Just days before the Royal Wedding, we learned that Prince Harry and Meghan Markle had spent their last premarital weekend in the Cotswolds in England. The Sun reported that they were renting a pretty little cottage temporarily, and they had a lot of security precautions taken. I said, at the time, that it was likely to be little more than a summer rental, because I believed the Queen would give them some larger apartment/mansion in London, plus she would likely give them a country home too. I mean, why rent some non-royal property when the Queen personally owns extensive properties, and the Crown owns extensive properties too? But as it turns out, Meg and Harry aren’t waiting to see what real estate they are gifted. They allegedly signed a two-year lease on the Cotswolds property.
Meghan Markle and Prince Harry reportedly signed a two-year lease for a new home on the Great Tew Estate in the Cotswolds less than two weeks after exchanging vows in a highly televised wedding ceremony at Windsor Castle. The decision comes as the newlyweds await renovations on their centuries-old Nottingham Cottage at Kensington Palace.
It’s likely Queen Elizabeth II will give them a house as a wedding present, as she did for Prince William and Kate Middleton, but since the house will probably need an update, the newlyweds will probably be spending their weekends at their Cotswold property, Westfield Large, about 90 minutes outside of London, as those renovations are put into place. The home is located on the same 4,000-acre grounds as Soho House’s famous property Soho Farmhouse, as well as David and Victoria Beckham’s country home.
It sounds like this area is a pretty chic, celebrity-friendly, royal-friendly and elite area for Meghan and Harry. I think it’s smart that they signed a two-year lease too – the Queen didn’t hand Anmer Hall to Will and Kate right away, so it’s possible that the Queen will not “gift” a country home to Meghan and Harry right away either. But I am surprised that there’s been no announcement about an upgrade to their digs in London. Nottingham Cottage is supposed to be very cute, but very small. Maybe they’ll announce a new London place when Meghan gets pregnant?
Photos courtesy of Backgrid, WENN, Pacific Coast News.
Harry and Meghan have the star quality. Beautiful couple.
Yeah she looked amazing in that second dress.
Yes, and they’re both very photogenic!
I have read everywhere that they are getting Apartment 1 at KP? This property is right next to Will and Kate. It’s 21 rooms. I might be wrong though..It’s being renovated as we speak..
Yeah I read that too and that the current occupants are vacating. May be yet another rumor.
I read that as well. It may have been Hello!, not sure how trustworthy that is. But the article was pretty positive that the current tenants had left (is that the Duke of G?)
I’ve read that in a few places now. The Gloucesters have wanted to downsize since it’s just the two of them, so they’ve offered to move out and let H&M have it. Isn’t the apt. going through some basic rennos now, similar to 1A (roof, asbestos etc?) before H&M start personal construction in the place?
I thought the Duke and Duchess of Gloucester agreed to move out of apartment 1b into a smaller apartment in Kensington Palace and they are renovating and then moving in there once the Gloucesters leave.
It was also rumored the Gloucesters offered to more out of Apartment 1 (not 1A, not 1B) for W&K, now it has been rumored for H+M. Nothing has been confirmed that I know of.
I’m surprised they want to be that far out. It’s a beautiful area – but it’s actually more like 2 hours at least from London. On a good day. But maybe they’ll have more privacy.
But closer to the Soho set (Markus Anderson et al).
It’s not really closer to the Soho set. It’s close to one rural hotel some people within the Soho set occasionally use (yes it’s owned by the Soho House chain, but how often are the people who make up that group actually in the countryside? Maybe the odd weekend during the summer). The Soho set are generally found in and around Soho.
I agree with Meggles. It is hardly ground zero.
I LOVE The Cotswolds! Such a gorgeous area…sigh….
Isn’t this close to Charles’ pile? Not a bad move, if so.
I was going to ask this. Looking at a map (since I don’t really know British geography lol) it looks more than 90 minutes away. How far is it from Sandringham? Interesting to me that they don’t want to be close to Will and Kate in the country, but are they closer to Charles? I get all the houses confused, lol.
