Hardman: The Waleses have ‘little room’ for house staff at Adelaide Cottage

One of the biggest and dumbest lies we’ve been told about Prince William and Kate is that they live together, with their three children, all at the four-bedroom Adelaide Cottage in Windsor. Don’t get me wrong, I think Adelaide was “given” to Kate as her base in Windsor, but I have never believed that the family of five lives together in Adelaide throughout the school year. Kate has always preferred Anmer Hall, their ten-bedroom home in Norfolk, and I think it’s safe to say that she has always spent a lot of time at her parents’ manor home in Bucklebury. It’s even wackier now that William is the Prince of Wales and he has the Duchy of Cornwall slumlord money – he could literally buy a nice-sized family home for his family in Berkshire, close to the kids’ school. Instead, they continue with this farce that the heir to the throne manages in a smallish cottage on the Windsor estate with his wife and three kids. Please. Anyway, royal biographer Robert Hardman emphasized, in his book, how few staff they have at Adelaide.

Prince William and Princess Kate have “no room” for excessive staff at Adelaide Cottage, according to a royal commentator. The Prince and Princess of Wales have declined to employ a butler at their Windsor home, royal biographer Robert Hardman has claimed.

The future King and Queen left Kensington Palace and moved to the four-bedroom cottage in 2022 with their three children Prince George, 11, Princess Charlotte, nine, and Prince Louis, six.

The author’s claim was revealed in his new book, New King, New Court. Hardman wrote: “The couple did not seek to boost the staff numbers at Adelaide Cottage, not least because there would be little room to do so. The Kensington Palace team does include a ‘yeoman’, a multi-tasking attendant, who looks after everything from luggage to uniforms, but there is no ‘gentleman’s gentleman’ on the staff. And certainly no butler, It’s very much them at home with the kids.”

[From GB News]

No, I actually believe that Kate doesn’t have many people helping her in Adelaide. She’s got Nanny Maria, and I’m sure there are some staffers (like a maid, surely) who live in the staff quarters in Windsor. But when it was decided that the Waleses should move to Adelaide, it was clearly designed to keep Kate away from the grander and fancier lifestyle. Originally, it was thought that the Waleses would eventually move into Windsor Castle. King Charles changed his mind on that swiftly, although I have wondered if William keeps a lavish apartment in the castle and that’s where he stays most of the time.


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Photos courtesy of Cover Images.

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41 Responses to “Hardman: The Waleses have ‘little room’ for house staff at Adelaide Cottage”

  1. Meredith says:

    To my mind, “no live in staff” just means that they commute to work every day. How American of them!

    • Anonymous says:

      Exactly that. Didn’t William employ a valet? Maybe they don’t have a butler at Adelaide, but maids, a cook and gardeners. Plus the nanny. Who all will come over from Windsor Castle for work every day. No live in staff doesn’t mean no staff at all.

      Does anyone see Kate doing laundry, washing windows, mop floors, dust the antiques?

      BTW, I only can post as “Anonymous”, not under my name. Don’t know why. Any help gladly accepted.

    • Becks1 says:

      when you look at images of adelaide cottage, the staff quarters are literally right across the driveway. So that’s how they get away with this lie.

      I do think there was some downsizing (maybe only two nannies now instead of three, fewer staff to clean the house since its a smaller house, etc) but also, do we think they aren’t employing a full time staff at KP1A or Anmer? Maybe some of the actual KP staff (like the private secretary for william or whatever) travel with them, but they’re not traveling with the same housekeeper to all three houses. So overall I would think their number of staff has stayed the same or actually gone up.

      • Nic919 says:

        Yes a google maps search confirms the staff quarters about five steps from the home. And there is no way there isn’t a housekeeper and other staff doing all the household work. Not having a butler is a distraction because they always had staff do more than one job. There was a couple who worked for them a bit at Anmer having previously worked at Sandringham. Within months they left Anmer to move back to Sandringham. At the time it was whispered that Carole was giving the staff orders among other things.

    • StillDouchesOfCambridge says:

      Exactly, they don’t employ them on site. William has his rooms at windsor i’m sure – remember he doesnt EVEN have an office at home episode?

    • Tessa says:

      The staff live on the Adelaide Cottage Estate in a separate dwelling.

  2. Iris’s Granddaughter says:

    Does anyone else wonder if Kate use under eyes makeup/prosthetics to over emphasize the bags? Think about it, one day we see it one day we don’t. She is a liar and will do anything to garner sympathy and be talked about endlessly. I see you Kate and I see you Kensington Palace.

