The Daily Mail has published an article that is sure to rile up some people. The Palace’s expense reports come out next Wednesday, I think, but the Mail got a preview of the total cost of the renovations to Apartment 1A, otherwise known as Prince William and Kate Middleton’s 22-plus room Kensington Palace home. In the 2012-2013 report, the total cost of the renovations was £1 million. One year later the total cost has skyrocketed to a whopping £4 million ($6.8 million by today’s exchange rates). The original £1 million was to fix the interior, because of asbestos, and the roof. So the extra £3 million went to… building a new bedroom for Will and Kate, and a new nursery for George… because the 22-plus room apartment didn’t have a master bedroom or a nursery before? I’m having a hard time understanding why the powers that be are willing to shill out £4 million on one apartment for Will and Kate when they aren’t willing to pay for repairs to Buckingham freaking Palace.
I’ve quoted the article (accessed June 21, 6:00 am):
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Your bill to refurbish Kate’s palace is now £4MILLION: New kitchen, nursery and several bathrooms quadruples the cost
The cost to taxpayers of refurbishing the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge’s Kensington Palace apartment has quadrupled – to £4million.
Building work on the 22-plus room home has soared by £3million in the last year and includes the bill for William and Kate’s new kitchen and several bathrooms, the Mail can reveal.
The vast project has seen Apartment 1A, which had been used as office space since the death of Princess Margaret, transformed into a ‘family home’.
Although the couple are personally paying for all fixtures and fittings like curtains, carpets and furniture, the cost of building their new bedroom and even Prince George’s nursery has come from the public purse.
One courtier last night insisted that the Kensington Palace project actually offered taxpayers ‘great value’ given the state of the crumbling apartment.
But questions will be asked as to whether Buckingham Palace, which has forked out for the refurbishment, is spending public money wisely.
Cuts to the Queen’s funding led to a dramatic battle between courtiers and the previous Government.
Senior officials – who admitted at one point that the monarch was down to her last £1million in the bank – accused ministers of leaving them with a £40million backlog of essential work to royal residences.
Just a few years ago Princess Anne was almost hit by a piece of falling masonry in the crumbling courtyard at Buckingham Palace, while staff are regularly forced to use buckets to catch the rain from its leaky roof.
Following a comprehensive review of royal finances, the Queen now receives a Sovereign Grant to spend as she wishes on her residences and official duties. The sum was £37.9million in 2014-15.
The Mail understands that a ‘significant proportion’ of the money set aside for essential repairs and maintenance has been spent on William and Kate’s new home.
MPs have already questioned the use of money on private accommodation after discovering that £1million had been spent in 2012/2013.
They were due to be told that the bill for Apartment 1A has spiralled to £4million, including VAT, when the Queen’s accounts are laid before Parliament on Wednesday.
But after being contacted by the Mail with the figures, Buckingham Palace was forced to reveal details of the full cost.
A spokesman for the Duke and Duchess said the Palace is their ‘one and only official residence’, where they will live for ‘many years to come’.
But it was last refurbished in 1963 and needed a ‘significant amount of work’ to make it habitable again.
He added: ‘The work included significant costs for the removal of asbestos, the installation of a new roof, the complete overhaul of electrics and plumbing and a significant amount of internal building work to return the residence to function as a living space.
‘To put it in perspective, there wasn’t even any running water.’ Because the palace is a Scheduled Ancient Monument, the refurbishment had to be of a high standard to meet English Heritage guidelines.
In 2012/13 initial internal refurbishments cost £600,000 and the renewal of the apartment’s roof a further £400,000. It was indicated that further costs were to come, but nothing approaching the final bill revealed today.
The couple, who also own Anmer Hall, a Norfolk country mansion given to them by the Queen, finally moved into the palace apartment last autumn after more than a year of building work.
Margaret Hodge, chairman of the Commons public accounts committee, last night said the bill would not go down well with either Parliament or the public.
She said: ‘This is money coming out of the public purse at a time of great austerity and I am doubtful whether this is something the public would endorse.
‘And with so many people of the same age struggling to get on the property ladder, trying to scrape together a minimal deposit, then you would have thought they would show more sensitivity.’
