Monarchs from the nursery: how the children of William and Kate live. Home like a king: Kensington Palace
Everyone is wondering where Kate Middleton lives. Everyone knows that Kate Middleton and Duke William chose the palace, which is located in Kensington, for their family “nest”. Now this residence is the official residence of the royal couple.
Kate periodically lives at her parents' house in Berkshire.
Most of the English are very worried about the family of Kate and William, since Kensington Palace, where the young family moved in, has a very bad reputation, because there were many unexpected deaths, marriages collapsed, and many mystical events took place. As it became known, William and the Duchess of Cambridge are not particularly worried about on this occasion and they don’t change their decision.
Before moving to the palace, the royal family carried out renovations there, which were reportedly valued at £1,000,000. But most of all, the media and people worry about the couple, because according to legend, this estate is cursed.
Based on the words of Lucy Worsley, this estate was very angry towards the seven princesses who lived there, some went crazy, while others fell into very severe and prolonged depression. All incidents were published as a list in The Daily Mai. This publication is also convinced that a ghost lives in the palace, which Middleton and William chose as their residence.
In addition to the official residence in London, the couple Kate Middleton and William also have a country house called Anmer Hall on the Sandringham estate. This house is located in Norfolk. When the royal family Kate, William and George visited the estate, they were notified of their ghostly neighbor, but they this fact weren't particularly embarrassed.
This estate was given to Middleton and William by the Queen of England in honor of the birth of their child, George. Before moving to the estate married couple decided to undertake a grand renovation of the estate. The following areas of the Anmer Hall estate have undergone changes and redevelopment:
The garage block has been enlarged due to the addition of five living rooms.
The access road has become wider and modified.
After renovation, the house now has three living rooms and five bedrooms for relaxation.
Trees and various shrubs are planted around the house, which will provide greater protection from prying eyes.
The security received its own separate post.
The church has been converted, the main and present one is restricted to Kate Middleton and William. A separate entrance was made for guests.
If Kensington Palace could choose a “status” for its profile picture, it would definitely say “It’s Complicated.” Over its 400-year history, it has experienced many ups and downs. The three-storey mansion Nottingham House was originally the residence of the First Earl of Nottingham, Lord Chancellor of England. 80 years later, William III of Orange bought it, being impressed fresh air(the king suffered from asthma) and the comparative proximity to London at the same time. However, the house turned out to be too small for the monarch, and the famous architect Christopher Wren, Master of the Lodge (Masonic, of course) and creator of St. Cathedral, took on its expansion. Paul in London.
Thanks to Ren, 4 more three-story pavilions grew around the first building: the architect took the path of optimizing time and costs, and instead of remodeling what had already been built and inhabited, he added 4 separate buildings to it. Later, all the buildings were connected by wings. Somewhere along the way, the entire structure was renamed Kensington Palace. IN open sources you will find little detailed information about when the now famous Nottingham and Ivy Cottages came into being near the main buildings. Sources are also silent about the origin of the Wren house, modest by all standards - either it was named after Christopher Wren, or it’s just a play on words, because in English wren house is a “birdhouse”, and this modest house is quite could cause such associations.
Queen Anne, the successor of William of Orange, made these places truly beautiful. By her decree, a magnificent park was laid out around the buildings, the famous greenhouse was built (bears her name to this day), and the internal pond was landscaped. By the way, it was in Kensington that the famous scene took place between Queen Anne and Lady Marlborough, who could not share the young officer - this story formed the basis of the film “A Glass of Water” (watch this good old movie if you haven’t seen it).
Here, in Kensington, the future Queen Victoria was born (as her statue on the palace grounds reminds). And these, of course, were the stellar years of those places. But it wasn't always like this.
A new chapter began with the move of Princess Marina, widow of Prince George, Duke of Kent, into Apartment 1 in 1955 (she lived there until her death in 1968). In 1960, Princess Margaret (the same “unlucky” sister of Elizabeth II) settled in the opposite wing, in Apartment 10, along with the newly-made Lord Snowdon, her husband. Margaret called this part of Kensington Palace "the doll's house." In 1963, shortly before the birth of their daughter, the couple moved to Apartment 1A (remember the name, it will come in handy later), which was significantly larger.
