Last summer, there were a series of fascinating stories in the Mail and Vanity Fair about the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge’s living arrangements. No, there wasn’t any confirmation that William and Kate are living apart, although I do believe they are. But starting last June, there were some curious stories about how Kate and William were house-hunting in Berkshire, to be closer to Kate’s parents. Then there was a story about how William has his eye on Royal Lodge, and he wants Prince Andrew kicked out so that William can move his family in. Then a month later, there was basically a confirmation that William and Kate are unhappy with their London base at Kensington Palace, and they were definitely looking at a permanent move to Windsor all of a sudden.
Katie Nicholl’s Vanity Fair piece on all of this keen real estate was fascinating too, it was basically a confirmation from the Middleton side of things, with sources saying that William and Kate want to move “closer to the Queen” and they “feel overlooked” at KP, although if they move to Windsor, they’ll still keep their huge KP “apartment.” Since September, we’ve heard precious little about any real estate changes for the Cambridges though, and I have been wondering if they’re still hellbent on moving. Over the past week, several stories popped up about how Fort Belvedere would be perfect for the Keens. Hm.
It is now reported by Marie Claire that the Cambridges will be adding a further property to their list of family homes, as the couple consider Fort Belvedere, otherwise known as ‘the Queen’s forgotten castle’ or ‘The Fort’ within the fold, as their permanent address. Situated in the Surrey hills, the impressive 18th century castle in Windsor Great Park poses a suitable choice for the family as its distance from London and Windsor means that the couple can remain close to their duties in the capital and to the Queen at her Berkshire castle. It is rumoured that the property is so close to London that you can see the silhouette of St Paul’s Cathedral through ‘a spy-glass’ from the Fort’s windows.
The gothic-revival style country house is the previous home of King Edward VIII, which the former Prince of Wales confessed witnessed ‘some of the happiest days of my life’. It is reportedly the place where the Queen’s late uncle signed his abdication papers in 1936. Following the decision to resign from his Royal position, Edward’s home remained unoccupied for 20 years until it was leased to Henry Lascelles, 6th Earl of Harewood and Mary, Princess Royal, the daughter of King George V until 1976.
Canadian billionaire retail magnate Galen Weston and his wife, Hilary, are currently living at the property. Close friends of the Royal Family, the businessman is known to play polo with Prince Charles and the Queen, and the late Prince Philip attended a ball at The Fort, celebrating Hilary’s 60th birthday in June 2014.
Fort Belvedere was one of the potential properties mentioned in last summer’s reporting, but again, “sources” made it sound like William was much more interested in Royal Lodge. I think Royal Lodge is closer to Windsor Castle, and perhaps the accommodations are more modern. While Fort Belvedere is a huge, impressive piece of real estate, it’s still basically styled like a g–damn medieval fort. The architecture is apparently “Gothic Revival” technically – you can see some aerial photos here at Architectural Digest. I imagine it’s drafty as hell and maybe not the best place for small children? Who knows though, I would totally live there, except I would scare myself to pieces. It definitely looks like the kind of place with at least five ghosts. Why the renewed energy for Fort Belvedere? Is the Queen about to kick out a Canadian billionaire and install the Keens in a fancy fort?
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Kicking people out of their homes is typical for the Keens. I buy they really want Fort Belvedere. Frogmore House (another option) is too close to the actual Windsor Castle, methinks. The Keens want to be close to TQ, but not too close. Wills doesn’t want anyone snooping on the Rose Gardening.
@Rapunzel: Frogmore House is not an option as it’s a dedicated place for social gatherings of the family and is opened for exhibitions every year.
AmyBee- i know, but i thought there were rumors they were angling for it? Maybe I misremembered?
@Rapunzel: There was story that William wanted Royal Lodge (Andrew’s house) in Windsor.
I heard that rumor too, but Andy ain’t getting kicked out.
Yeah, no way is Andy losing Royal Lodge. If anyone else eventually gets it, I would imagine it will be either Eugenie or Bea.
But the family can find plenty of other places for social gatherings (not least in Windsor Castle itself), and exhibitions can always be closed (KP had all kinds of offices and activities which all got the boot once the Cambridges wanted it). It’s not as if a law has to be changed, and kicking Andrew out of Royal Lodge seems more trouble than it’s worth, at least for now. I’ve always believed William was gunning for Frogmore House, because it suits his ego and because he likely sees it as a stick in the eye to Harry and Meghan. We’ll see!
@Lady Esther: Anytime Frogmore House is brought up it is swiftly followed with an explanation that that it would never be used as a place of residence. I don’t know how moving to that place would be a stick in the eye to Harry and Meghan. They gave them the former servants quarters, I’d think William was happy about that and wouldn’t care about Frogmore House.
Frogmore House was always reserved for Prince Philip. His move to Wood Farm was a PR move, because spending millions on FH was a bad look. Now all those bets are off as Philip is gone. FH is too public to suit W&K, but they made that same mistake before in demanding the largest and most public area of KP.
I believe the rumors that they wanted Royal Lodge (especially if this is about setting Kate up in a completely separate household) because that would seem “significant” for them, and then they were told “sorry, nope, that’s Andrew’s and we can’t really do anything about that” and so now they are eyeing up Ft Belvedere because that also seems “important.”
I’m trying to figure out what the point of this really is. Is it because they are really setting up separate households, or is this the Keens just determined to out-do H&M?
@L84Tea – I know, I’m trying to figure it out as well.
I think its partly a status thing (the Cambridges don’t want to be buried in Norfolk anymore, they want a house that is closer to the “action”?) and partly a “setting up a separate household” thing. If they really aren’t living together, moving to Windsor seems like it would make that much easier, fewer prying eyes.
I think Charles is driving this narrative. He wants to be the literal and figurative king of London and he wants any and all competition tucked away in the countryside.