Definitely closer to Charles than Sandrigham. Opposite directions. 4hrs drive between Highgrove (Charles) and Sandrigham(WKQ). Most of the Cotswolds is in the same county as Highgrove (Charles) and Gatcombe (Anne)
Highgrove is in Gloucestershire so Harry will be familiar with the area. Plus it is a lovely part of the country
Yes, but Meghan is crazy to know the A-list people who would never give her the time of day before, and Harry seems transfixed, too, so this will be a lovely location for them!! I wonder who is paying for the lease? Harry’s inheritance, or Charles and the Duchy, aka the taxpayer??
Yes, gotta be close to those celebrities.
“Meghan is crazy to know the A-list people who would never give her the time of day before,”
You know this how?
Also, what A listers are you talking about @Veronica T? IIRC, OPRAH (I just want that to sink in) Oprah, George and Amal Clooney, Serena Williams (I repeat: Serena Williams), Prianka Chopra, Patrick Adams, Gina Torres, Gabe Macht just to name a few, all these stars are Meghan’s personal friends and were at the royal wedding because of Meghan, weren’t they? So what A listers wouldnt give meghna the time of day that she is looking for in Cotswold?
Veronica, Taxpayer!
It is much shorter by helicopter. Only the plebes drive that far. 🙂
I love Meghan, but why does it seem like their entire relationship is sponsored by Soho House???
Why is this on Meghan? Harry, Beatrice and Eugunie have strong ties to it as well. They comfortable around it. They know it is a protective space. These folks were members for YEARS and we only know it now because one of Meghan’s BFFs is a director of it.
I hadn’t heard of Soho House before Harry and Meghan got together and every other article about them has a Soho House mention. (They also supposedly had a “secret” Soho House gift registry). I’m sure that isn’t Meghan’s fault, but Soho House are getting way too much publicity from this relationship.
@Emily I heard of it cause it is pretty well known and they are all over. I have been to the one in Chicago. That said, are we really surprised it is mentioned in terms of Harry and Meghan? That is how they met. It is part if their story and will always be mentioned. The same way Suits/USA Network/NBC Entertainment will get endless promo due to Meghan despite her not being on it anymore.
The Clooneys are naturally also members.
Wedding reception sponsored by Casamigos, relationship sponsored by Soho House. LOL
It was mentioned on Sex and the City, more than once I think, and I’ve been to the one in NYC. It’s elite but not so secret that most people don’t know about its existence.
It sounds more exclusive than it actually is these days. I guess like Annabel’s. Though if a person is on a hunt for a lordling you may find one there. lol
The Cambridges stayed at Nott Cott for a while after their wedding too. I don’t see the rush in a move unless they 100% needed bigger space (aka pregnant). Until then they will stay there and have a summer home for more privacy.
I think this is a smart idea. It gives them time in the country that’s not directly related to the queen (i.e. not a house that she gave them) and presumably in an area of the country that Meghan likes already.
Who wouldn’t want to live in the Cotswolds.. it’s idyllic.
I’ve never thought of England as particularly pretty geographically, like some other nations are, but I am blown away by pictures of the Cotswolds!! And the towns – I love old towns like those, with the Cotswold stone buildings and the flower gardens!! I think I want to go visit soon!! I am in love!
Try the Lake District sometime. Holy cow, was it a glut of beauty all over!
@Veronica please take me with you 🙂
Go to both the Cotswolds and the Lake District?? SIGN ME UP! Let’s make a CB tour and go! 😊
I’m on. Mentally packing as we speak.
Isn’t Highgrove, the residence owned by the Prince Wales, located in Cotswolds?
Excuse my ignorance, I don’t know the area!
Yep, Highgrove is in the Cotswolds. I think the Sussexes are within an hour to an hour and a half of Charles.
Got it. Thank you.
He doesn’t own it, the Duchy does.
Cher – if it helps, try searching for British royal residences. It gets confusing when you think of all of the places in London, the weekend getaways, the country estates, the summer homes, etc.
I feel like a lot of people think the wedding was just the start of something great and from here on, Meghan and Harry will continue to rock the monarchy and lead super exciting, meaningful royal lives. I don’t think that’s the case. I think the wedding was the highlight and from now on Meghan’s life will be pretty dull in comparison and extremely restricted. Country homes like it’s the 50’s, no actual occupation, an endless number of engagements where your role is merely to shine a light and not anything actually political, your social life having to be carefully planned with security etc.
