mey and Dumfries House. I think it should be kept as an educational resource, offering training in gardening and associated crafts, in line with Charles's principles.

Give it to the National Trust. Too many houses in play for the very small working Royal Family now. Of course there are 3 kids who in the future will be wanting a home.

Yes please.

Each of my three kids want a home also. We cannot provide one let alone three. But we are trying to help them just the same.

If the RF had to graft a bit for their digs they might, just might understand a bit better how things are outside Ivory Towers. But maybe things will change.

I would think that's off the table! 😂
It's a shame, because it's a beautiful home with stunning gardens.

I wouldn't have thought Harry would have a clue how to run Highgrove anyway.

I'm not sure that's the case - I totally 'get it', but also know that things can change. Charles could have bought Highgrove out from the Duchy with Williams's approval, and given it to Harry, always assuming Harry would have wanted it. Obviously, with the Sussex relationship deteriorating over the past few years, this is now highly unlikely.

I can’t argue with that. We live in a world of extreme wealth and extreme poverty. I do see the royals as helping others a lot though.