@Mac that’s an interesting theory. So you think Charles wants to “banish” them to Windsor – and then get rid of the KP apartment? Or keep it as their official London home?
I can kind of see what I think you’re saying and it could work if its painted as part of the slimming down – royals don’t need FT london homes, they can stay in an apartment in BP or St James when they’re working at night or whatever, and slowly phase out all London properties for royals besides those places (and then be able to rent KP apartments at market rate to the public? I dont know.)
Wonder if W&K are pushing back and that’s why we’re getting these stories about living at Windsor Castle etc, they want it known if they’re being pushed out of London then they’re getting prime real estate in exchange?
Hmmmm.
Charles had always planned to move to Windsor when he was king, as he’ll have to leave Highgrove House behind. He wouldn’t be banishing them away from him, because he plans to be at Windsor too.
WRONG PLACE!
This might be the wrong place too, but since gardening was mentioned… Baker Creek Heirloom seeds is donating 100% of sales through noon tomorrow to to Afghan Relief organizations. So, if you’re a gardener and need to order seeds, please keep them in mind.
There is a story circulating that Harry and Meghan wanted to move to Windsor Castle but were denied. I can see William and Kate wanting it out of spite to one up the Sussexes.
@ Rapunzel, I would imagine that TQ would not have any intention of evicting the widow Weston anytime soon.
@ Mac, your suggestion that Charles is pushing this narrative is very telling!! I wonder once he becomes Regent, in name, he may be looking to cut off the excessive homes/castles for the Lambridge bunch, as they certainly don’t spend a great deal of personal time together. It may be to set up a more permanent and separate home from CopyKeen.
The Keens won’t go to Frogmore House as it is for special events, but also the where King Edward abdicated. Anything Frogmore is pushed against the Sussexes and the narrative of quitting like Edward.
Fort Belvedere may be suitable. Hillary Westin was Governor General in Canada for many years (TQ’s representative) and is seen as Canadian Royalty. She also owned high end department store Holt Renfrew (Canada) and is on the board of Selfridges department store in UK. She’s renowned for upper class philanthropy and extravagant social events. So Fort Belvedere isn’t in complete disarray if she lives there nor will it need the updates Princess Margaret’s apartment required for The Keens before they moved in.
Hillary Weston was lieutenant Governor General of Ontario but I agree that she has social power and is the matriarch of the second richest family in Canada. It’s doubtful that the Cambridges want her or her son Galen Weston Jr pissed off at them.
Tatler is also very out of date saying she was recently 60 and not mentioning that her husband died earlier this year. Sloppy article.
Lol @ Rapunzel, no snooping at rose gardening. There were countless articles including Frogmore House as an option being an unoccupied property. I haven’t seen seen where it wasn’t an option for any reason. So, if anyone has a link, please share. Lord knows the Cambridges have no concern about spending taxpayer’s money for their own comfort.
It’s hard to see that the Cambridges would want to be at Fort B. lol, agree at the numerous ghosts. It is quite a statement when it’s expressed that the Cambridges are looking to move elsewhere. They never look comfortable with where they’re at. Hmmmmm.
FH was always reserved for Philip. Now he’s gone, it is a possibility for W&K to move there.
And how many millions of taxpayer dollars will it cost to refurbish, remodel and decorate it?
I swear, kicking people out of their homes is how William gets his rocks off.
Snuffles- this was exactly my thought– $$$$$ will be wasted.
We know they’re totally gonna remodel everything in the house, paint it an ugly color outside, move the pool and add a tennis court. Then never use the place and move on.
He will be king one day, I pray otherwise but my prayers are seldom heard. Why does he need another house he isn’t paying for during a pandemic? Is he trying to make sure that all his children end up with massive royal properties at the tax payers expense?
Willard Gordon Galen Weston OC CVO OOnt (October 29, 1940 – April 12, 2021) is dead. The article refers to his son Galen Weston, Jr. The Weston family has a long term lease which included massive repairs and upgrades. It will cost a pretty penny to buy out the Weston’s lease so Fort Belvedere can be turned over to Baldy & Wiglet.
I think you’re wrong about this. Galen Sr.’s wife is Hilary. He was born in 1940, she in 1942. Doesn’t make sense she would’ve celebrated her 60th birthday in 2014, though (more like 2004 ish?). Galen Jr.’s wife is Alexandra, and they’re both around 50 now, so doesn’t make sense the article is referring to him either.
If Hilary is also 80, maybe with Galen’s passing she’s ready to move elsewhere. Or being encouraged to.
Galen Weston Jr. and his wife Alexandra reside in Toronto, have an estate in Caledon and another on his late father’s property in Florida. Galen Sr. (late) and his now widow Hilary have a lease on Ft. Belvedere. I don’t know if she’ll continue living there now that he’s gone so the Cambridges might very well jump on it.
Maybe it was the daughter, Alannah Elizabeth Weston, who was/is living at Fort Belvedere.
Alannah Weston was the CEO and chairman of the Selfridges Group until the Westons sold the Selfridges Group late last year. It seems to me that working for the Selfridges Group would require the need to be based closely to London.
@BTB – Alannah Weston currently lives in London but I don’t know if she and her family still use Ft. Belvedere as a getaway spot, it’s about a 45 minute drive from London. The Cambridges seem to be hovering over several spots like a pair of vultures and it’s clear they’re setting themselves up for living apart on a mostly permanent basis. If I were Alannah I’d dig in my heels and say to them “you’ll have to pry Ft. B out of my cold dead hands”.
Considering the anger over Harry and Meghan’s modest renovations to Frogmore, I don’t get why it’s no big deal if these people acquire yet another palace. It’s always an add-on. They never give up anything. Fort Belevedere sounds remote and lonely. Not fun for Kate once the kids are off to school. I can imagine throwing myself off a balcony from sheer boredom.
