With the royal wedding only a few weeks away, there’s going to be endless last-minute speculation about what designer Meghan Markle will wear, how she’ll wear her hair, how her makeup will look, and yes, whether she’ll get to borrow a tiara. I’m interested in all of that, of course, but I’m also pretty patient when it comes to those kinds of details. I’ll let the anticipation build and I’ll be really excited to see her on her wedding day, which is when we’ll find out, and not before. But here’s what I want to know RIGHT NOW: what titles Meghan and Harry will get once they’re married, and what else the Queen will give one of her favorite grandchildren. Will she grant them a sizeable “apartment” in Kensington Palace? And will she also give them a country home on her Sandringham estate?
Prince Harry and Meghan Markle… [are] not going to come away completely empty-handed from their wedding. Not if Granny has anything to do with it. The Queen is believed to have a present in mind for the newlyweds, and it’s definitely not a cutlery set or a piece of Wedgwood. No, the likelihood is the happy couple will be gifted with their very own stately home, because she’s the Queen, she’s got homes to spare and that’s how she rolls. Having bestowed Anmer Hall on William and Kate in 2013, it would also only be fair.
As for which property, it’s thought it could be York Cottage, located in the Queen’s private Sandringham Estate in Norfolk, 9news reports. Following their wedding in 1893, York Cottage was the home of King George V and Queen Mary, and lies in close proximity to Anmer Hall – which would mean the two families would be close enough to spend a lot of time together.
George loved York Cottage, which is said to resemble “three Merrie England pubs joined together.” But if that doesn’t tickle their fancy – or if the land isn’t available – there are 150 buildings on the Queen’s Sandringham estate, so there’s plenty to choose from.
I remember that it took the Queen a few years before she gave Anmer Hall to William and Kate. I always thought the hold-up had something to do with William’s work in Anglesey, because the Queen’s gifts were kind of slow in coming in, you know, and maybe she thought they wouldn’t have use for a country home for a while? Well, the joke was on her, because as soon as she gave them Anmer Hall, they moved in permanently.
As for York Cottage – it’s not really a cottage. It’s a huge house, but not quite a mansion, in my opinion. I guess the Queen likes to surprise her children and grandchildren, but if it were me, I would want to know ahead of time what property I was being given so I could already have the renovations up and running before the wedding day. I would also want to be given options, but I guess beggars can’t be choosers. Like, looking at the photos of York Cottage, it doesn’t seem like Meghan and Harry’s style AT ALL. Is it possible that they could go to the Queen and say, “were there any other options maybe?”
Photos courtesy of Getty, Backgrid.
I would totally live in this “cottage”!
Me too, but it honestly looks like somewhere Mycroft Holmes would live. They could always redo the interiors to be more modern, but I’m fond of the old look. If I recall from her instagram, so is Meghan.
York Cottage is a ‘cottages’ for people whose main home is a palace – Julian Fellowes.
It’s currently being used as offices for the estate, so not as bad as WK kicking out tenants who still had several years on their lease.
It’s one of the smaller ‘cottages’ on the estate which is why George 5 loved it.
Fun fact: York Cottage is Diana’s childhood home.
I hope they get Highgrove (yes I know it’s duchy of Cornwall).
Wasn’t getting Apt 1A part of the bribe to get them to come to London to do more work? Hence why the prev tenants were kick out and all that money was wasted on renovations that were for the most part redone a year or so later? Bored Katie Keen decorated then decided she didn’t like the colours.
Digital unicorn: yes. When they spent over £4.5M on the renovations as revealed in the public accounts, the Palace was at pains to emphasise that the bigger apt and the super expensive refurbishments were needed because WK were to start their royal duties that year and needed a proper London residence. Ditto similar explanation for the new helicopter leased for them.
Do you think Charles will ever give up Highgrove? Personally I don’t see it, as he’s put so much into it and the spectacular gardens.
He’ll have to once he’s king. It is part of the Duchy and the Duchy will automatically transfer from Charles to William at that point.
I thought Park House was Diana’s childhood home?
Correct, Park House on the Sandringham Estate was Diana’s family home from her birth until her father inherited his earldom.