But the spokesman for the couple insisted that they had done everything possible to keep the costs down, adding: ‘The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge paid privately for all the internal furnishing, including carpets and curtains. They were also at pains to ensure that the specification is not extravagant.’
A Buckingham Palace spokesman added: ‘This is a major Royal Household project that is specifically being created, driven and owned by us, not them. It is essential they have a home and this needed to be made into one.
‘The vast majority of these costs have gone on simply trying to make it habitable again.’
I’m having a hard time believing there was no running water. I’d believe the plumping was old and leaky and in need of repair, but not that there was no running water. Margaret lived there as recently as 2002 (she lived there until her death), and there is no way she was living without running water. And the Royal Historic Palaces had offices in that apartment until Will and Kate’s renovations started, and I doubt they worked in there without working toilets. So that “spokesman” of theirs needs to cool it with trying to make us feel sympathetic toward their “plight”, because I’m not buying what he’s selling.
I want to bring up this quote: “The Mail understands that a ‘significant proportion’ of the money set aside for essential repairs and maintenance has been spent on William and Kate’s new home.” So out of all the money allotted to fixing up ALL the royal residences, which includes all the needed repairs to Buckingham Palace and Windsor Castle, they spent a “significant proportion” on one apartment for Will and Kate? The hell? Why do Will and Kate get so much special treatment? I understand they need a place to live, but why do their exorbitant renovation costs come before repairing Buckingham Palace? Not only is Buckingham Palace the official residence of the Queen, it is also where a number of official events and visits occur, not to mention Buckingham Palace is open to the public for two months every year. Apartment 1A is a private home for Will and Kate and will never be seen or used by the public or for any official event or visit. Why!? Why do they come first!? I don’t understand!
“A spokesman for the Duke and Duchess said the Palace is their ‘one and only official residence’, where they will live for ‘many years to come’.” The wording there is important. It’s their “official” residence. They have another residence that they will probably be spending a ton of time at, Anmer Hall–which is also being renovated at excessive costs, but it’s being paid for “privately”, so I guess that means we don’t get to see those numbers. They also have a whole wing to themselves at Middleton Manor. Yes, technically what the spokesman said is true, but it’s not the whole story. He’s acting like KP is their only residence that they will live in for decades, so the £4 million is isn’t that bad, when in reality they have one other residence solely to themselves, another that they can use whenever they want that’s private and not royal related, and any number of other royal residences they have access to whenever they want. It’s not like KP is their one and only option. Again, cool it spokesman.
You know, I’m a woman, so emotionally I totally understand the desire to renovate and redecorate a new home, but I don’t see why Will and Kate need to spend so much public money on their home. The asbestos and roof, I understand. I could even see the plumping and electric. But moving walls and creating new rooms and new kitchens and bathrooms? That I don’t get. Because fixing a bathroom is more than just plumping, you know they charged the public for brand new tile and expensive showers and all that stuff. And a new kitchen is more than just electric and pluming, there’s new counter tops and cabinets and appliances. I get wanting to upgrade all that stuff, and I get wanting to update rooms and make them more appealing, I really do, but that personal preference stuff should all be paid for privately. The essentials–asbestos removal, roof, plumping, electric–I’m fine with being paid for by the royal accounts, because that really is necessary updates to a historic palace that technically belongs to the state. But personal preference stuff–like a redesigned interior because W&K want a new bedroom and new nursery for George, new high-end kitchens and bathrooms–I think should be paid for privately. Those changes are not necessary to keep the palace in good condition, those changes are Will and Kate’s personal taste. And as personal changes, they should be paid for privately.
PS. Happy Birthday, William. You’re 32, it’s time to step up and be a royal and earn that £4 million through public service.
PPS. Here’s a Telegraph article with more rebuttals from Will and Kate’s spokesman. Plus, it also says the Queen is leasing an £8 million helicopter for Will and Kate to use. Geez.
Thank You! Brilliant as ever at pointing holes in the spokesperson’s pathetic lies. No running water? Absolute lie. Asbestos: It wasn’t a problem when the charity and all those visitors were going to be there but NOW it is a problem? Are we supposed to believe that all of the other residences in Kensington magically do not have asbestos?