I dont know, to me it feels like a fabricated narrative that the papers are trying to puch in order to prop up a story when the time comes. I doubt it’s the Cambridges that are pushing this.
You might have missed it in the AD article Kaiser, but Galen Weston died last year. Not sure why Tatler says he’s still around. His wife/family apparently still lives at Fort Belvedere – for now.
Oh Weston’s death is a key detail and does lend the rumor some credibility then. Thanks for the detail. Westin was at the Cambridge wedding and close friends of Charles, aka donating millions to Charles’ vanity projects. It will certainly be interesting to see the recognition pour over William one day how much of the Queen’s and Charles’ and his relatives’ lifestyles are subsidized by private benefactors. Though I suppose with his liberal use of his friends’ private jets he already is on his way
Here’s a Bible verse that William should acquaint himself with before he thinks about kicking Weston’s widow out of Belvedere.
“Do not take advantage of the widow or the fatherless. If you do and they cry out to me, I will certainly hear their cry. My anger will be aroused, and I will kill you with the sword, your wives will become widows and your children fatherless. Exodus 22:22-24”
Just a thought for the FFK and FFHead of the Church of England.
Harper
If William ever believed in a being more powerful, important or worthy of praise other than himself, i’ll give up this website. And I’m about a decade deep into this place.
The notion that Kate and William felt overlooked at KP is an interesting one. How do you feel overlooked living in London and overlooked by whom? I suspect that Harry and Meghan moving to Windsor and practically next door to the Queen was a sore point for the Cambridges. If we are to believe the stories that the Queen visited Harry and Meghan a lot when they lived at Frogmore, I can see there being some jealousy from the Cambridges of the close relationship between the Sussexes and the Queen. As for whether they’re really going to move to Windsor, I doubt it, I think this story was floated by KP so the press could have something to write about.
I read somewhere that overlooked was people watching their every move, as opposed to ignored. IDK, seems like another ploy to build up lots of places for Willie to play.
@AmyBee that was my thought too when this particular line was floated a few months ago – about them being “overlooked” – how can you be overlooked in the heart of London? But it does make more sense from the POV about them being “looked after too much” – especially at KP, wasn’t that one of diana’s complaints about it, that people always knew what she was doing? I mean we know the Cambridges dont want people tracking their helicopter usage (hence the privacy hedge), if they moved to Windsor they really would disappear in some ways.
And what is the total collective number of bathrooms in the many Cambridge lodgings?
yes! we must know this important information! I can’t believe they are holding out on us.
altho I have heard that Charles travels with a special Royal Toilet Seat, so at least we have that.
So environmentally friendly to have three massive homes including two pretty much in the same vicinity. The Earthshot Prize should be about finding solutions to offset just William’s enormous environmental footprint.
Maybe this is so the Cambridges can live apart without needing to be in Norfolk?
@Kalana: A true environmentalist wouldn’t be floating this story to the press.
I’m sorry, I got stuck on “they feel overlooked at KP.” Are they overlooked? How? They’re the FFK and FFQ, what difference does it make where they live? Maybe they want to be near the Queen, but she won’t last long – so, when Charles becomes King, will they feel overlooked out at Windsor? Seems to me the best way to be “looked” is to get off their asses and do some work.
The original article made it clear that the ‘overlooked’ was in the sense of being watched – as in my garden overlooks my neighbour’s. Too many eyes to observe separate lives and the thrice weekly take offs of Flight Wandering Peen.
Hench- exactly. My first thought looking at those pics of Ft. Belvedere was, “plenty of privacy for the helicopter.”
I wonder, since we heard the Queen was on them about the helicopter stuff, if someone at KP is/was reporting their comings and goings to BP, or more likely, Clarence House.
Yes, that story about the Queen being worried about William’s multiple helicopter flights came a few weeks after the original story about Kensington Palace being overlooked. I thought the same thing, seems to confirm that they certainly are being watched and reported on
I think THEIR thinking is if they move to Windsor, there will be more privacy so they can either come and go privately, or so that they can stop pretending to live together and just have completely separate lives, one at KP and one at Ft Belvedere.
Continuing my geography lessons @Becks1 😂😂, yes having separate lives in Berkshire would be a lot easier to conceal since everything is much closer together so Kate could easily get to her parents or into London in about half an hour each way. Multiple movements would also be easy to explain if the children are also at school in the same county.
However, Norfolk is at the other side of the country and it’s a good 3 to 4 hour drive back to London. If one of them is in London and the other in Norfolk that is very much apart.
Thanks everybody for clarifying this. I guess I would then wonder how they think they will have privacy anywhere when they’re FK and FQ. Harry and Meghan can hang out quietly in Montecito because they’re private citizens and don’t have to represent an “empire” and don’t have to appear anywhere unless they want to. Even then, the tabloids are camped out at their door and digging through their tax returns. William’s affairs are already an open secret – there will be helicopter watchers no matter how far into the woods they go.
TheHench – I love your geography lessons! That’s my thinking – that separate lives would be easier to conceal in Windsor and London, especially bc it means they could both keep working “full time” (LOL.) Like if they are living separate lives with one in Norfolk and one in London, that’s harder to conceal and is a lot more obvious, especially with the story about the Queen opposed to William’s frequent helicopter use.
Becks- no no, separate lives were not easy to conceal in London. The overlooked aspect was implying too many prying eyes. Hence why they want Windsor.
London was too central, Norfolk too far. Bit Windsor is just right. I think this move will happen and it will be spun as thrifty and environmental because it means less helicopters. Not that any of that is true, but that is how it will be spun.
@Rapunzel, good point. But my thinking was more if one was living in London (probably william) and one at Windsor, I feel like that would be easier to conceal than one in Norfolk and one in London. If we figure that right now, whenever they need to do a work event in London one of them has to take the helicopter in, that’s a lot more obvious than just driving in from Windsor (or if William is based in London, that better situates him for things like investitures without having to travel.)