You are right @onerous + @AAA. Couldn’t correct my mistake.
The talk if they did move to Highgrove would be big, although they wouldn’t own it just like they wouldn’t own York Cottage/House. No transfer of ownership of any of these properties, just like there wasn’t with Anmer.
Charles has designed a new home near Highgrove and finally got approval of the designs. Mocked extensively but approved. That certainly won’t be done in time for H+M to move to Highgrove anytime soon. And it remains precarious, as William would be able to throw them out whenever he felt like it once he becomes Duke of Cornwall.
Another option is an extended lease at one of the Windsor properties (Frogmore, Belvedere), but that would mean publicly having Harry pay millions in lease up-front like Andrew and Edward did. Not a great PR move right now.
I’m here for the “Well the joke was on her comment!!” Lol
That’s beautiful.
Is a a lease like Prince Edward has on Bagshot Park, The Queen gifted Edward a 80year lease on the home she gave hIm. Bagshot Park.
How do those long 80yr leases work, do the Royals move out at the end point of the 80 year long lease and into smaller quarters , back to Palace apt?
Does she gift the houses outright or do they go back to or always belong to the Crown?
Do the Queen’s other children have separate country homes gifted to them, as well as their main residences?
The Queen’s other children:
Charles was not gifted a country home but that makes sense because he had Duchy of Cornwall income.
Anne was gifted Gatcombe Park and still lives there. The property is also used for commercial purposes, mostly related to horse events.
Andrew was gifted Sunninghill Park. He sold that property and now has a lease on the Royal Lodge in Windsor Great Park and also owns with his ex-wife a ski chalet in Switzerland.
As mentioned Edward has a lease on Bagshot Park.
HM might have secretly paid for it herself out of personal funds, but technically Edward is the one paying the lease on Bagshot Park. Edward signed a 50 year lease. Andrew paid for a 75 year lease at Royal Lodge Windsor, a lease which transfers to his daughters when he passes away.
harla, Anne has Gatcomb Park which was purchased with HM’s private funds. The equivalent of 5-10 million in taxpayer funds were used to fix up that private property, which Anne fans tend to ignore. Her kids and grandkids live there rent-free and benefit from the taxpayer security that secures that private property.
Andrew and Sarah were given 5 acres in Great Windsor Park as a wedding gift from HM. The Queen was allowed to purchase the property from the Crown Estate, which is questionable. They built Sunninghill Park, a design mocked as being like Southfork on the Dallas tv show.
After the Queen Mum passed away, Andrew purchased the lease for Royal Lodge Windsor where she used to live. Sunninghill was abandoned, fell apart, sold off to an oligarch, and I think has finally been torn down.
So, it seems that what you and aaa are saying is that only W&K have a separate country home in addition to their 22 room KP apartment.
@harla,
It’s unclear. Anne’s kids live on her estate and they may have their own Anmer Hall but it would be Anne who is their direct benefactor, not the Queen.
The York Princesses do not have a separate country home but they live at the Royal Lodge, and will be able to continue living there after their father’s death, but again their direct benefactor is their father, not the Queen.
What sets William apart is that the Queen provided him (a grandchild) with his own country home instead of William’s father providing William with a home. Supposedly Charles was going to acquire a home for William, but William preferred the Norfolk area (the Queen’s stomping ground) as opposed to Gloucestershire (Charles’s stomping ground), and it looks like Granny was willing to accommodate him.
Charles purchased Harewood Park estate near him for WK, but they turned it down. He kept it, renovated it and now it’s unclear what he is planning to do with it besides renting it out.
https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/uknews/1549939/Prince-Charles-designs-9m-royal-home-for-William.html
Anne’s extended family stays at her space in Saint James Palace when they are in London. Her taxpayer-funded space. Rarely talked about, but hey it is so much easier to just keep attacking the York Sisters while Anne’s kids are secretly living off the royal hog behind the scenes.
Zara has Aston Farm (part of Gatcombe) which is where Mark Phillips lived after he and Anne divorced. Mark moved out when Zara and Mike had Mia and wanted to move to the property. The whole of Gatcombe is secured with taxpayer money.