I feel like Kate is more suited to that life simply because she’s a 1950’s woman who stays at home with her children and goes to the gym, but Meghan strikes me as more complex/adventurous and I imagine she must get bored or claustrophobic eventually. And Kate will get to be queen one day, Meghan won’t. Her life will be about respecting tradition and not say or do anything too controversial that might reflect badly on the more important royals like William and Kate. It’s that awkward middle stage; she will be close enough to the throne to be a working royal and give up her freedom and spontaneity, but she won’t be the main player.
meghan will work, but i agree the wedding was the highlight. Also being queen is just a title and won’t change Kate’s life that significantly. She will be like Phillip a side kick
uhm, sorry, but she might overshadow William because even know media report us about her outfits.
Meghan is now the most interesting member of the royal family right now, and i just cannot think of anyone else taking that position for a very very long time.
FNAA, do you understand what Philip has done in his time as consort? Managed all of the private lands to turn them into self-supporting estates, written over a dozen books, has this huge technology and science training program in The Commonwealth, etc. He didn’t just sit around twiddling his thumbs and walking a step behind his wife.
@Nota: I am giggling at 1) the idea of Kate doing literally even 1% of any of that and 2) remembering how they ambushed her with one of Phillip’s patronages at that luncheon and how funny some of the photos were 🙂
I’m sure this has been an issue since forever, but it seems to be exacerbated when there is an event like the wedding which translates to more royal stories- some commenters are royal watchers and some are just celebrity gossip fans in general and they all end up mixing on sites like this. I wasn’t on CB back in 2011 when W&K got married, but there was probably a bit more of it then too?
I’m an American and most (even highly educated, well-traveled, etc.) people I know would, if they even know who Prince Philip is at all, absolutely think of him as the Queen’s sidekick as FNAA said above. A few people might say “oh the Queen’s husband who’s said so many racist things.” Most would definitely not know that his title is DoE.
Far more people know who William, Kate, Harry and Meghan are because they can’t go through a checkout line at any store anywhere without seeing their names and faces all over magazine covers or watch mainstream tv shows like Access Hollywood which was drowning in wedding coverage for months.
I don’t think it’s willful ignorance, but those who don’t share our interest in the BRF and are only here for Harry & Meghan say things like “sidekick” (I’m just using that as an example, not a slam on you at all FNAA!) which I usually just ignore. But I also appreciate posters like you and LAK who make corrections with facts.
Meghan will be able to a lot of things she wants to do and be fine. Michelle Obama and her daughters had a very active social life with the strictest security in the world.
Kate chooses to live the life she does. Meghan and Harry can make their own way. Them having a country getaway won’t automatically turn her into a 50s housewife.
You can’t compare Michelle Obama’s life with Meghan’s!! It’s not even in the same universe!! Michelle Obama can talk about any topic she wants to talk about, she can lecture on anything she wants, she can help any charity she wants. Meghan had to give up all her charities, because they were “too controversial,” like that hotbed of revolution, the UN. She can’t talk about anything deemed political or controversial, of she will see how quickly the public turns on the royals.
Michelle doesn’t answer to anyone. I see she and Obama as equals. Meghan walks behind Harry, answers to Harry, Wills, Kate, the Queen, Charles, Camilla, the Firm, the courtiers. She has to toe the line, look presentable and keep her opinions to herself.
One woman is a strong, powerful, free woman, an agent for change. The other one chose to give up her freedom to speak in exchange for fame, archaic rules, the belief that you are special because of birthright, and the lack of belief in meritocracy. Meghan has become the 1950s housewife who should smile, look pretty, wear those hose and don’t say anything about anything that isn’t scripted by the palace.
It is insulting to Michelle to be compared to Meghan.
Some people really don’t have a clue. In their bizarre quest to knock Meghan down at every turn, they spout the most ridiculous, ill-informed bullshit that, at this point, has become so repetitive and tiresome that I can’t imagine a normal person not being sick of their own rants and hyperbole. Michelle Obama gave up a lot to become First Lady, and anyone who says differently needs to go do their research to learn who she was before and what she had to cope with during Obama’s presidency. And, those who think the shoe fits here, they can rebut my comments all they want, but I have no intention of wasting any more of my time trying to educate the willfully ignorant. Just carry on with the dumb shit and be grateful someone gave you a moment of attention in the midst of your misery, even if it was negative.
Wow! You’re a real sweetheart, huh??
Michelle gave up part of her voice for her husband’s term/s. Not the rest of her life. So you are wrong.