They were given the choice to live in Diana’s old residence – which also has a garden – and instead they grabbed this unavailable space from a charity. And the “20 room apartment” is incorrect. It is 57 rooms. http://www.dailymail.co.uk/home/you/article-2303446/Behind-doors-Duke-Duchess-Cambridges-apartment-Kensington-Palace.html
This may be the one “official” residence, although they are racking up the properties. KP, Anmer, 1-2 places in Scotland, that place Charles bought for them back in 2005, etc. I thought someone had pointed out that a portion of the Anmer reno was coming out of the taxpayers pockets? Increased security is at least according to the DM story, “Although the cost of the works is being met privately by the Royal Family, Norfolk Police is recruiting extra armed officers to guard the property round the clock.”
Her staying at her parents with PGTips costs an extra $17,000 A DAY in security, so the Norfolk taxpayers are going to be hit incredibly hard. Freedom of Information requests on these costs should skyrocket.
If the cost of this helicopter is paid by the taxpayers, then only official (ie. royal engagements included in the CC) use of this helicopter should be paid by them. They should have to pay out of personal money for sneaking off to the airport for shopping, hunting, beach vacations, skiing, and living their separate lives with her, the multiple nannies, and PGTips at her family’s home in Berkshire. BTW, a few months ago, someone stated a one-way trip on the “royal helicopter” was $25,000.
I really don’t know why I’m so irrationally furious over this. I don’t know them, and I never will, and I don’t live in Britain any more so none of it came out of my pocket. But I feel duped. I feel duped in that I was hoping maybe the good press from the Aussie tour was generating a desire to work and feel the love from Kate and maybe even William. But I guess not. This big flurry of events was a PR show so we’d think they deserve it. GMAFB. By the way, remember the purple paint Kate didn’t like after the place was all painted? I notice the article did not mention they are paying for the paint. It was quite conspicuous in its absence. In the interest of fairness I don’t particularly feel right now, I do think it a bit unfair to keep William’s name out of the headline. He lives there too.
While I’m feeling particularly ranty, I’m now totally disgusted she used that charity in her PR scheme. Not only did she not visit them during the actual Children’s Hospice week, she releases information about her (very publicly documented now) “private” visit to the charity. Hey, Kate! Your job isn’t to make bloody private visits! It’s to get out there, and publicise your charity, maybe even during the bloody week set aside for just that purpose! GAH!!
Bluhare, it is your nation (or the nation of your heart) whether you live there currently or not. You may have grown up admiring hard working HM and PP, plus the revolution that was Diana (pro or con she changed the game and brought open emotion to royal engagements). With all that goodwill at hand, W&K could have been golden. Instead they believed their own hype rather than understanding how quickly they could fall in the court of public opinion.
Was it her PR scheme or a desperate attempt by a courtier to try to stave off criticism? I just don’t see these two as giving a rats, I really don’t. They don’t care if there is negative press, they will not be made to change their ways, they think their workload is just fine, and William will never do anything if he’s pushed/told to do it. Those 27+ office staff may be running around frantically trying to plug holes in the dike while these two flit off to the countryside for months.
We’ll see what happens after this. Will they up their work load? Travel to Anmer every weekend on the new helicopter or live at Anmer full-time? Will he duck duties and work for the helicopter service? Will we still be here next year having the same Groundhog Day conversations?
Someone pointed out on a forum, this $6.8 million is just about what EACH needs for their fundraising campaign.
Thanks, Tuppence. I’m verklempt!
i honestly have no words. anymore. mute. i can only feel badly for their staff who have to make them look good no matter what.
They need hazard pay. It’s a thankless job.
I am no longer resident in the UK, but I am still a UK citizen. I find all of this reckless, yes reckless spending totally sickening to be honest. I had hoped that we would begin to see a certain chastening of style commensurate with a modern young couple and their purported views on a degree of ordinariness – read hardworking royal here (ok, you get my meaning…) they couldn’t give a rats, I agree; it’s a constant whirlwind of egotist spending, vacationing and preening for the press when they want to – sickened…you can tell I think..