But, of course, Kensington Palace became truly famous thanks to Princess Diana. After the wedding, Prince Charles and Diana Spencer received from the Queen the keys to apartments 8 and 9, which were combined for the comfort of the future monarch and his wife. That’s why people bring flowers to the gates of Kensington Palace every year on August 31 to honor the memory of the deceased “people’s princess.”
If you ever think to take a closer look at the places where several generations of Windsors live, you will most likely be disappointed. You can only see a quarter of what Kensington Palace is now. The part that is reserved for the museum (the cost of visiting is 25 British pounds, by the way). Otherwise, it will not even be possible to walk around the perimeter of the palace and adjacent buildings. The buildings are surrounded by an impressive stone fence, and where there is none, the buildings are separated from onlookers by several rows of hedges and a large lawn surrounded by a fence. Signs along the perimeter of the fence clearly inform that any attempts to enter the palace territory, and even photography, will be regarded as felony. As you understand, there are very few people willing to verify the truth of these threats. You can enter the territory through a checkpoint guarded by serious men, but you shouldn’t enter it without a pass either - they may be regarded as an encroachment on privacy.
The exceptional degree of closedness of the residential part of Kensington can be understood: no one wants to live like in the “Truman Show”, including royal heirs. But for the same reason, it is almost impossible to find information about the apartments and cottages themselves on the territory of Kensington Palace. And one can’t even dream about photographs of these houses. At the same time, if you are flying to London, then the last few minutes before boarding good weather you have a chance to see Kensington Palace from a bird's eye view. And even take photos from the porthole, if you're lucky.
Today, the official residences of 15 members of the Windsor family are located on the territory of the palace ensemble. It is not surprising that this place received the comic name “royal hostel” from them. So who lives in Kensington now?
Apartment 1A: Duke and Duchess of Cambridge
The Dukes of Cambridge live in the finest 20-room apartment overlooking Hyde Park. William and Kate moved here from Nottingham Cottage after the birth of Prince George in October 2013. Before the move, a large-scale renovation of the apartments was carried out. And another line of hedge appeared in front of the building.
Nottingham Cottage: Duke and Duchess of Sussex
This modest two-bedroom cottage is visible from Princess Diana's apartment. Harry moved here from Clarence House in 2013. It was here that the prince proposed to Meghan last year. According to some reports, in the future the Sussexes will move to Apartment 1, next door to William and Kate.
Apartment 1: Duke and Duchess of Gloucester
Queen Elizabeth II's cousin, Prince Richard, is Kensington's oldest living resident. He has occupied the second largest apartment since 1972, since his wedding. The three-story apartments even have own garden on the south side of the building. He and his wife Brigitte raised three children here. According to rumors, the Gloucesters will vacate living space for Harry and Meghan in the foreseeable future. But so far, apart from roof repairs, nothing hints at possible movements.
The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge will live at Kensington Palace in London. Princess Diana lived there almost until her death, and the other wing of the palace was the residence of Princess Margaret - younger sister Elizabeth II until she died in 2002. The building has been empty since then.
It is into the premises that Margaret occupied that Prince William and his wife plan to move.
A Daily Mail source told the publication that William and Kate were initially offered to move into Diana's apartment. By the way, it was there that William himself and his younger brother Prince Harry.
“The couple toured this part of the palace where William grew up, but Kate decided that her husband had very strong memories of his mother in this place, so it would be too much to move to this part of the building,” the source said.
This wing of the palace is now sometimes used by William's father, Prince Charles, who mainly lives at his residence at Clarence House.
But Kate really liked Princess Margaret’s apartment, says the publication’s interlocutor. The couple is expected to move there in 2013 as it needs renovations first. “The walls there are still painted pink and lilac - the late princess’s favorite colors,” says the Daily Mail’s source.
Nowadays, taking a walk around the palace is not at all difficult. “After the death of Princess Diana in 1997, part of the palace became open to the public. Some rooms are open, some are closed,” she said EUROMAG Head of the UK department of the Russian Express tour operator Nadezhda Petrenko.