And that you felt the need to attack me because I criticized your idol, Meghan? You may want to talk to someone about that kind of cult-like worship of someone who doesn’t have any clue, nor does she care, if you exist.
What you said to me shows exactly what kind of person you are more than anything I could say in return.
Sad!!!
Veronica
In your angst, you completely lost the point of my comment so I won’t even bother to respond to everything you said. My point was that Meghan can have a social life and private personal life even with public scrutiny and security. End of story. Meghan only has to walk behind Harry (which she never does) because she wasn’t born ‘royal’; not because she’s a woman.
Gosh, but you don’t have a problem with Philip, Daniel, Klaus, Henri, etc walking behind their spouse because it is royal protocol…
+1 Oleanna
+1 Jessica
@Veronica: Jessica did say “had” re: Michelle so she was referring specifically to her time as First Lady, and she WAS incredibly restricted — even more than most because as a WOC, she was getting awful sh!t hurled at her so she had to be especially careful.
I like Meghan, like a lot of others here, but she’s not my “idol” and it’s so rude and dismissive to call us cult members FFS. I’m sure many commenters here feel the same way and don’t appreciate the mockery. I can be a huge fan of Meghan yet at the same time, not think she is the next Mother Teresa.
Why don’t we all just wait and see what Meghan actually does? Because right now, none of us know. She might be a workhorse and a rockstar or she might end up being more of a Kate 2.0. But there’s no point in arguing about it when she isn’t even back from her honeymoon yet!
I think the opposite – she will enjoy her life very much. Meghan can step in for her sister-in-law for many opening ceremonies and visits to the hospitals that Kate is so afraid of. Meg will be as busy as she wants. I doubt she had realized how much reigned in she will be before the wedding, but there are so many perks, I’m sure she’ll come to terms.
it is upto meghan to decide how much or how little she wants to get involved esp if the older royals give up a lot of their patronages. if prince charles at 70 is the most active royal then hopefully m and harry will help dad out
“Shining a light” is her work. It’s like a celebrity endorsement deal – but with a royal. That is her job now.
Sometimes I get the feeling that if they have the chance William will abdicate in favour to George once he is in an appropiated age. William and Kate don’t strike me as a couple that want to be in the spotlight but enjoy the perks of a privileged life.
I still feel like willie will do an uncle david and dump the crown on his harry once the queen and phil cark it. He wouldn’t have the balls before then. That’s why willie and waity are so uncommitted.
@Aurelia
Any form of abdication is highly unlikely. He also can’t skip over his three children and give it to Harry. If William doesn’t want it, a regent will be chosen until George is of age. I don’t see Charles dying before George is 18. Harry has also said he and no one wants to be King.
If William were to remove himself from the line of succession before the oldest child turns 18, yes his line would go with him. See the shenanigans around Uncle David’s departure as reference. The government was going to skip over the Duke of York (and his two daughters) completely and hand the crown to the third son.
It would be too messy to have William remove himself but keep his line in. He isn’t willing to do the job, but we’re to believe he’d raise a child who would? And imagine all the emotive headlines about the evil royals raising the future heir against the wishes of the parents W&K.
Kate will be the consort not the Queen. She won’t have the duties HM has. Not by a long shot. She will be like Phillip but she won’t carve out a role nearly as large as he has. It isn’t her nature.
Her life is what she decides to make of it. She can be effective or she can be window dressing. There is nothing in her biography that predicts she will be idle.
She’ll be Queen Consort and be known as Queen Catherine. Let’s just accept that.
She will be like the Queen Mum who was Queen Elizabeth too. I meant it as far as duties and expectations.
Can anyone name the consort of Edward VII? Most can’t without a google search. That is who Kate will be.
Nic919: Poor Alexandra. The only thing people remember about Edward 7’s romantic life is his string of famous mistresses, one of whom is Camilla’s great-great grandmother.
@Nic
It wasn’t until I fell into a Queen Victoria rabbit hole out of boredom once and found some documentaries online that discussed Alexandra to a small degree that I even knew anything about her. Then I found myself watching some BBC 70s series on Lillie Langtry and one on Edward that had portrayals of her. But even in those instances, she is not a dynamic character or remarkable in her achievements so she is easily forgettable.
Before I had seen those I had no idea who his consort was and didn’t care. No one talks about her.