We’re in the same boat, Ferryman. I am still British as well. I’d like to return there at some point as well. But if I’m going to all ranty, I might have to rethink that! 🙂
Man, I wish there were an “edit” button as my comment doesn’t make a whole lot of sense. Sorry!
B, it made sense to me. Would you consider The Republic of Ireland? Close, at times a similar feel, but not paying UK taxes.
That idea may be akin to blasphemy, so please feel free to ignore 🙂
Ireland is beautiful. I’d consider it; some of the family are Irish. No blasphemy here, Tuppence!
HM needs a new PR department. Shameful in how this has been reported. Considering all the work that was done to KP £4 million is reasonable. You may question the audacity of PW and Kate to have these renovation done, but it’s HM money and she can spend it how she chooses.
It is not HM’s money. It was taxpayer money set aside by the government for upkeep for ALL of the buildings in the Royal Palaces group. HM is crying that she’s down to her last million for building upkeep, and The Princess Royal was nearly crushed by a piece of masonry falling off of Buckingham Palace. The official residence of the Head of State is falling apart because she says she doesn’t have the money to fix it. Makes you wonder where the millions went for years, millions that were set aside for building maintenance and were (potentially) re-directed?
Now it turns out the majority of the taxpayer money set aside *for upkeep for all of those buildings* was spent building a new bedroom and three new kitchens for W&K. The extra 3 million pounds was NOT spent on asbestos abatement, that was made clear, that came out of the first 1.5 million pounds.
This new chunk of money was spent on interior redesign, moving walls, creating a new master bedroom for W&K, a new nursery, three new kitchens. That wasn’t necessary for the upkeep of a publicly-owned building. It was for these two lazy scroungers to get what they want out of the taxpayers.
They were given the choice of 3 other properties in KP, smaller, less-expensive, and requiring less work. They were not given the choice of the 57 room mansion that was already redone by a charity. W&K went ahead and demanded the biggest property anyway, so HM used part of the building money to reimburse the charity for all the renovations they had already done AND for rent they paid. Now W&K will live there rent-free, thereby costing the Royal Palaces group even more money in lost revenue/rent.
There is no justification for this being foisted off on the taxpayers. None whatsoever.
From my understanding (could be wrong) the money is coming from the Soverign Grant, hence HM money. A good analogy would be the taxpayer money toward the Prime Minster’s salary, if he decided to use his salary to renovate his private home I don’t think there would be a public out cry. If the money was for restoration for property on loan from the people and she was told to use it how she sees best, well that’s what she did. Additionally I doubt seriously that PW and Kate make demands on HM.
AMG, it is her money to spend. Does anyone know the buildings for which she’s responsible? BP, KP, and Windsor? Are there any more that come out of that fund?
As Buckingham Palace’s renovations haven’t been done, apparently it’s more important to spend that money on a huge mansion for William and Kate rather that upgrade BP’s systems. That really looks bad now the DM is reporting William’s going to pilot for East Anglia Air Ambulance and they aren’t even going to live there full time for the foreseeable future.
I couldn’t make this stuff up if I tried. And I was veering perilously close to fan territory until this.
I have the funniest image of the Queen and DoE sitting in their favorite room at Windsor with water dripping into buckets next the their favorite chairs, and privately grumbling about Will and Kate’s fine upgraded KP apartment sucking up all the available funds for the year. Just something I can’t get out of my mind. LOL!
Could someone explain billy’s grandma & daddy are catering to him and waity? I have read that the weakling has been given a helicopter for his birthday! CrazyAMG 4 million is not reasonable, then some are homeless, unemployed, sick & hungry! I do not live in England, however i sincerely feel very sorry for the british taxpayer! I think it is more than time to kick lazy & weakling to the curb!
A helicopter to be paid out of the Sovereign grant!!!!
Oh come on you guys. That helicopter is being leased! And other royals will use it! Of course they will!
Halia I hear you and share your compassion toward those that are less fortunate. But as it relates to renovation of this historic Palace, the £ spent are within reason. Was it the best utilization of the money, I think not.