But that’s my thinking because i don’t think both are moving to Windsor.
Oh yeah, that makes sense, Becks.
And let us not forget that the Norfolk Wandering Peen and his cardboard cutout of a wife have forever ruined whatever goodwill they had with the Norfolk Nobs and are now considered pariahs. Not even royals can stand up to the aristo set without repercussions like being shut out of *society*. Ft. Belvedere actually makes sense from a historical one-upmanship perspective. Anmer is certainly not Houghton Hall and we all know the Lamebridges would love to rub it in the aristos’ faces that they live in a truly aristocratic pile.
Where will the children live under this arrangement? With Kate?
Same! The property stuff always seems retaliatory and short sighted. If William is a narcissist, then his ego would not be able to handle anyone that speaks to his enemy. I can’t imagine he is helpful in strategic conversations either, so he probably is being “overlooked”. It is in Charles’s best interest to have both of his sons there for his reign, regardless of how the Cambridges, or even Charles feels.
When Nicholl’s wrote about the potential move to Windsor a few months ago, it was discussed that she was using the word overlooked to mean “too many people watching them.” I’m not sure that’s exactly what she means here, but think about it. It must be terribly difficult to carry on special friendships when there are random peasants walking by your KP access roads. How is one to sneak in and out at odd hours?
@Eurydice, I think in this article “overlooked” was meant as more like “under the watchful eyes of everybody in Windsor”. It’s an odd usage, but they are actually complaining about having too little space/ privacy on the giant royal estate (and, very likely, that people would expect them to do more). Plus, no giant hedge to cover helicopter travel – who could live like that?
(Sorry to pile on – by the time I finagled my phone the right way others have responded much more succinctly:))
I believe “overlooked” refers to a feeling of lack of privacy, in the way a bungalow is “overlooked” next to a three-story house. They don’t want people in their business (especially if it’s business they shouldn’t be in), which is ironic, since they depend on being “looked at” to stay relevant. On another topic, I think Hilary Weston is Irish, so she may wish to remain in UK if not necessarily at Fort Belvedere. I think her husband was British as well. Hilary served a term as Lt. Governor of Ontario, Canada. Her son Galen is the current president of their retail empire, a large chunk of it in Canada.
What does overlooked even mean? She’s mid 90s and doesn’t have much time left, what do they want from this woman? Very kindergarten of the Keens
@Snuffles…. Isn’t this the multi million dollar question?
The Taxpayer picked up the bill for the refurbishment of KP and maybe Anmer Hall.
We are the middle of a f…. ING pandemic with a rising cost of living, bills etc, a disastrous Brexit, we also have to pony up for the cost of Betty’s 70th self celebration.
I think the F not, I want a referendum on these freeloaders #Rexit
The Keens will keep their KP “apartment” as their London base. I am fully expecting them to dump Anmer Hall though. 2 birds with 1 stone- Co-parenting will be easier to manage with Kate at her parents’ and Baldimort at Windsor and William can be kept away from the Rose bushes near Anmer.
I suspect it’s over with Rose, so leaving Norfolk is possible. But I honestly think they’ll keep it for Christmas time. Unless King Charles changes the Sandringham Christmas tradition.
Yes the word on the gossip vine was that the ‘rural rivals’ spat between Kate and Rose marked the end of the affair – or, at least when Kate kicked off because that fling was getting too serious. A friend of Rose’s confirmed to a friend of mine that it had been going on for three years (2016-19ish). The word now is about a lawyer in London and weird hints about mummies at school.
@Hench I love your insider gossip. I know this is just anonymous comments and you could totally be lying lol, but you’ve been consistent with your story so I believe you! I also think Andrew’s Nemesis has said similar things (especially about the lawyer) separate from you.
The mummies at school…..remember that weird article a few years ago, shortly after the Rose thing broke, about William doing the school run and then going to the gym afterwards with the school mums, and it just seemed like such a weird story, like someone was telling us to look more closely at the school mums. So that checks out for me too.
@Becks1 – you wound me! Surely my location/geography info checks out too?? 😉
Yeah, I basically have just two solid insider pieces of royal gossip and they are the Rose affair being true and lasting three years and Camilla listening at the keyhole when Charles hauled Andrew in for a carpeting after his disastrous interview. And, er, that’s it. The Queen did once walk past me at Windsor Royal Horse Show so I can also tell you personally that she is VERY short.
ETA if I ever get any more good gossip I’ll be straight here to share it!
Hench & Becks- the London lawyer was exactly who I was thinking about. When the story first came out, months ago, I immediately thought it was because he wanted to be closer to his new girlfriend, probably because she was demanding it. After all, no peen is worth traveling 3-4 hours each way for. Especially not Big Willy Peenhead’s peen.
I’ve always thought because she is the one that has been left out of the press that she is the real one he’s hiding to make wife #2. This move only makes me think I’m right.
Hench, such good gossip! Goodness, I need to go brew a pot of tea and steep myself in that info. I totally believe all of that. And yes, the “yummy mummies” story comes to mind immediately.
So I wonder if the original vague story about Kate trying to push Rose out of the turnip toff circle in spring 2019 was when the affair with Rose actually ended and the story was put out by the Middleton camp. Because I recall originally no one had really guessed affair and it seemed more like a Kate pretending to have power with aristos story. Of course Richard Kay stepped in and made things way more obvious about an affair, which was likely William’s involvement.
And around that time Kate was hiding away somewhere not doing engagements and she wasn’t seen again until she got the Victorian order. That seems like she was making threats about things and the queen provided a ribbon as compensation.
References to a lawyer came out when the Rose affair came out because more than one person said they were aware of affairs but it wasn’t with Rose, or at least it wasn’t in 2019 by the time the story was public.