I love the Belle Epoque and the Edwardian era aesthetically and artistically, so many fascinating people and things happened but Alexandra’s name barely comes up anywhere. Not even when fashion is discussed.
I suspect you’re right: wedding as highlight. At least, I suspect that is the version of events Buckingham Palace would be most comfortable with.
It’s clear Meghan wants to make an impact, though. So, there is potential for conflict there. One thing the wedding made very clear to me (pastor, choir) was Meghan’s confidence in asserting herself as an individual within this RF. VERY different to Kate. Likely to make waves and ruffle feathers. We’ll see how it plays out.
Wild card: It might be that Charles (Clarence House) values her contribution more highly than BP does. If he gives her free reign, H&M could easily overshadow W&K.
I also read that the Gloucesters are moving out of the 21-room Apartment 1 at Kensington Palace and the Sussexes are moving in.
I don’t think that they are right around the corner from each other, but the Sussexes are in the same general area as Charles, Anne and her family, the Middletons, and Windsor where the Queen weekends.
My speculation is that the Charles is paying for the country rental and will also be the one gifting the Sussexes their permanent country home.
You mean the British people are paying. I kid as a Canadian who love Merry (Meghan and Harry) but let’s not pretend they are paying their way like all the other senior royal.
MM is obviously not paying but her royalties from her previous work are out of control RN because all her obscure shows and movies are playing around the world
They are supposed to be moving into Apartment 1A but from what I’ve read, it’s still under renovation. I suppose this will do in the mean time as they will be between Nottingham Cottage and this residence. If what most predict are correct, Meghan will definitely have a kid within the next two years, if not year. 1A might come in handy but they could get away with a smaller place when its just them and a baby.
They must enjoy the privacy of the place. I can see why; it is beautiful. Meghan and Harry both have a knack for getting away and doing their own thing. They are clearly on a honeymoon but there is not an inch of reliable sources about where too. They do know how to fly under the radar.
I read that they plan to keep Nottingham cottage and live there while in London. Maybe they’ve grown so attached to it and don’t wanna give it up!! Im just wondering, do these wealthy folks have to go away and out of their home every weekend? I know here in Canada how people buy cottages and love to go to them and spend time there especially during the summer, but it seems like H&M will be leaving at this Cotswold property every weekend. Don’t they ever get tired of packing and unpacking? I would never be able to live like that!! But again I’m neither wealthy nor royalty and I have to work 22 long shifts a month, so….
I have a feeling they don’t pack and unpack anything!
But on another note, I do know people who have summer homes (some of which have turned into weekend getaway homes). You keep a bunch of basics, like clothing, accessories, and toiletries, at the second home. If there is something you truly want to bring with you, like an outfit for a special occasion, you just pack it and bring it with you.
I would imagine the staff would also prepare the home in advance of their arrival, too. The staff makes sure everything is clean and dusted, and the kitchen is stocked with essentials before H&M arrive for the weekend. That sounds like a lot of work and coordination!
It’s very common for British aristocrats to decamp to the country every weekend. Most consider themselves primarily country folks. Diana was a definitely outlier in that regard.
There is also a royal season for everything. LAK would know better, but there is the regular summer August disappearance, Sandringham during the holidays, and others in between.
August is when the shooting season begins. The Glorious 12th is August 12th and used to mark the time the London social season sort of officially ended. It coincided in a way when the House of Lords and House of Commons retired. The House of Commons was filled with junior Lordlings yet to come into their titles, men from aristocratic backgrounds without titles and baronets so they had to get back to country living too. They would leave the city to live in the country full time. Trains made it so that transportation back and forth became easier so it stopped being so tedious to live in only one place and then of course cars makes it so that those traditions are moot.
I don’t think Diana was so unusual for someone in the modern era. I don’t imagine Althorp or Northamptonshire is a hotbed of happening.
Diana never spent that much time at Althorp. Her family moved in when she was 15, and she was away at school for a couple of years, and then shuttling between her mother’s city house and her father’s estate. She moved from Althorp when she was 19 and lived in her own digs in London for two years, and then at HIghgrove/Kensington with Charles from 1981 to about 1986, and then back in London almost exclusively.
For a generic “someone in the modern era”, no Diana wasn’t different in that she preferred city life. For her set, she was. Almost everyone in her social circle during her youth and married years lived part time in the country. Charles. The other royals. Her birth family, including her brother and sisters. All country people.