Eugenie is reported to have moved to Ivy Cottage at Kensington Palace, next door to Duke of Kent and near where Harry and Meghan live. Beatrice is moving to New York and vacating the apartment she used to share with Eugenie at SJP.
Andrew plus Edward & Sophie have apartments at Buckingham Palace for when they are in London on business. Said to be two, two bedroom apartments combined.
Do all those in the line of succession get a free home? How far down do they go? Wasn’t one of the York sisters 6th in line before baby Louis arrived? She is a grandchild too – will she get a country home, also!?!
Amazing, the bounty they keep for themselves. Meanwhile, I’m reading of kids being denied healthcare. Haves and Have Nots. I thought Britain was better than the US in taking care of its citizens.
@Veronica T,
The Queen gifted her all of her children except Charles homes. She has not gifted her grandchildren homes but Anne and Andrew’s adult kids live on their parent’s properties. There’s also something interesting going on with the York sisters because their London residences are on palace grounds, perhaps it’s a security issue.
The Queen gifted William Anmer Hall, although he does not own it he just lives there. William is an adult heir apparent so that’s why he gets special treatment.
So to your question, will Louis get a country home? Probably, because his father King William V will buy it for him.
Will the York sisters get a country home? Perhaps but it will not be purchased by Queen Elizabeth II. Also Prince Andrew has a lease on the Royal Lodge at Windsor Great Park and the length of the lease is long enough to provide housing for him and his daughters for the rest of their lives.
Thank you, aaa. I love old homes. I was born from the wrong uterus. 🙂
The grand- and great-grandchildren of the Queen will be taken care of with trust funds released at various points of their lives. let’s not forget the Queen Mother’s trust funds to the same family members. By any standards, they are wealthy and can afford to purchase their own properties. They look after themselves and flout the rules if need be. No transparency which SHOULD be a concern of every citizen. I doubt whether Bea and Eugenie’s housing issues were a result of security concerns; they lost taxpayer-funded security a while ago because security experts deemed there was no threat to them. Andrew was in high dudgeon and I think funded their security privately. Whether that is the case these days, I’m not sure. How Edward who has no job, and Andrew who has no job fund their lifestyle is probably left to the Queen. But does she use taxpayer money or her own?
That place looks gorgeous. I would take it! lol.
I read some time ago that they were looking at a house in Cotswold, which was the house used in the original Pride & Prejudice movie with Collin Firth. If they moved there, then they would be closer to Charles, which would be nice. Also, W&K are the big cheeses in Norfolk so imo it would be nicer for H&M to have a home elsewhere where they could establish their own set of friends and interests.
Also wondering if they’ll stay in the Nott Cott for the time being and take over Clarence House once Charles becomes King?
If they went with a private property, there would be more uproar than moving to Sandringham or to a leased property at Windsor Great Park. Taxpayer money used to secure a new private property wouldn’t go over well.
I think Clarence House is destined to become office space. Charles is said to want to stay there when he’s king, but that’s a pipe dream. His parents were required to move out of Clarence House to Buckingham Palace when she ascended the throne; he doesn’t get to be any different.
The idea that Harry would get the Clarence title and Clarence House is also far-fetched. They are decreasing the number of working royals, decreasing the number of royal properties, and concentrating people at Kensington. They might get a larger space at Kensington in the future, but I’d think only if someone like the Gloucesters move out and retire as working royals. Prince and Princess Michael of Kent aren’t moving out, Duke of Kent’s space at KP is very small.
Harla: by hapstance, CH has become the home of the heir.
The Queen lived there before becoming monarch. The Queenmother only got it because she didn’t want to live in BP after her husband died, and she didn’t want to move into Marlborough House which is where she should have moved as the King’s widow.
Dowager Queens Alexandra and Mary lived at Marlborough house when they were widowed and that is where the QM should have gone as well.
Charles doesn’t want to move into BP when he becomes King, so William and Harry (or George’s generation) will have to stay at KP until after Charles dies to get their hands on CH.
Marlborough house is primarily used for functions, but like apt 1A, it can be returned to the family if one of them takes a shine to it.