However, this building is not at all popular among tourists. “The palace is not included in standard packages, and it is almost never booked by individuals. It has no historical value,” she said. EUROMAG Head of the outbound department of the tour operator KMP Group Ekaterina Efimova.
“Even after Diana’s death it did not become a place of pilgrimage. There is a small area where people bring flowers and toys as a tribute to Diana, but in the 15 years that I have been working in Britain, I have never been asked to organize a tour there. Kensington Palace compared to Windsor Castle [ summer residence of Elizabeth II] or Buckingham Palace just doesn’t exist,” added Nadezhda Petrenko.
According to her, due to the fact that Prince William and his wife are moving to Kensington Palace, the structure is already in scaffolding. “Our British partners say that they themselves do not yet know whether the palace will be open to tourists after Kate and William move there,” she admits.
Currently, the palaces where members of the British royal family, you can visit without problems, but in certain time. For example, from the end of July to the beginning of October, when Elizabeth II spends her holidays in Scotland. Is Windsor Castle open? all year round- you can even visit a church where the Queen personally kneels.
Prince Charles's residence, Clarence House, is available to tourists from August to early November, when the heir to the British throne and his wife also go on vacation. By the way, William's younger brother Prince Harry also lives in Clarence House, but they say that he may move to Kensington Palace, although in the opposite wing from William - to Nottingham Cottage.
Tour operators are cautious about the possible increase in popularity of Kensington Palace after the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge settle there. "For Russian tourists similar excursions, for example to places famous people or some novels, are not of particular interest. Most choose standard tours, and individuals, who are, accordingly, richer, are not interested in the prince,” says Ekaterina Efimova.
Nadezhda Petrenko believes that the couple’s move to the palace may provoke an increase in the popularity of this building, but not among Russian tourists. “We may be asked to organize an audience with Queen Elizabeth II, but they haven’t asked about Prince William yet,” she assured.
However, a representative of the tour operator BSI Group, Alexei Popov, assured that they had clients who asked to organize a tour related to the prince and his wife. “It was a tour of the places they had been. Tours like to the same hotel where Kate was, or something like that, are completely unpopular in Russia,” he said EUROMAG.
However, there is another reason why interest in the British monarchy may be growing. During a visit to Denmark last week The Duchess of Cambridge politely refused to try a sample of peanut products supplied by the UN children's fund UNICEF to countries where people suffer from hunger.
In this regard, the British media hastened to trumpet the whole world that the Duchess may be pregnant. Citing experts, the newspapers write that pregnant women should beware of eating peanuts and products made from them in order to avoid possible allergies to this food in their future babies.
The Royal Court has not officially commented on this information. At the same time official representative Keith assured reporters that the Duchess does not suffer from a nut allergy.
Text: Alena Kostina
Photo: Splash/AllOverPress; Rex/Fotodom.ru
Prince William and his wife Kate Middleton have decided to make Kensington Palace in London their official residence. And they have already started a £1 million renovation. However, the British warn them: a curse hangs over the palace.
Prince William and his wife Kate Middleton, the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge, have decided to make Kensington Palace in London their official residence and have already received the consent of Queen Elizabeth II. However, the young couple will be able to move to a new place of residence no earlier than in a year - the building requires repairs, which, according to preliminary estimates, will cost the treasury £1 million.
The British media, discussing the decision of William and Kate in editorials, warn the spouses: a curse hangs over the palace where they are going to build a love nest. One queen died of smallpox a week after moving to this residence, another lost 17 children... Marriages collapsed one by one, notes The Daily Mail. Will Kate be able to avoid such a fate?
One of the most tragic figures associated with Kensington Palace is Queen Caroline, wife of George II. She died within the walls of this building in agony: crowned person suffered from an umbilical hernia and severe spasmodic pain of gynecological origin. In 1737, without anesthesia, she underwent surgery to remove the tumor, but the bleeding continued. On her deathbed, Caroline asked her husband to remarry after her death, to which he replied: “Why? I have mistresses."