It’s still standard for upper-class / aristos to decamp to the countryside as often as they can even if they don’t have their own country digs. London is very much seen as a work situation, but not really home. Diana was definitely an outlier for her set because she preferred city life, and wasn’t a country girl though she pretended to be to hook Charles.
They don’t need to pack or unpack anything. They have people for that. Also, you just have multiple of stuff. My parents have multiple properties and you just leave the basics at each place and bring the stuff you really want. The only problem with that is you might forget what is at which place or the thing you want to wear is somewhere else – but that’s kind of a champagne problem and not a problem problem.
H&M going to Cotswold every weekend isn’t that different from people fleeing the city to the Hamptons in the summer.
Reading the other comments that came after mine I have to say Diana is not of my generation so maybe it was rare then for someone to be like her. I always think of her as young but then she would be nearly my parent’s age now. I wasn’t even born when she married Charles. So I stand corrected on that assumption. She’s forever 30 in my mind.
The aristocrats I have ever known well enough to take notice have careers and obligations. Some don’t even use their titles or honorifics and don’t even live in the UK. The ones of my parents’ generation are still rather throwback though.
Maybe age has something to do with it? Idk.
William and Kate are in 1A.
I just looked at Nottingham Cottage and the poor dears!! Imagine having a child while living there!!! /snark
It looks bigger than where 99.99999999% of the world lives and is charming.
My heart just aches for them.
Off-topic, but I wish Meghan would do fireside chats a la President Roosevelt during WWII to give Americans hope while living under the presidency of Trump. Please, Meghan, don’t forget about the rest of us who were unable to become foreign princesses!
What should she talk about to give me hope? The 270K gown she wore? The $30 million dollars she and Harry spent on taxpayers’ money for security for her second wedding. The mansion she will live in? The 5k dresses she will wear while she smiles, looks pretty and keeps her mouth closed about anything political or controversial.
Sorry, I am not interested in what the foreign princess has to say. She joined a world that has nothing to do with the real world.
SMDH
@Veronica T, I was wondering how your story would change after the wedding. This is the correct place for that bitchiness after all. LOl
I can’t believe you’re blaming Meghan and Harry for security costs which is attributed to Harry serving in Afghanistan and Meghan being biracial. Blame terrorism and racism for security costs.
Also it was 30 million; 4 million at best.
From BBC: He admitted it would take “a long time” to finalise the exact cost of Duke and Duchess of Sussex’s big day, but suggested it was “between £2m and £4m”.
When people start sounding like a broken record, or make comments specifically to wind others up they just need to be ignored.
So Meghan should risk assassination because she was married before? That is pretty extreme. I find the monarchy utterly useless, Kate in particular, but I wouldn’t begrudge any of them security.
Well, Veronica, you put the bitch in celebitchy. Bitch away!
I am from another country looking at Meghan from afar. She will be criticized regardless of what she does, sort if like Kate. I stull hope she is more active than her and find her own causes to support, even if Harry’s charities are very well chosen. They are rich and have to be protected. The king that quit, Edward and his wife, Wallis still had to have bodyguards due to the political climate then. Today has its
Own challenges, so get used to see them out and about. I am glad they got together, they seem a good match.
Well today it was reported that the security for Meghans and Harrys wedding costs about £2m to £4m. So the sum of £30m is a lie.
And, just in case, the story that Meghan has scooped up to 1m in jewellery is also incorrect, because the calculation includes the tiara which was loaned to her and the jewellery she had before she got married.
It is furthermore not confirmed that they actually did rent a house in cotswold.
I am so sick of all these fake stories and how they are used by certain people.
We have to wait and see. Right now all of this is alleged in one article that contains multiple errors.
I think this is about optics. Using the word lease brings up a palatable image of two cute newlyweds footing the bill for their first joint love nest.but Charles will 100% be paying for this. The two year lease is so Megs and Harry can start a family and justify leaving for the immense luxury digs the queen will gift them in London, followed by a posh country bolthole – more room for the kiddies. By renovating and refurbishing the properties now it sidesteps the collective public eyeroll that the new duke and duchess would surely inspire so early in the game. They would be seen as spoiled and not yet having sufficiently earned the goodies. Is this fair? Not in the least. The queen is free to give her family members whatever she thinks they should have and Meghan + Harry is destined to be a powerful brand but the great KP refurbishment con job William pulled has left a bad taste in the mouths of many. I omit Kate because William is the son of the heir and Kate was so miserable at the time I truly don’t believe she gave a toss – not wanting to be there, the half-assed decorating…the apartment was one of William’s shiny demands. Anmer lit Kate’s fire, not KP.