I am familiar with a different story.
When George VI died, the royals were fine with the status quo of the Queen and Philip living at Clarence House and the Queen Mother and Margaret remaining at Buckingham Palace. It was Winston Churchill who thought that it was best for the monarch to reside in Buckingham Palace, so the Queen and Philip were pretty much ordered to take up residence in Buckingham Palace. It appears that the Queen Mother grew to love Clarence House but she considered it a downgrade at the time.
Marlborough House was not available because Queen Mary was still alive and resided there until her death in 1953.
The Queen Mother moved to CH in 1953 after Marlborough house had become available due to Queen Mary’s death. She preferred CH to Marlborough house and that was that.
The churchill story isn’t exclusive from the QM’s own desire to vacate BP. The Queen and Philip were thought to be very happy with CH, but as the QM refused to live at Marlborough house, a swop was the only choice.
I’ve always thought the QM was a spoiled diva and Margaret took after her. How she trumped her daughter, the ruling monarch, seems to be another example of how Elizabeth is a door mat to her family. I’m surprised Philip didn’t put his foot down. I’m sure he thought he deserved the best.
Queen Mary was still alive when the decisions were being made so Marlborough House was not available.
Again my understanding is that the QEQM wanted to stay in Buckingham Palace, partially because she considered CH a downgrade and also so that she could be the power behind the throne. Philip wasn’t having it and ended up turning off the heat to get her out of BP.
I read that too about living near Anne and Charles. But Charles has already said he is moving the court to Windsor, and keeping Clarance House as his London home. He hates Bunkingham Palace.
There are rumors about this, but afaik nothing is official or publicly-stated. Rumor about him wanting to turn BP into a museum, rumor about him donating Balmoral back to Scotland, etc. Nothing definitive or confirmed.
Another fusty grand house that will require millions in renovations. The Queen does not have a great history of giveaway homes; Sunningdale was plain awful and is now in ruins, after all the millions that Fergie and Andrew spent on it. These two will spend their time in London…..not hidden away in Norfolk.
I think William set a precedent for having some “normal” years with your kids and I would not be at all surprised if they made the country their base while their kids are little.
Didn’t Andrew sell Sunningdale in a shady deal to one of his dictator friends and is now owned by some foreign oligarch.
Andrew sold a perfect Sunninghill in a shady deal. It’s the new owners who let it fall to ruin and eventually pulling it down.
This family, smh. Talk about excess.
I’m more interested in knowing if she will issue LP to make Harry’s children HRH Princes/esses before they become the Monarch’s grandchildren from the male line like she did for William’s children (except his firstborn son who was always going to be HRH and a Prince)
Maybe it will happen, but I don’t see why the Queen will gift Harry and Meghan a country home and when she has not done it for her other non-heir grandchildren and Harry’s father has his own wealth and generous income stream. Now if Charles gifts them a country home, that makes sense to me.
Peter and Zara live in houses on Gatcombe. No need for HM to give them more than what was already on offer. Their homes are on a par with WK’s Anmer Hall.
Peter and Zara live in homes on their mother’s property, so following that precedent Harry’s father should be providing Harry his country home not his grandmother. Although if I look at it through a morbid lens, if the story is true that the actual property is one of the homes on the Sandringham Estate, then Charles will be the owner of that property in the not too distant future.
Personally I think that Charles should purchase a country home for Harry and his family, a la Gatcombe Park and be done with it. The only reason not to do it is if Harry and Meghan have not figured out which area they prefer to live in.
Difference, aaa, is that Anne owns Gatcombe personally. Her kids will inherit that property and own it privately. That isn’t the case with any homes that are Crown Estate properties (Frogmore, Royal Lodge, Bagshot) or Duchy properties (Highgrove, Harewood).
Letting them live in a property owned by the Duchy? The Duchy is taxpayer owned, no matter what the Windsor family wants us to think. Questions about the amount of their lease, it is a fair amount, did anyone else have the chance to lease it, etc.