(I also recall someone commenting here that they had spotted William with a woman in London who definitely wasn’t Rose). And of course did we ever solve the mystery of the woman in the car with William recently?
And William’s disdain for kate has been public and open for over a year now. I trace it to around the time they switched zoom rooms, but of course the whole story of William getting Covid and telling no one until months later makes that entire situation sketchy.
@The Hench I appreciate your scoops; thank you especially for sharing your tea on Rose. We investigative journalists here in the states can only do so much. @Rapunzel I too think this London lawyer is the real threat to Kate, and is the reason why Burger King is so shut off physically from Kate during their public appearances. The London lawyer must be watching him like a hawk and meting out punishment when she is displeased. Add to this the sudden need for another royal abode in the country, the shrug, the zooming from Sandringham, the excessive helicopter rides during a pandemic/lockdown year, Kate’s banishment from the Diana statue unveiling. They all read trouble in paradise.
The mummies at school had me looking up those pics of George’s first day of school. It was just William taking him for the school run because Kate was said to be too sick during her pregnancy to go. So let’s say during that time period he was doing a lot of those school runs and getting attention from the mums while Kate was pregnant and sick. Then, she finds out that he’s had another affair the whole time she was pregnant with someone new. It fits the timeline for her going through some things as Meghan said. Idk just spinning ideas, nothing factual but the timeline is interesting.
@ The Hench, I am lovingly swimming in your knowledge as to the Bitter Brother and his wandering peen!! It’s absolutely delicious!!! Chefs Kiss to you, The Hench!!
As for feeling “overlooked”, that sounds like they are not seen enough with the rest of the BRF and are suddenly interested in TQ, as if she has been absent for the last 11 years!! But these stories of the lawyer are certainly very interesting as it would allow the Bitter Brother to make his escape from his Stepford wife to one that is more suited for him. Someone he doesn’t look at with disdain and utter disgust. If I was married to Baldingham, I would tell him not to let the door hit him on the ass on the way out, but I am not a spineless, jealous, petty and insipid little mean girl.
My goodness!!! All of you have such outstanding insight into Bitter Brothers “activities”, @ Harper, @ The Hench, @ Becks1, @ Rapunzel and @ Nic919!! I never knew that there was a lawyer in the rotation now, on top of the school Mums that have caught his mis-tooth smile 😉 . No wonder we have these peacemaker and kingmaker articles every few months. CopyKeen should start packing her bags given the way that Baldingham looks at CopyKeen. Baldingham is unmistakably disgusted and flat out devoid of any loving or compassionate glances or PDA. It seems the more we see of them together the more Baldingham is unable to mask his disgust of CopyKeen.
At one point we did all between us manage to put together a pretty good timeline as to what we thought might have happened when but I can’t for the life of me remember which thread it was on and it was probably a year or more ago. However there are some verifiable things which punctuate the timeline and give us hints:
* There was a story in the Mirror about Rose sitting next to Harry at a state dinner on 13th July 2017. The article was clearly hinting at something – reading it now (I’ll try and link it) the journalist was definitely making a point and talked about Rose being “a close friend of the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge”.
*Kate gave birth to Louis April 23rd 2018 so was pregnant from August 2017. During her pregnancy there were a few very weird, not to mention invasive stories about the fact that she had been advised not to have sex during this pregnancy. Again, it felt like the media were winking towards something else.
* May 2018 – cry gate with Meghan pre wedding. There was a suggestion that she had just found out about the affair and that was what Meghan meant the she said Kate “was going through some things”
* Rural Rivals kerfuffle kicked off March 23rd 2019 (or at least when the story broke) – we speculated that the affair with Rose was getting too serious (and had been going on too long) and Kate was genuinely threatened by Rose so demanded that it end. The 3 year length of the affair was confirmed by a Rose friend to my friend.
* 17 December 2019 shrug gate when Kate was clearly FURIOUS with William and unable to contain it – perhaps because he had just made her agree to….
* 6 Jan 2020 church pap walk with Rose and Kate together supposedly signalling either Kate had accepted Rose as mistress a la the Queen and Penny Knatchbull OR that the affair was over.
From 2020 onwards William’s appearances with his wife have been visibly strained. A poster on here also said that they had seen William around London with a blonde lawyer. Can’t remember what year from but I think after all the above.
Tinfoil Tiara Time: Set the dial to medium and place Tin Foil Tiara on your head!
My theory is that Baldy wants another house exclusively for Kate use.
Baldy will continue to live between Anmer Hall and Kensington Palace where he can entertain his latest side piece. Kate can live at Fort Belvedere and be close to her mother. William can visit the children at Fort Belvedere when it is convenient for him or the fancy just strikes to his children.
Do not forget that Baldy’s buddies are the Turnip Toffs.
@BTB, that’s definitely not too far fetched. I can absolutely see this being the reason for the new house. I think the Cams marriage is 100% dunzo, but I do not believe they will ever divorce. Until proven otherwise, I am still firmly in the camp that Willy will stick it out with Kate because one, they’ve got a nice, cozy arrangement here, where he gets to cheat with permission as long as she gets to keep shopping and have access to jewelry, and two, the Middletons have too much dirt on him and his family. But who knows, anything is possible after Liz kicks it…
I just cannot believe there are women that want to be with William. Be it Rose, Lawyer, or Mutton, he is so repulsive that I can’t wrap my head around it.
@TheHench – WOW, thanks for the inside info! What I really want to know is: What did Rose see in Brother Baldy to let his wandering scepter near her??????
@The Hench – actually, I have the same question as above – does your friend’s friend have any insight into why this relationship went on so long? Seems like someone in Rose’s position would have better options than anything we’ve seen regarding Will…
In any event, thanks for the info, and the timeline!