Hold onto your jelli h8ter hat, Bluhare. £4 million plus in taxpayer money to fix it up, and it turns out they ARE moving full-time to Anmer so he can play at pretending to fly helicopters again. Justification for the cost of using taxpayer money to refurbish a 57 room mansion that will now be EMPTY the majority of the time? Anyone? Anyone?
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2664596/Wills-decides-Royal-WONT-time-job-opts-pilot-East-Anglia-air-ambulance-closer-home.html
GAAAHH!!!!!
That’s all I’ve got! 🙂
And it turns out that Charles paid for the furnishings, so William didn’t even crack open his inheritance to buy his own bed sheets.
I’m going to go on overload soon, Tuppence. The explosion won’t be pretty.
My2pence and bluhare – you both are too much! Absolutely hilarious! 😉
No justification but my opinion, IMO Kate isn’t and wasn’t prepared to take on full time Royal life. It is that simple. I don’t blame her, being under the worlds microscope couldn’t be fun. I applaud them for making the decision that is best for their family at this point in time. When the time comes, when they have no choice, I hope she is prepared and ready.
She had 13 YEARS to become ready. Why exactly do people continue to make excuses for a 32-year-old woman who had a decade to know what she was getting in to and CHOSE to pursue that life anyway? If you’ve watched any of the films of her playing with the paps through the years you will see that she enjoys the attention.
Their role in this world is to make the lives of people in the UK better. NOW. They are required to act in the best interest of ALL families in the UK. That is their job.
They can pay back every pence of the money wasted on Kensington out of his inheritance (also from the taxpayers) and go live in Anmer. No more taxpayer-funded security, no more helicopter trips. All of it will come out of his inheritance. Then the two most precious royal snowflakes on the planet will be able to life as quiet and plebeian a life as they want.
You know, Tuppence, I agree with AMG about Kate isn’t prepared to take on full time royal life. I do. I think she really thought she wouldn’t have to do much other than wear nice clothes, show up, wave, and accept posies from small children. The fact she can’t even give a rudimentary speech after three years is testament to that. In my charitable phases, of which I am not in right now, I think she’s got some paralyzing shyness thing going on and she didn’t realize the extent of the scrutiny or what she’d have to do. Now, I wonder if she really is so bloody self absorbed she can’t see beyond the end of her hair extensions.
Blu, just think about how much her life hasn’t changed really.
– She spent a decade doing nothing but vacationing and being supported by someone else.
– She didn’t work, honestly, there is no proof at all that she worked for the family company.
– She vacationed with William multiple times per year (clocked 9-10 vacations one year alone)
– She was photographed, followed, and written about.
– She had a pap and reporter on speed dial.
– She was given the choice to sneak out the back door of clubs and she insisted on going out front because she wanted to be photographed.
– She did all of that without either the Palace PR department to cover up for her OR security guards to keep her safe.
Now?
– Her father-in-law pays for her clothes and gets reimbursed by the taxpayers rather than her parents supporting her.
– She goes on lavish vacations multiple times a year
– She lives in mansions paid for by someone else
– She is photographed, followed, and written about.
– She has 27 staff to write her thank you notes, write her speeches, and organize her schedule.
– She has multiple cooks, cleaners, and nannies to take care of everything from every meal to doing the majority of the child care.
– She has multiple security guards making sure nobody gets too close-
– But OMG she has to show up to work A COUPLE OF TIMES A MONTH. In some cases for as little as 15 minutes.
She doesn’t do much more than dress up, wave, and accept flowers from children. And she cannot handle even that?
I know you’d like to find something redeeming in her, or to find a justifiable reason why she is so pathetic 3 years into her job. And it is a job, make no mistake. I do not see paralyzing shyness in her 13 years of exhibitionism, nor in her behavior for the past 3 years. I just see laziness and an unwillingness to work, learn, work, learn, work, learn, repeat. Learned helplessness is never attractive, especially in someone supported fully by the taxpayers.
I can’t argue with most of what you said, Tuppence, but I’m going to try.