    • MY3CENTS says:

      These are probably just heavily photoshopped. We saw some “real” photos of her where she looked haggard.

    • Nic919 says:

      Search the unedited photos from Denmark a few years ago and you will see that the Danish press didn’t airbrush them away.

    • Houlihan says:

      Oh good grief. This is a gross comment.
      1. That’s not a thing. Facial prosethetics don’t work like that.
      2. You’re just describing her existing with a face while being in lots of videos and photos, some of which get published without the rota’s usual filters or retouching.

    • Moondust says:

      Alcohol and less Photoshop is my guess.

    • Robert says:

      Maybe she just forgot to use her plexaderm….lol

  3. Jais says:

    So I believe there’s the nanny and a maid and some sort of cook? I don’t believe Kate does all the cooking. Not saying she never does but the majority of the cooking? No. I also think part of that is bc they don’t want people to see what really goes down. One of the reasons given for them leaving KP was that there were too many eyes on them. I’m thinking there is a very small staff of people that they trust. Their circle is small.

    • Smart&Messy says:

      This! They keep the circle small so people (and Camilla) don’t know what goes down. It’s Nanny M, they don’t need more since the kids are all school age. A maid or maybe two who change shifts. A chef who can prepare their meals in the castle and have it delivered. She might have an assistant/stylist/ secretary with an office in the castle or KP, but part time is more than enough for that. And no, of course Slumlord does not live there. I don’t think he ever lived in such close quarters with anyone, including his university years.

  4. Kittenmom says:

    No butler?! This is small ‘r’ royalty for sure! They are so down to earth, just like the rest of us.
    🙄

  5. Correction Can’t has little room for staff at Adelaide Cottage. Is Can’t now trying to change the negotiations that were done? I think so. Maybe just have “staff” come once or twice a week like the rest of those that can afford them.

  6. Beth says:

    There’s separate accommodation for the majority of their staff literally right next door to Adelaide Cottage. Hardman knows this. What the hell does he think he’s doing with this sycophantic bs? It’s risible.

    • Jais says:

      Right? isn’t there a separate housing for staff directly next to the house? It is playing with semantics. I can believe that it’s small enough though that not much staff could fit there. Maybe just the nanny? Maaaybe one or two others.

    • Nic919 says:

      I wish I could post a screen cap of the google maps which clearly shows another building which is literally feet away from the residence.

      Queen Adelaide lived there after her husband died. She wasn’t going to be somewhere without any staff nearby.

  7. Lady Esther says:

    Oh Lord, this again. We sure have had a renaissance of the Wales’ greatest hits since the slumlord debacle, haven’t we? PDA everywhere! Poor sick Kate! Kate the peacemaker (she’s the reason why William “mentioned” Harry in his homelessness ITV documentary). Kate the lynchpin of the monarchy, with all their support! Wearing QEII’s and Diana’s jewelry sends a message!

    It has been discussed many, many times that

    1) there are outbuildings at Adelaide that can house servants, so whether or not they are live-in with Kate (because clearly she and William do not live together at Adelaide) is irrelevant

    2) even with how little the Duchy of Cornwall annual report revealed, William and Kate claim at least 60+ staff

    3) it is insulting to ask anyone to believe that William is Swiffering the tiles himself at Adelaide and Kate is scrubbing toilets in between cooking meals 3x/day for three children

    4) this story comes up all the time when there is a need for Normal Bill and Kate “I Have No Constitutional Role, But Am So Very Busy Being A Mom At the Aga” stories. This time I think the necessary distraction is Andrew’s triumph with Royal Lodge plus the slumlord reporting

    • Smart&Messy says:

      All of this! It’s truly insulting and the opposite of damage control. Maybe they are now forced to pivot from campaigning for Royal Lodge to campaigning for Windsor Castle or some other property.

    • Dee(2) says:

      It’s a ridiculous lie, when they are also constantly saying how she can’t do any work because she has to ” take it easy”. So we’re to believe that she has no help, but she also isn’t doing any of the cleaning, cooking, and taking kids to school as well? And we’re supposed to believe that William is the one that’s doing that? Then who did all of it while he was in South Africa? Their lies are ridiculous and they really bank on the fact that the people that they need to believe, will believe one contradictory article right after another. Or not pay attention enough to realize that they were literally told something completely different two weeks ago. Or in the person’s previous book.

  8. Libra says:

    I thought Nanny Maria was long gone. No pics of her for ages.