If l had to guess Rose’s motives for having a relationship with the Petulant Prince, it was probably for the cachet of having a liaison with a royal prince and especially one who is a future king. Something she could put on her resume as a a sign of prestige in aristocratic circles who dabble in these extracurricular activities. Most likely she didn’t expect it to last and she realized she has a much better life in her current marriage. But William was probably entertaining as a royal fling.
I just want to add to the timeline that once the turnip toff story came out in March 2019, kate was not seen in public for almost two months. They tried to pretend it was a long Easter holiday break but didn’t really explain much. Kate only made a public appearance after it was announced she was getting a Victorian order at the highest level. Kate never had a sash prior to that and the household order was only first seen in December 2018 at the year end reception, where they pretended she had it the year before despite it never being mentioned. And considering all the stories in the years prior asking why the queen hadn’t given Kate a household order despite being married for so long and having the heir and spare, for there to be no announcement prior to December 2018 is sketchy.
Seeing as the affair was known to the family in late 2018, the queen likely caved despite kate being lazy, and gave her the household order for tolerating the affair in silence. And then she got the GCVO to return to public engagements following the publication of the toff story and the affair now being public.
@The Hench, that is an amazing timeline — thanks for laying that out! Really puts the whole thing into perspective and clicks everything together. And now I have a hankering for some piping hot tea….
@Feeshalori – yes, I suppose you’re right, and I imagine there’s a potential advantage to being on the good side of a FK. And I suspect the affair didn’t dominate their time – she at least seems fairly busy. I was mildly curious if there was something we’re missing about Will. Maybe I’ve been reading CB too long, but he just seems like such a total drip; doesn’t do anything, doesn’t care about anything, doesn’t complete anything, doesn’t learn anything. Not funny, though he seems to think he’s quite a card. She’s in charge of running this lovely house and estate, he has no interest in architecture, said so on one of the TV programs around Charles’ 70th birthday. I’m bored just writing this out…
My guess is, for Rose, there is certainly status in sleeping with the FFK – sleeping with him but not wanting to be with him, you know? Like I can see it in a very posh aristocratic way, “oh him, yes darling, I slept with him, well we had our fun but I’m so much happier here at Houghton, I would hate to deal with his father on a regular basis” as she shudders delicately.
Also, lets keep in mind that people treat different people differently. Like, I would not be surprised if William was very different with Rose than with Kate or extended royals – he doesn’t have any power over Rose, her position in society is secure, she’ll be at his coronation whether he likes it or not, both of her houses are a lot nicer than any of his current houses, and she doesn’t have to ask her father or grandmother for permission to pay for redecorating or whatever. She has an accepted place in Turnip Toff society, she has money, she seems to like her life as it is……if he was an ahole to her I imagine she would have just ended the affair. She’s not dependent on him for anything, not even her place in the aristocratic hierarchy, the way Kate is.
My guess is he was still arrogant and petulant, because he’s William, but I bet you he probably treated his mistress a lot better than his wife, which is sad but is that unusual?
@Becks1 – I’m sure you’re right about how he behaves with Rose vs. Kate; he’s probably more pleasant to many people than he is to his wife (or his family). Possibly, in a situation with someone like Rose, he even approaches being somewhat charming (?). The question, looking at it from the outside – and it was more musing than a question – is, what does he have to offer long term apart from his status as FFK? Being more pleasant won’t make him more interesting.
But as you say, in the aristocratic way, the ground rules are likely pretty clear, no one’s changing their situation, so fun can be had. Plus, IIRC she’s got some interesting nuggets in her background too, people she’s been associated with, etc. Maybe they sat around gossiping about people they know. Maybe she made him cheese toast. Who knows.
Kate blew her chance to be one of the Norfolk toffs when she tried to cut a b*tch with Rose. The toffs circled their wagons against her because she broke the cardinal rule — don’t spill tea on them. So I think that’s why they’ve been sniffing around for another estate, they are clearly not wanted in Norfolk.
The Mirror article from July 2017.
https://www.mirror.co.uk/news/uk-news/prince-harry-sits-next-kate-10786562
I love the sub headline – “and even owns a property right next door to the royal couple…”
Thanks for the above breakdown Hench!
At the time there was speculation that there would be a fourth baby as a “makeup baby” and my theory for that was that Louis was the makeup baby – not just the dad-dancing baby, and that he started cheating with Rose while Kate was pregnant with Charlotte, but that doesn’t make sense if it lasted three years and ended in 2019. The timing does make sense though for the EACH fundraiser at Houghton Hall in 2016 and those awkward pics with Rose and Kate.
I always thought the church walk with Rose was one of two messages like you said – either “the affair is over, we’re all friends” or “the affair is never going to be over, she’s a permanent part of our lives so get used to it.” Either way, it was definitely sending a message to KATE that she did not get phase out Rose. Even if the affair was over by that point, Kate was still going to have to see Rose and socialize with her and play nicely in front of the cameras.
Shrug-gate was filmed before December 2019, but it was still clearly an instinctual response from Kate to William touching her.
At any rate, its clear that it went on for years, Kate was threatened by it, and that now there seems to be something else going on with the Cambridge marriage.
If I had my pick of the litter for me and my family, I personally would want to stay in Anmer Hall, as it seems to look and feel the most like a real house instead of a castle. But I get that Norfolk is likely a frosty place to be for Kate, and I don’t mean the weather.
😂
Gee, I hope the Cambridge’s find a suitable place to live said nobody.
🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣
Yes, what ever will they do? Asked no one and the taxpayers are NOT going to be too happy about another expansive property that CopyKeen will want refurbished to the specifics of her Mum! CopyKeen will be moving that pool about 8.5” to the south when she is done with it. What a waste of the environment, taxpayers pounds and the uselessness of these two needing another home.