Kate was definitely behind selecting Apt 1A. It was in articles at the time that she said she just wanted to look around to see what the charity had done during their just completed renovations and then decided that she wanted it. Originally Apt 1A was to no longer be considered as a private residence which is why the charity took over the space and paid for renovations.
If I’m remembering correctly, the head of the charity was quoted saying they weren’t leaving, rumored to have turned down Kate, William and Charles but then Liz weighed in and it was over. Whatever happened afterwards, initially Kate definitely wanted it.
Natalie
Kate would much rather have been headquartered in Norfolk with her children. This is not to say that she wouldn’t want the biggest, shiniest apartment KP had to offer, charity be damned but the queen and Charles dangled that carrot in front of William not Kate. Kate did not throw out the charity her husband did. Kate may be shallow and self-centered but William needs no help in that department. Call his behavior for what it is.
I’m just going by what was in the articles. I think it was the head of the charity who said it was Kate who stopped by. William may have pushed for it based on what Kate told him and fighting for the apartment definitely had to be led by William but the charity’s interaction was initially with Kate. And there was something about wanting the garden area because one of the stories about Kate at the time was that she was a very keen gardener (Oh, the pr of yore. Kate and her potatoes).
The charity actually turned Charles down because I remember being suprised that they were open about it. The request came from William and Kate and as part of the thanks for getting it, they were supposed to do more work but of course shirked it.
This all happened in the fall of 2011. Just as the articles came out, there was a suprise trip to meet with Frederick and Mary.
Apt 1A wasn’t on the list of available apartments st the time. The charity had been resident for at least 6mths after renovating it, and had held an exhibition of royal wedding dresses in the apartment. Video of parts of this exhibition can be found on youtube. Ditto pictures of the charity’s renovation.
Regardless of which one of them demanded it, WK were dissatisfied with what they were shown and asked to see the unavailable Apt 1A. They loved it, and Queen had to negotiated with the charity to buy back their lease + cost of *their* renovations to give it to WK.
Similar story with Anmer Hall which was handed to William as a 30th birthday gift (per PR) and the remainder of the sitting tenants’ unexpired lease bought out by HM so that WK could take up residency immediately pending renovations to their taste.
Agree about giving the impression they are paying for it themselves. Gad, this will be round 2 of they are sooo thrifty. Just like us.
I heard about them looking for a place in the Cotswolds a few weeks ago. The article made a slightly shady comment about Norfolk. Kind of like, “Meghan and Harry will be in the Cotswolds, and not Norfolk, thankyouverymuch.” It wasn’t the first time I had read something about Meghan and Harry that included a veiled disdain for Kate’s Norfolk life.
I do not think that Harry ever had any bad blood with Kate. The kids are their nephews, but the newlyweds maybe just want to be alone. It doesn’t have to be mh vs kw.
Meghan and Harry definitely have a different vibe and mimosa soaked brunches and pheasant shooting in 85 year old Harris tweeds is not it. Not everything has to be a Cambridge dig or comparison. True Will and Kate can’t compare lol but the determination to side by side them constantly is tiresome.
I don’t think we really know much about how they spend their time. They may well like the privacy of the country. Harry at least has spent a lot of time there.
But I totally agree that not everything they do is in some response to William and Kate. They no doubt know their own minds, and make decisions based on how they like to do things.
Emerald
Yes – different personalities equals different choices and there’s nothing wrong with that.
The Harris tweed comment made me giggle. I can relate more to Harry’s taste than I can to William. Even though we are all in the same age group William reminds me of my stuffy cousin from the European branch of my family who is only in his late 30s but acts like he is 65. He seriously walks with his hands clasped behind his back.
magnoliarose
Lol suddenly I smell pipe smoke!