Over the entire 320-year history of the palace, its walls, courtyards and corridors have witnessed many tragedies. It’s surprising that William and Kate decided to make it their home, society columnists are perplexed. According to chief curator of British royal palaces, Lucy Worsley, there were at least seven princesses whom Kensington received very unfriendly. “Some of them became depressed, and some even went crazy...,” Worsley said. A long list of misfortunes suggests that the palace is cursed, and there is also a ghost living in it, the DM claims.
The history of this palace dates back to 1690, when William III and Queen Mary commissioned the architect Sir Christopher Wren to renovate and extend the house they bought in “rural” Kensington to escape the hustle and bustle of Whitehall Palace. In those days the British called Kensington, famous for its clean air, nothing more than a “health resort without drugs.” Alas, this “health resort” did not help 32-year-old Mary - as soon as the couple moved into the renovated residence, the queen died of smallpox.
But the palace's troubles had only just begun. In 1702, William III died and the throne was inherited by his sister Anne, who also moved to Kensington. She was married to George of Denmark. “I have seen him drunk, I have seen him sober, there is nothing special about him,” Charles II wrote of his uncle. Despite Georg's lack of charisma, Anna was pregnant by him 17 times, but not a single child born lived to adulthood.
When the queen died of gout, Sophia of Hanover's eldest son, George, ascended the throne and became King George I of Great Britain. He was the first to try to dispel mystical curse, which hangs over Kensington Palace.
If you are lucky enough to visit this residence, then, going up the main staircase, you will see on the walls portraits of footmen, maids, and children, painted by order of George. He wanted to make the residence more intimate and welcoming than the “favorite of monarchs” St. James's Palace. By the way, William and Kate first looked at St. James, but still chose Kensington.
Family life George I, who was busy restoring Kensington Palace, suffered a crisis: his wife cheated on him, and he locked her in a remote German castle. Then, in this residence, Queens Caroline, Charlotte and Victoria, each in their own way, were unhappy.
In 1960, Princess Margaret moved into the palace. After her marriage collapsed in the 1970s, Margaret lived alone in Kensington with her only companion being “the ghost of a mysterious woman in blue,” The Daily Mail writes. At that time, Princess Diana was Margaret's neighbor, but they did not communicate. However, Margaret, of course, knew (and could observe) about the most poignant incident associated with the residence: the stillborn daughter of Rose Monckton was buried in the palace garden, best friend Princess Diana.
Princess Diana herself, who lived in Kensington, also did not escape misfortune. Her marriage was a disaster: Prince Charles was twelve years older and did not share Diana's interests. She dreamed of love and wanted to see a reciprocal feeling in her husband. But the prince, brought up in strict rules, was not used to expressing emotions.
Soon after the wedding, the princess fulfilled her duty as a wife by giving the nation an heir, William, and then gave birth to a second son, Harry. Charles stated that he dreamed of a girl, not a red-haired boy. Diana, who passionately loved her children, was hurt. The crack in the prince and princess's family boat was widening.
After some time, the English press started talking about the fact that Charles had resumed his relationship with Camilla Parker-Bowles, whom he later called “ only love all my life." Desperate to find understanding from Charles, Diana entered into intimate relationships with other men. Newspapers literally reveled in every new scandal in the royal family, since since 1981 the couple almost continuously accused each other of infidelity. In 1993, Buckingham Palace officially announced the separation of the prince and princess. On August 29, 1996, the official divorce took place.
Last love Diana became the son of an English entrepreneur Egyptian origin Daoud al-Fayed. On August 31, 1997, Diana and Dodi got into a Mercedes that was supposed to take them to the Al-Fayed family's Parisian mansion. Intrusive paparazzi waylaid the loving couple at the entrance to the hotel and began to chase them on motorcycles. The driver, trying to escape the pursuit, increased his speed, and in the Alma tunnel the car crashed into a support pole. Dodi and the driver died on the spot; doctors fought for Diana’s life for about six hours, but to no avail. Perhaps the curse is to blame.