I agree about her life prior to getting married. I think she had a lot of time to see what she’d be getting into and what her life would be like. But you know sometimes you look at something and you can see it and examine it, but actually being “in” it is a totally different story? You can see that it’s intense or whatever, but only when you’re actually in there experiencing it does it really resonate. I think that could have happened here. I think that the scrutiny she experienced as his girlfriend is nothing compared to the scrutiny she gets now. Back when she was his girlfriend no one cared if she flashed her bum, was photographed topless or spent money like it was going out of style. Well, people cared, but not the same now she’s a royal Duchess.
I think it freaked her out, and I think it explains the inability to talk to people and the awkwardness I see in photos that theoretically show her being caring. I don’t see caring at all. I see someone nicely dressed sitting on one side of a table and everyone else on the other. The only reason she was animated with that little girl at Christmas is that little girl wouldn’t let her get away with anything less. I see a distance when she goes out on engagements; I don’t see any engagement. It could be that she is a vacant clothes horse, as Hilary Mantel said. It could also be she’s scared spitless and can’t move.
But that’s when I’m feeling charitable. 😀
And yet, Blu, her own cousin stated publicly that Kate Middleton has always struggled to find other people interesting or to pay attention to what they’re saying. This is not a new development, not shyness, it is her basic personality.
She just isn’t interested, never has been. It isn’t being overwhelmed by the job, it is the way she always has been as stated by a member of her family. Remember the story of her desperately trying to pay attention to a polo match, because she was going to have to talk about it later with William? She just has NO interest in the world around her beyond spas, beaches, and stores. Vapid clothes horse it is.
It makes me lean more heavily towards the theory that William settled for his convenient bedmate *knowing* she was a poor choice. One more way to stick it to the evil monarchy that he thinks killed his mother.
I struggle so hard, Tuppence. I do not want to think that Kate is nothing more than a more upmarket Kim Kardashian. I don’t want to think that at all, and all this is making me think it’s probably true.
I do think she underestimated the amount of pressure she would be under, though. I really do think that. I also think she’s painfully self conscious. But I’m also starting to think, and this pains me, that she’s nothing more than a shopping and magazine reading dilettante who gets bored if anything resembling reality comes up. I do not want to go there. I really don’t.
Oh, cry me a freakin’ river! She had plenty of time to understand what she was getting into. She shacked up with Will for the better part of a decade. She knew, and he knew, what is expected of the BRF. They just don’t care. In their minds RULES DO NOT APPLY TO THEM.
I must have missed that quote from her cousin about her not being interested in anything that anyone else has to say. To me, that clinches that she has narcissitic personality disorder. I realize alot of people don’t have experience with this, and therefor can’t recognize it. but based on my experience, she has NPD.
What if all the money Prince William just saved on housing costs were to go to a divorce settlement with Kate?
The would actually be a good outcome IMO.
LOL! We call needed this comment. We laugh because it’s funny…and someday could be true.
I actually understand the high cost for Kensington Palace renovations and I think it is reasonable. To the general public it might seem too much restoring monuments like KP require a lot – I mean, a lot – of money. Someone I know was involved in restoration of a historic castle in my country and I was blown away at the expenditure on seemingly unimportant, little things that were very necessary.
What I do not understand however is why so much money is being spent on KP, a private residence with the official residences like Buckingham and Windsor are not in a good state. That money should first have been used for restoring those palaces. They might actually take more than 4 million BP but they should have been done by now. Maybe I wouldn’t have been so furious at the Kensington renovations if Buckingham and Windsor had bee renovated.
This isn’t actually Will and Kate’s fault. It’s the royal household and the government’s fault. But, Will and Kate too could have chosen Diana’s apartment – which is far more modern than Margaret’s and would have taken less to redecorate. Looking at all this, I’m getting a feeling that Charles is actually more influential than the Queen these days. Because only he would have given into his son and daughter-in-laws childish demands and let so much money be spent on Kensington. I don’t think the Queen actually approved of this.