If Charles purchased a country home for them, there would be many complaints about the security costs. Why no one complains about Anne and her family getting taxpayer security at private Gatcombe I don’t know. There would be complaints about where the money came from to buy it, as the purchase price would be known. Putting them in a house at Windsor (secured government property) or Sandringham (no public info about leases or freebies) causes less fuss.
Beatrice and Eugenie will inherit the lease on Royal Lodge, and they’ll inherit the Swiss chalet as private property if Andrew and Fergie don’t lose it first.
Louise and James are the ones to watch here. Edward and Sophie do not own outside real estate that we know. What if anything HM does for those two in the future (Louise and James) will be interesting.
I would be very surprised if Harry and Meghan end up with a newly-purchased estate.
I am not following how your first two paragraphs are in response to my comments in this string.
I stand by my opinion that Charles should purchase a country home for Harry and Meghan. Charles has two sons, his oldest son will directly and indirectly inherit billions, and I don’t think that Harry, who is expected to devote his life to the family business, should spend the rest of his life as a tenant on properties owned by/entrusted to his father, brother and nephew.
If there is flack over Harry being gifted his own country home, I think that the BRF should just tough it out.
I doubt if QEII will still be part of this mortal coil when Louise and James are in the market for homes. I suspect that Edward could have gotten a country house purchased for him by his mother but he chose to lease Bagshot Park and pocketed / invested any remaining funds.
Doesn’t Sandringham belong to the Queen? Therefore, her property (or Charles’s since all assets were transferred to him to avoid death duties) to portion up as she/he pleases? The thing to watch is renovations and who pays for them.
I’d expect the Queen to shore up the financial futures of her family who are unlikely to be on the public teat after her death ie Louise and James but others too. So expect trust funds, much like the QM provided. Are Anne, Andrew and Edward paid from one of the many income streams that find their way to the Queen? How are their lifestyles funded? None of them seem keen to use private funds.
Those paragraphs follow what you wrote because of the difference between working royals and private citizens with famous in-laws. Zara, Peter, Beatrice, Eugenie, Louise, James are private citizens, some higher-profile than others, but private citizens. They are going to continue to fade out of sight, as will their descendants. All of these folks are without royal security and without royal roles, and their housing arrangements are not the business of the State.
I’ve always been curious as to why Anne and Andrew were given private property but Edward wasn’t. It may be they own real estate behind the scenes that Louise and James will inherit. By the time Edward and Sophie married, there was so much criticism about Sunninghill Park, a private property was deemed a bad idea. It might be seen that way for Harry too.
William and Harry are the only ones of this generation that will be part of the royal firm. That means, like it or not, their housing is a matter of the State as is their security. How much it costs, how much taxpayer money is spent on security where they live, all of that needs to be examined. But as the only two who are going to be working royals, they’ll be in royal properties with security.
The BRF doesn’t seem unaware of the rising criticism, which is probably why W&K ended up at Anmer on Sandringham. No purchase of a new home, but allowed to live rent-free on property personally owned by Liz. If Harry and Meghan also end up on Sandringham, it makes sense. If it all falls apart and the monarch is thrown own, their main homes are on private land.
What doesn’t make sense is us not knowing if the security at that private property is paid by taxpayers or the Windsor family. IMO it should be paid by the Windsor family. They are given taxpayer housing (KP, BP, The Duchy) in exchange for their jobs. Choose to live on private property (Sandringham, Balmoral) and they should be personally responsible for the security.
They have been preparing Harry’s descendants for a non-royal role by giving Harry more money along the way. Diana originally gave Harry more in her will iirc, but the people messing with her will changed that along with other things. Queen Mum gave Harry more in her will too.
In olden days (even the time of Anne and Andrew), he might have gotten a private estate as a wedding gift. In today’s world, the BRF might not get away with that. Behind the scenes they could secretly invest private funds in real estate for H+M’s kids, as they did with Beatrice and Eugenie. What would have been Sarah’s divorce settlement was invested in real estate and investments for B&E.
That’s my question. Why would Harry get a home if Beatrice and Eugenie didn’t get one? CHarles could buy Harry one, just like Andrew could get the girls one.
I would be feeling like the forgotten stepsister if I were the York girls and this happened.