    • Jais says:

      It’s been rumored on SM. AFAIK there is no confirmation that she is gone. So she could still be there. Or not. There’s no way of knowing though at this point. IF and I say this as a big IF bc there is no evidence she’s not there, but let’s say she’s gone, that would be really hard for the kids. They’ve always been with her. And it would cause much added stress to the family. Again, that said, I don’t know that’s she’s gone at all. She could still be there for all we know.

  9. Delphi says:

    Any household on the Windsor estate can have food delivered in from the castle kitchens. It is basically a catering operation. So I suspect there is no resident cook at Adelaide, but regular food deliveries.

  10. somebody says:

    Oh no, they don’t have a butler. How terrible. I’m sure they have people who come in to clean, help with childcare and cook (or they do like Andrew and have food brought over from Windsor Castle.). The children are now old enough to not need an overnight nanny and likely spend a good deal of their time at school. When school is out they probably aren’t at Adelaide. What is the big deal? Is everyone supposed to applaud?

    • Hypocrisy says:

      I had the exact same thought… the horror she must live with having only a nanny and day staff, she might as well be living in Nott Cott🤣

  11. Ellie71 says:

    Everytime I read about them as a family the children are at a different school .
    George and Charlotte started school in London ..
    Louis starts school , they are at a school in Windsor . ( Is this the one that is referred to in Berkshire )
    So when Amer Hall in Norfolk is mentioned is that where they live during the summer, when the kids are not at school . ?
    Otherwise it’s quite the commute to live in Norfolk and go to school in Berkshire ..
    I’m sure I’ve missed somewhere .

    • Becks1 says:

      Yes, the kids all go to school in Berkshire/Windsor – Lambrook, where the cakes taste of nothing. (This was a hilarious comment from an aristo mom who was talking about the different schools in the area and that was her big burn re: Lambrook lol.)

      They run to anmer hall on all the extended school breaks and that’s where they go during the summer vacations. I mean I’m sure they go other places that aren’t shared with the public, but that’s the official story.

  12. Beverley says:

    Where does Slumlord Willy’s new valet stay?

  13. Amy Bee says:

    If they’re separated, Kate would get the bear minimum in staff i.e. a nanny with a housekeeper and gardener from Windsor Castle assigned to Adelaide Cottage. Kate holds all her meetings at Windsor Castle so there would be no need for a butler at Adelaide Cottage and I’ve always believed that William splits his time between KP and Windsor Castle.

  14. Mayp says:

    Yet another article indicating that the Waleses need a larger home like…. Royal Lodge.

  15. Blujfly says:

    I definitely thinking that before the children had school and sports on Saturdays they flew to Norfolk many weekends. But English “public” schools have school and sports on Saturdays and both George and Charlotte are now at that level. That’s when I think weekends at Bucklebury Manor began – at least for Kate (and William whenever he wants to be coddled in spite of his indiscretions).

  16. Ennie says:

    Of course they have at least a nanny. There is NO WAY the future queen is without now that she is in such a dire condition 😑.
    The heirs? No way they are without a minder. I don’t see katie keen exerting herself trying to get the youngest to do homework.

  17. Fastgran50 says:

    They make a statement a short time ago that they have at least 61 staff. That’s just an everyday family then. The papers are making her out to be some kind of saint. A bully of saint pushed her in-laws out because they were more popular than her and also they actually worked.

  18. ML says:

    Right. According to Hello, William and Kate had increased their staff from 50 in 2023 to 66 as of this summer: https://www.hellomagazine.com/royalty/708900/prince-william-kate-middleton-hire-16-new-staff/?viewas=amp
    Have they lost several staff since July? Is that what this GB article is about?

    As many others have already stated above, the staff quarters are not in Adelaide, but are just a hop, skip and a jump away in another building. And it seems unlikely that both William and Kate are here full time/ at the same time. They certainly don’t seem to entertain their friends there.

  19. TN Democrat says:

    Keen’s immediate circle is extremely small/isolated or whatever has been going on with her would have leaked already. Didn’t one of the recent reports list more than 50 employees/servants employed by the failure to launches? This is an attempt to squash the slumlord backlash. See? We have 5 homes, access to a dozen castles/estates, the best of the best funded by struggling tax payers, but we are just like YOU. They are not modern in any way and are waited on hand and foot. The lack of media/paparazzi focus on the kids is good for their well-being, but I doubt very seriously the vaulted school run is done by the Wails consistently and would bet the wails have round the clock servants doing the work required to maintain a home, cater to their whims and raise children.

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