It makes me wonder if William pulled an end-run around the BRF yet again. He played along, went to farm school, pretended to be agreeing to take on his royal role. He demands the biggest apartment “or else” – assuming they’d say, “No” and he could throw another tantrum. Instead they shocked him by saying, “Yes, William, whatever you want as long as you finally agree to do your bloody ROYAL job.”
He then angles for a country home leased by someone else, and again, he is shocked when they say yes. The BRF figures once all the housing is set, W&K finally take on their required royal roles, so for goodness sake give them whatever they want.
Now the work is nearly done on both houses, he has no more excuses. Time to finally step up and do his royal job. Behind their backs he arranges the air ambulance thing. Maybe he told his father it would just be an occasional flight on weekends at Anmer, to “keep his hand in” once they took on far more royal duties.
The Palace spokesperson is out spinning as fast as he can that the KP apartment reno AND the new helicopter lease are needed for their royal roles, because that’s what he’s been TOLD is the plan. Then Billy the Basher releases the info himself that he’s moving full-time to Anmer and becoming a pilot rather than a taking on his royal role.
William wins once again, and the BRF are left to publicly spin excuses for wasting so much taxpayer money on these two layabouts. No complaints allowed, because Billy knows abdication/stepping aside = apocalypse to HM.
And Lola sums it up brilliantly http://lovelolaheart.com/?p=1600
I agree; a very good article, which kind of lays things out as they are – very well written…
I am suprised that the freeloaders did not attend ascot!
They cant attend anything they are lazy, and kate does not like to be upstage, you mention beautiful women she runs and hides in a cave!
Reports are that both homes cost over 6 million dollars! Why are the politicians not making billy pay for his & waity’s behaviour?
Part of the money “problems” that the Firm has had, is that they are very poorly served by their advisers. The senior-level people around Her Majesty with the exception of her Private Secretary are titled aristocrats like the Lord Chamberlain of the Household who is an Earl, the Master of the Household who is a retired admiral and Sir Alan Reid, whose yearly salary is £188,000. He’s the Keeper of the Privy Purse and the Queen’s Treasurer, in charge of her finances. Of course it doesn’t really matter all that much for Willy and Waity, b/c the Prince of Wales pays for them out of his Duchy of Cornwall monies; or at least he did. If the Queen’s Men advised her to use the Sovereign grant to pay for her grandson’s apartment, fine. I’m not sure why two adults and an infant need a 57-room or 20-room apartment. My grandparents raised two boys in a 2-bedroom 1,100 sq. foot bungalow and no one had a problem about it. Clearly whoever’s advised the Queen should be sacked and professional accountants should be brought in.
Seth in complete agreement with you! I just don’t understand why she doesn’t have the very best fincial advisers her money could afford her. As for PW/Kate they will be the death of the BRF if they can’t get it together.
Charles will be the death of the monarchy. On the one hand he seems to have goofy ideas of the environment, alternative medicine, etc. On the other, he lives like… a prince, with multiple homes, staff to put toothpaste on his toothpaste, he carries his own lavatory seat around with him! Who DOES that? Then he has his staff sell gifts he doesn’t want to give him even more money. Everyone is waiting for Willy and Waity to be crowned so they can watch them waving to them from the Palace balcony. They are “the people’s royals”… whatever the hell that’s supposed to mean. AS well I meant to add above that while I don’t care if the Queen’s staff advise her to spend the Sovereign Grant for her grandson’s palace, I don’t think it’s a very good idea at all, especially while Queen Victoria’s Mausoleum at Frogmore is said to be crumbling and staff have to collect water from leaky roofs in buckets at Windsor. And of course the Princess Royal was nearly brained a few years ago by a chunk of falling masonry when she came to Buckingham Palace. How’s that for a welcome from your parents? Show up and you have to dodge flying bricks. Ha!
Interesting comments on PC, I wasn’t aware that he had those issues. Poor HM I am afraid she will have no peace.
Re Charles having someone put his toothpaste on his toothbrush. Apparently that only happened when he broke his arm playing polo. It makes for a good press story to imply that he does it all the time…
But he still has his staff resell gifts to add a few thousand quid to supplement his £19 million yearly income? That’s what I thought.
K.M.R. What is your opinion is on the younger sister’s interview in America! Halia