Short answer – because B&E aren’t working royals. Plus they’re getting the Swiss chalet.
“Not quite a mansion”?… really?
I truly hope these people are thankful for the life they are lucky enough to live, they certainly don’t “do” anything to earn it.
This home is lovely. I would even put heels on 6 hours after giving birth in exchange for literally every.thing I could ever want.
I’m thankful my tax dollars don’t go to the upkeep of any monarchy. I think I’d be pissed at the wastefulness of it all.
@Ashely Not sure where you’re living but if you’re a US citizen, rest assured that your tax dollars are being properly wasted right here. You’ve purchased fancy desks, $40,000+ (Illegal) soundproof booths, first class plane tickets for certain politicians to jet off home and the renting of private planes for needless overseas trips. Cool, huh?
Not to mention almost weekly trips to the the Winter White House and numerous golf properties, plus security for adult children of the President wherever they go, including foreign trips (summer holiday in Italy for Tiffany) and numerous business trips for Uday and Usay).
Instead your tax money goes to the asshat in office to play golf, millions a week for him to bail and go to Florida to play king of the Manor and golf.
If you’re an American
I hope Charles gives them a house. Maybe he already owns something that he could pass on to them.
Harry and Meghan could actually buy their own house; both have millions. It might put a dent in their bank accounts but there is no need for anyone to buy them anything. But Charles has millions so can afford to gift the ‘spare’ a house; still, the taxpayer will be required to cough up millions for security for the now 6th in line. Think of all the kerfuffle around the taxpayer funding the security for the wedding… it’s not going to go down well. They’d be better off staying in KP in the cottage.
It does make sense – if the BRF is wary of the monarchy not lasting too long after the Queen dies, and I reckon they are – to gift HM a property on what they actually do own, Sandringham. And to get renovations paid by taxpayers somehow, while they can.
Right! To br able to pick and choose one of many such “Cottages”.
If the Queen has so many properties, why doesn’t she just sell some of them and repair BuckinghamPalace with it. Why cut funds for Nhs and pay teachera peanuts while half the country is homeless while there are large empty cottages lying around?
She was allocated funds for decades to keep BP in good repair but chose to divert those funds to her family. Yes, she should be held to account but instead mealy-mouthed politicians and Establishment flunkies hush it up, or at the most say she was given ‘poor advice’.
And, um, who will be paying for any renovations?
One guess…
I thought the rumors were Charles was buying a house for them near Highgrove, the couple was house hunting in the area, and the weekend after the engagement a £10 million estate on 170 acres with polo grounds was taken off the market.
I wonder what Eugenie will get for her wedding? A Visa gift card?
It must be so strange to be in a family that is also a business.
I read all the comments and I am more confused than before. So the Queen owns 100 “cottages” privately and under the Crown name and Charles owns 50 “cottages” under the Duchy name but they don’t really own them but also they will never loose them unless they give them away. Poor Harry must decide where to live and he will be given any of this unless he doesn’t like any of them and papa buys him a new “cottage” for a country home because of course he must have a space in London also and uhhh many castles around UK to go for vacations and what else.
All these people will never suffer about money and houses. Even if one day the monarchy is abolished they have enough founds to live like millionaires and also a lot of private proprieties around the UK. Oh God I still live with my parents at my age and they have no cottages or money to give me.
Things that are Crown Estate are owned by the government/aka The People.
Things that are owned by The Duchy of Cornwall are owned by the government/taxpayers, no matter what the Windsor family might tell you.
Sandringham, Balmoral, and any houses on those property are privately owned by Elizabeth Mountbatten-Windsor. Open questions about how much taxpayer-funded security is used to secure those private properties.
Do remember that Charles attempted but failed to make a case to have the Duchy of Cornwall transferred to the private ownership of his family. He showed his hand so expect another attempt down the track. This should alert everyone to the Windsor’s greed. If Brits accept it, they deserve to be fleeced by these grifters. Choosing to be deliberately ignorant is no excuse. Public resources should stay in public hands.
Correction – the tax payers are gifting them a lovely country house. Say thank you Harry & Meagan!