And although William and Kate are set to spend £1 million to restore Princess Margaret's shabby apartment where they plan to live, they will have to work hard to banish unpleasant memories from the palace.
We sincerely wish Kate to be happy in Kensington with William! We hope that their love will dispel all curses and help the palace enter a new golden period.
The British Royal Family is the most popular royal family in the world. And the most secret thing. What's happening in Buckingham Palace should not go beyond it: this motto of Queen Elizabeth II has been fulfilled for many years.
But how interesting is it to find out what Kate Middleton, for example, does? Is her life all about formal meetings, balls and charity events, or is there something else in it? British journalists took this issue seriously and compiled sample schedule the life of the nation's favorite Kate Middleton as the Duchess of Cambridge.
On the surface, it may seem that Kate and Prince William only “work” one or two days a week.- with such frequency they usually appear in public. But this is a misleading impression. " We are like ducks: it seems that we are swimming calmly, but under the water we are quickly moving our paws "William once remarked.
To ensure that there are no discrepancies in receptions and visits, in order to keep up with everything planned, Kate and William really have to “row” hard. Only the public does not notice this “underwater” activity.
Morning
Kate Middleton's morning begins at approximately 7 o'clock. Morning routine, jogging in Kensingt Park, working out in the gym - everything is the same ordinary people. After the family breakfast, the Duchess spends an hour or two with her children. Prince George and Princess Charlotte have nannies and governesses, but Kate tries to spend as much time as possible with them while they are little.
Correspondence
After "family hour" comes business correspondence time. The Duchess is physically unable to answer all letters. She is assisted by the royal office and a personal press attaché, who sends her only the most important letters or invitations that require a personal response.
Planning and preparation
In the life of such a famous and busy person, everything must be carefully planned.: from going to the gym to planning visits to top level. This is what he does personal secretary Duchess Rebecca Deacon, who plans and schedules personal meetings, attending charity events and Kate's other social commitments.
This activity should be coordinated with her husband's secretariat- Prince William - and the security service, so that it does not turn out that the couple is going to the same meeting at different times.
Kate should be well informed about the purpose of the visit or meeting, know the topic of the event, be up to date latest events in politics, social and cultural life, to support small talk or intellectual discussion. Every event requires good study subject and takes a lot of time to prepare. Kate Middleton is known for being an intelligent and deep conversationalist - so obviously preparation takes up a lot of time in her schedule.
Official events
Official events attended by members of the royal family usually take place in the afternoon - unless they are official visits or events of national importance. Their visit is also planned long before the event. About preparation - see above.
Kate Middleton and her husband are actively involved in charity work and are patrons of several non-governmental foundations. In particular, the Action on Addiction fund for those suffering from various addictions, East Anglia Children’s Hospice, The Art Room center, aimed at developing creative abilities in children. In addition, the couple are official patrons of the National Portrait Gallery and the personal Royal Foundation of the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge and Prince Harry.
Over time, responsibilities are transferred to the Duchess that are already difficult for Queen Elizabeth II herself to fulfill: for example, Kate, who is passionate about tennis, became the curator of the Wimbledon tournament - previously this privilege belonged to the Queen.
Maintaining style and image
Any extra fold on the dress and any gray hair in Kate Middleton's hair is an event that with 100% probability will end up on the front pages of newspapers and in special editions of television programs. The Duchess of Cambridge needs to take care of her appearance and keep herself in shape.
Therefore, on days when there is no public events, Kate works out with a personal trainer, conducts cosmetic procedures and meets with court stylists, hairdressers and tailors.
The Duchess's style should follow etiquette, but also reflect her preferences. Kate's stylists are probably getting overwhelmed trying to reduce the problem to one solution. But the result is clear: The Duchess of Cambridge is considered one of the most stylish women in the world.
Evening
In the evening, Kate Middleton and Prince William have another “family hour”, which they dedicate to their children- personally reading them bedtime stories and putting them to bed.
And now you can compare how far the fantasies about the lazy life of a princess in the palace are from the real one. Many of us have never dreamed of such a tight and strict schedule and such loads!
Photos in text - RexFeatures.
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