Medieval gothic sounds perfect for this petty couple, evicting a billionaires must be a power trip for a Prince🙄.. these people have more homes than anyone should in a country that is smaller than a lot of States. Maybe they should do more with their time than move, but if they do move here it is to pacify K give her her castle (she needs a castle with good Ariel photos😉) I doubt she is well received with the Norfolk toffs so here she can rule her family and wait for her tiara. I do not care where they live, but can we please have a bathroom count for all their homes?
I want them to do it. Let them move to Windsor to another public financed house. I want the world to see the British hypocrisy and racism. When millions were spent on the KP apartment, William said that he would be there until he was King and wouldn’t move. So, lets see if there would be an outcry from the Brits and their media.
This pisses me off. We are in a pandemic. So many people have lost their jobs and their homes. These two spoiled, entitled lazy ass arrogant snobs think that it’s fine to get a bigger house. You know she will move the pool and tennis court. This will cost the taxpayers millions. They don’t need any more properties. They don’t f———Ing work and already get enough out of the taxpayers. How Brits turn a blind eye to this is beyond me. It’s their tax paying money that’s being used.
@ Over It, @ Jenn, why do those who are footing the bill for these lazy, petty and narcissistic hacks turn a blind eye? I cannot imagine living in a country that would sanction the excessive amount of money that the entire Lambridge family demand. I would be pitching a fit, especially given the times right now. Why would they think that evicting a widow would look good? Or having another massive property, since Baldingham can’t get his hands on Pedrews palatial spread. I am stunned that there isn’t a great outcry when NHS workers are underfunded and underpaid, yet there are always millions of pounds for the Bitter Brother and his CopyKeen wife!
Evicting a widow does look bad but if I had to place a bet, I would bet that the widow Weston wants to move to Florida as the Westons have quite a pile there.
I bet when all the stories were floated about H&M supposedly wanting to live in Windsor Castle that it was really W&K asking for it. He seems to think that he should live in grand style with houses everywhere.
How to be popular… flaunt your wealth and opportunity while a lot of people are cold without a lot to eat. Very Romanoff. That was sad but horrible PR preceded that. I think these are the death throes for the Monarchy OR they need to reform and have less power.
Or they could be gearing up for a full Monarchy again.. it really would not surprise me because ten year ago I would never have thought that the uk and USA leadership (DT&BJ) would do their very best to leave a legacy of destruction to democracy. They have done more damage internally than any outside country or source.
I think it’s a recent round of badly-done fillers and too much fillers that’s giving the lumps. I’m a few years younger than Kate and her fillers/botox issues are a big part of why I stick to lasers and IPL treatments instead of injectables.
In addition to Galen Sr. having died a year ago, Hilary Weston is also 80, per her Wikipedia page, so I don’t think she turned 60 8 years ago. Some sloppy reporting there.
ETA: I don’t have much sympathy for them. Their son, Galen Jr., has been a very vocal critic of a $15 minimum wage in Canada, despite the facts that their grocery chain has made record profits during the pandemic and that their family has more money than God.
“Some sloppy reporting there.”
All of the Royal Rats producing sloppy reporting. Tatler is the worst in the sloppy reporting department when it comes to researchable facts and correct titles.
@fineskylark I agree with you. He is one of the richest men in Canada, if not the richest but is cheap. Not like his father who built that company.
The “be closer to the Queen” explanation makes even less sense with the Queen now living at Wood Farm.
Also off topic: Is she fake posing again in the first picture? Looks like no one is talking to her, but she’s looking straight into the distance at the camera and doing pretend jazz hands to look engaged and in the middle of an interesting conversation.
Eye contact during conversations is not a priority when photographers are around apparently.
I think she’s trying to get Diana’s ring into the same photo frame as her face. She does that a lot.
They have always had a bad evil unsettling energy, that’s why only evil people like their shenanigans and that’s the truth.
My dad knows the Weston Family really well. From what he’s heard from them, they’ve got no intention of leaving Fort Belvedere. So it’s weird to see these stories about how the Cambridges suddenly want that specific location.
More insider info!! This is interesting to hear, thanks for sharing. So the Westons aren’t moving anywhere. It sounds like the Cambridges are really desperate for a house in Windsor and no one is budging – not Andrew, not the Westons.
Wonder if this is all to pave the way for how they just had to buy another house bc they “need” to be in Windsor/Berkshire so they had no other choice?
@Becks1
My dad grew up with Galen Sr, and he’s stayed close to the family throughout his whole life.
I think I’d have to agree with you. This is some kind of ploy to either buy another house, or try to bully someone out of whatever one they think they want.
Getting a royal owned house in Windsor makes sense when it comes to a divorce – she can’t get a house on the estate in the settlement, Diana got to stay at KP after her divorce but they will not let that happen again. Kate will want a big fancy house for herself – she and her family seriously think they are in an episode of Downton Abbey.
@Digital Unicorn
Definitely a good point!
The reality is that William gets all the properties anyway once he’s king so this need to get another home now seems bizarre. Almost as if they want to set up kate now because she won’t be with William by the time he’s king.
I think their strategy didn’t go anywhere the first time, and now it’s something they’re pushing again, we all know Keen “takes her time” and “plays the long game.” Her hair is crazy.
I just cannot with her jazz hands anymore. It’s so hilarious when you see it on video and realize she’s just flailing by herself to look like she’s REALLY into the conversation.
Weston Sr. died in April, so the press or William could “see an opening”, but the Westons are powerful people. They own major, major grocery stores and pharmacies in Canada, which are run by the son Weston Jr. and the daughter runs Selfridges in London. If they don’t want to give up the lease, I doubt anyone is going to make them. At least this way there’s some income generated off the estate. William won’t pay anything for his third property.
How is it that no one ever considers the kids’ schools?
They’re going to school in the heart of London so how is it going to work for the family to move about half an hour or more outside the city center? The kids would have to get up at the crack of dawn.