I can relate to Harry emotionally because I have a soft spot for scampy screw-ups with a heart of gold but I don’t dislike William. When I’m tempted to completely dismiss him I imagine him consumed with anguish because his last face to face with his mom involved a teen argument or him going to the local fire station in St. Andrews to study for a test because his friends didn’t know to look for him there. William could be as dedicated and passionate a royal as his father and grandparents but he has to want it. He has to see that there is more happiness in honor and service than there is in a life of unchecked self-gratification. Miracles can happen right?
I don’t dislike William either but he doesn’t impress me at all. I do have sympathy for him and I don’t think he is a villain of any kind. Petulant and overindulged for sure but dark hearted I don’t think so.
He seems like an emotionally arrested aristocrat from another time. Back when owning land was good enough and he could spend his life gentleman farming and meeting with his estate agent. Can’t you imagine him sitting in his study drinking port or brandy and just being tweedy in Norfolk?
Norfolk is pretty rural. London glitteratti treat Cotswolds as an extension of London. I suppose one could call it the English equivalent of the Hamptons for English socialites. And it’s full of royals and wealthy establishment types with their weekend homes so H&M won’t be as cut off as they would be in Norfolk.
This is my impression. Meghan is vibrant and as engaged as she is engaging, imo. Clearly a networker and a self-motivated learner the Cotswolds will give her and Harry the chance to build a formidable, deceptively low-key sphere of influence for their brand. If Eug is included I’m excited to see the pitential good that could come from this.
Enough Already: I was pretty surprised that the Clooneys didn’t opt for Cotswolds given their apparent ambitions and social set. Mind you they opted for a more conservative, but equally affluent corner of Berkshire, so i guess it evens itself out.
Ps: as much as i understand the difference in personalities and how they operate, i’ve never understood William’s unwillingness to build himself a network of allies to help his future role, like Harry does.
Perhaps he will make like Victoria and lock himself (and his family) away whilst his ministers do all the work. Unlike Victoria who continued working privately if not publicly, i don’t see him doing the job privately too.
LAK
Victoria = brilliant!
William’s hubris and sense of entitlement may go a long way towards explaining his unwillingness (so far) to seek beneficial connections but those traits will not be his undoing. In all honesty, he’s not unlike other heir presumptives in that regard. His true Achilles heel is his inability to let time shape him into a better man. Since the death of his mother no one has allowed him to suffer real consequences for his arrogance, poor decision making skills and frat boy petulance. Harry has actually benefitted from his lack of protection as the naughty spare.
William will be the eternal Etonian making bawdy jokes, pulling out chairs from beneath dinner guests and basically embarassing himself in private and public unless something strips away his cotton wool in a real way. I don’t see anyone in his life willing or able to do that – not his manic wife, adoring brother or wistful father. William is not a wicked man but barring a psychological apotheosis things just don’t look promising…
On a side note I think it would be lovely if Meghan got on with Lady what’s her name – the intellectual one who works diligently on prison reform!
Enough Already: Agreed. That’s my feeling about William (and Harry) too.
I’m ashamed to say that with just a few words about Lady + prison reform in their circle and the first person that popped into my mind was one of the Grosvenor daughters without the aid of google!!!!
Wikigoogle gave me Lady Edwina Grosvenor, middle daughter.
LAK
Grosvenor – that’s it! Lol how do you do it?? 🙂
Dear LAK is font of knowledge on these fronts. I have been deeply impressed ever since she told me wedding carriages and the Duke’s daughter who had one at her wedding. Names and everything! 🙂
Hey, isn’t Cotswolds the place where Cameron Diaz rents Kate Winslet’s house? I’m sorry, obsessed with The Holiday here hehe
Haha I am also OBSESSED with The Holiday!! That’s the first place I heard of Cotswolds; Cameron Diaz’s character, Amanda, is looking at the England options online and when she clicks on Cotswolds, she proclaims “Cotswolds…which looks exactly like The Valley.” AKA she is not impressed haha… then clicks on “Surrey,” which is where the description is something about cozying up to the fire with a cup of cocoa in a countryside cottage, which ends up being Kate Winslet’s home. (I feel embarrassed for knowing this in such detail lol.)
At the wedding the Middleton clan arrived in a very interesting group. Kate’s parents were there. Pippa was with her husband, and James was there and then there was this middle aged woman wearing blue, definitely part of the group but standing somewhat apart. Does anyone know who this woman is?
I noticed that woman too!
LAK, NOTA, anyone … ?