George would traditionally head to boarding school in the fall at age 8. Moving to Windsor/Berkshire means he could be a day student instead of a boarder at one of their fav posh schools.
That header photo is hilarious. Keen is such a douche.
I have a totally crazy tinfoil tiara thought that popped up as I was reading this. I wonder if there is a plan to “confine” Andrew once TQ is not in charge. Fort Belvidere would be a perfect arrangement for such a confinement if it were to happen. I think we all can see the Prince of Rage advocating for such a confinement, especially as he seemed over the summer to have wanted Royal Lodge for himself and his family so bad. This is such a crazy thought and it would just be easier to just let Andrew be arrested by Scotland Yard and extradited to the USA.
Still, looking at the pictures of Fort Belvidere from a bird’s eye and how isolated it is from the surrounding estates makes me think that isn’t what William wants. Maybe it’s what Kate wants but not William. I just can’t see William living there.
Having read through all the responses, I believe that all of the discussion of moving to Windsor and then the lack of available properties is simply preparing the public for the Cambridge children’s removal from their London school and enrolment in whatever Marlborough feeder schools are in Berkshire and, likely, a move to a private property in Berkshire. Both George an Charlotte are rapidly approaching the age where Kate got obsessed with sports. Charlotte can’t go to Eton. Kate is extremely determined to replicate her exact childhood minus having a full time job. Windsor to Marlborough is an hour and 15 minute drive. Bucklebury is merely 40 – roughly half. I am sure they are already sick of the London traffic getting from Kensington to Battersea. (THere’s a Thomas’ in Kensington but they told the media they chose the Battersea one because the Kensington one is full of too many uber wealthy celebrity children.) Kate is going to want to drive to a leafy campus 3 times a week dropping off cakes and sports equipment, etc. These are the “Middleton Rules.”
Totally, plus isn’t her sister also building a property near Berkshire? I’m sure she’s also planning to send her kids to those schools.
Yeah, I think it’s some kind of petting zoo or something that Pippa’s building. Then there’s James somehow managing to buy a $1.5 million farmhouse in Berkshire last spring/summer. It almost feels like the Middletons are honing in on the area to establish it as their ‘territory’.
iirc they bought an existing petty zoo that Keen has been promoting for years. She takes the kids there and doesn’t protest them being papped. Just another way the Middletons make money off their royal connections.
I’m from Toronto. Galen Weston died in April. Am not sure what Hils is up to but understandable that changes regarding the Fort could be made.
So the British taxpayers are completely fine with paying for the refurbishment and upgrades of multiple homes for FFK and FFQC?
Yea I think she wants to be close to Eton/ Marlborough where the kids will be in school. Near her fam too. If Bill divorced her it would be hard to toss the mother of the future king (George, assuming the monarchy makes it that long) out of Windsor park, esp since Pedo andy gets to go on living there.
This way he can have space in KP and Norfolk to tend his gardens. I don’t think Bill has an issue at all with this arrangement.
Now, the British taxpayers who have to foot the bill— they might not be so thrilled. But the BRF gets away with so much in that regard. They will figure out a way to hoodwink the public. They always do.
Hard to find a property when you need to top a certain home in Montecito. I’m sure they have the floorplans and everything!
Tbh I thought this might be a factor when the first stories about their interest in Fort Belvedere came out. Anmer Hall is certainly grand, but it’s not exactly the most picturesque property imo. Compare it to the lush property of H&M, and well…
The only way Skull and Bones will top the Montecito property is by paying for their next home out of their own pockets. Since it is rumoured that Skull fronted a down payment on a home for his in- laws, I don’t see that happening.
Y’all are overlooking something major: Eton is near Windsor. George will be 9 this year. The Cambridges sell themselves to the masses/Americans as “middle-class Bill and Cath” and Kate as a hands-on mum of three. But they are not not going to send George and Louis to the most elite of public schools and William and Harry’s alma mater. The pretense of moving to Windsor to be closer to the queen is the perfect ruse to continue their “we’re just like you” charade.
I do not think that anyone currently buys or ever bought into the Bill & Cathy Cambridge “we’re just like you” charade.”
OK, maybe a couple of commentators at The Daily Fail but that is all I will give you.
Holly shiiit! What a property. I want to live there! Pick me!!
Question for British CBs: what’s the difference between an apartment and a flat? To Americans there isn’t. But when talking about British homes i only see apartments when talking about royal homes.
W&K’s ‘apartment’ at Kensington Palace has 50 rooms. Anne’s ‘apartment’ is a multi-floor townhouse. When it comes to the royals, ‘apartment’ is used to fool the masses in to thinking the royals live in small spaces.
Perfect place for William to be when he signs his abdication papers. The Royals love that kind of historical connection.
“at least five ghosts” lmfao 😂🤣
The only way they’re kicking out Galen Weston from that house is if there is an exorcism since the man died last April.
Galen Weston died last year. He and his wife own multiple homes around the world. In addition to Belvedere Castle, they spend the winter in the Bahamas & Florida. Summers on their private island in cottage country in Ontario Canada. They have a home in Toronto where they split their time as well, their son Galen Jr runs the family business based in Toronto.
The Crown Estate Commissioners are the owners of the Ft. Belvedere freehold and it is leased to the Weston family, as the property is still part of Windsor Great Park. I suppose if the Cambridges kicked up enough fuss the lease could be transferred to them but I doubt this is the case, I think Kate’s plan is to have a spot in Berkshire and William can go pee up a rope.
If it is like the Royal Lodge, Thatched House, and Bagshot Leases, it is decades long and inherited by his widow and children.
I just did a google search and that Weston guy died last April, so maybe it’s free now?
I wonder if the Keens are going to have to pay for reno, like the Sussexes had to pay for Frogmore’s work.
Somehow I expect hypocrisy.