94 thoughts on “Royal Round Up: George, Harry, more”

1. Princess Anne is looking very smart to me these days for having turned down titles for her children. Zara looks healthy and happy. There are no battles over cottages on royal estates and she has thriving life outside of the royal court. It’s nice to see the photos.

   1. She didn’t turn down titles for her kids. Titles can only be passed on by males. As she married a man without title, her kids have no title. See also Princess Alexandra.

      Considering how she pushed to have ‘blood princes’ recognised over ‘royals only by marriage’, don’t be fooled into thinking she doesn’t give a toss about these things.

      Plus she could have turned down the ‘Princess Royal’ title when it was granted.

      Secondly, we do not see unseemly fights over cottages for her kids because she houses them all on her estate and keeps her issues from the press.

      Gatcombe is approx. 1000acres. Upgraded and secured by taxpayers money. Like Sandrigham, it has several ‘cottages’ which her children have taken up to live in for free. And by cottage, i mean in the same sense that Anmer Hall is a ‘cottage’.

      1. I always thought that she did turn down titles for her children. Yes, titles pass through males but the Queen could have made Mark Phillips Earl of Something like she did upon marriage to Margaret’s husband, Antony Armstrong-Jones, Earl of Snowden. Peter would then have been born Viscount Something and Zara would have been Lady Zara Phillips. That would not have been at all unusual at the time. They were, after all, the grandchildren of the Queen.

         1. If the Queen had offerred a title, it would have been to the husband, who would decide whether or not to accept the title.

            Mark Philips has never, ever shown any indication that he cares for such things, unlike Armstrong. He never ever ingratiated himself into thd royal life beyond living on Gatcombe and running his eventing businesses.

            Princess Alexandra’s husband is on record for turning his offered title down and regreting the decision in later life.

            I think that if Anne didn’t care for titles OR status like people assume she does, then she would gave turned down the ‘princess royal’ elevation and she wouldn’t have insisted that blood princes be recognised above people are only royal because they married her brothers and nephews.

      2. I don’t see Anne as down-to-earth either. She likes her royal status and makes sure everyone knows it. Zara’s “cottage” Aston Farm includes 600 acres, and since it is part of Anne’s estate, it is secured with taxpayer money.

         Picture of Aston Farm
         http://www.express.co.uk/news/royal/371927/Will-this-be-Zara-Phillips-s-new-home

         I’ve never heard of Peter or Zara having their own London apartments. Peter’s business is based in London, so I think they may spend a lot of time living in Anne’s SJP space under the radar.

         1. Anne’s ‘Princess Royal’ cloak allows her adult children, their spouses and their children to also become de facto beneficiaries of taxpayer-provided security, property upgrades, and presumably SJP accommodation too when required. It never ceases to amaze me in this era of state accountability that a blind eye is turned to accountability of public resources provided to the BRF.

         2. That is quite an estate! Do you know if they live in these places for security reasons as grandchildren of the queen?

            1. They’ve both lived elsewhere and returned to Anne’s estate, so I’d say there is no government/official reason why. Neither receives taxpayer-funded security (Zara was said to be surprised by that when she moved out of Gatcombe the first time).

               My guess is they like living for free with Anne and getting the sideways security. Nothing official but getting the benefit. That will change when Anne passes away.

      3. That’s interesting! I had always gotten the impression that she had turned the titles down, but the information you included in your comment puts an end to that impression. It sounds like Zara has the life and benefits that Kate was angling for when marrying William.

2. Heaven, those dogs are the cutest hairballs!
   I hope Zara and Mike are feeling well.
   It’s quite obvious Harry wants to take a step further, why would he move into a new home?
   Rebecca is a beautiful bride, she seems to like it natural.But why is she crossing her arms?

   1. I think she must have been cold. Sleeveless dress and maybe a chill in the air, if not the car.
      She did look lovely and I hope she will be happy. Her husband, too.

      Loved the photo outside the church — which I only found after posting that I wish there were photos of the bride outside the car. You could only see the back of her gown in the photo outside the church. It did seem that little PG was in the photo — far from where Rebecca was standing. I hope he was there. Kate, too. If Kate went, perhaps, there was not a commotion on purpose in order to give the day to the bride and groom.

      At any rate, I am imagining that George and Charlotte will have roles in Pippa;s upcoming wedding, so I guess George was getting a sneak peek as to what weddings are all about.

      As for Harry and Meghan moving in next door to W and K. Do you think Harry really wants that? Or, Meghan? Harry and William have seemed quite distant of late and I really don’t imagine that Harry would want to live so close to his brother. Of course, if both live in Kensington Palace, no matter where the residences are located, they will be close., Odd, because I would think that if Harry moves in with Meghan, they will want more privacy.

      Little Mia is so cute. What a little fireball. Her parents seem to be very warm and loving. I so hope they have been able to cope with the tragic miscarriage and that another baby is in the wings, if they want. I am sure they are happy. You can see it in their demeanor.

      1. That isn’t G in the picture. People on twitter were claiming it was him until Rebecca’s sister chimed in and said he wasn’t. That little boy in the picture is a cousin’s son.

         1. Awww, darn 🙁

            1. Oh, too bad. I agree with QL. I wish it was George, too!!

3. Rebecca looks lovely, I wish I could see a full length photo showing us Tebecca’s whole gown.

   1. Here is a full length pic floating around. Sadly it’s from the back. the dress is lovely even with this partial view.

      https://pbs.twimg.com/media/C72aMpPVsAAqAUm.jpg

      1. Thanks Hera. The style of the dress seems to flatter her. I’d love to see a front on view – maybe she’ll sell the rights to a trashy mag and we’ll see some more photos then!

4. Rebecca looked beautiful… looks like she had beautiful weather as well. Princess royal family looks like a strong unit.

5. Anne’s family seem to get on so well. What a nice change! Great kids, gorgeous dogs.
   The comments about the Gloucesters show them up again to be kind, thoughtful and not stuck up at all. Another nice change.

   RD can certainly scrub up well when she chooses, and her wedding day is a good day to choose. I wish her every happiness.

   1. I wonder if it was also the Gloucesters offering to move in exchange for getting to retire, or decrease engagements? They’re younger than the Duke of Kent (72 and 70 vs. Duke of Kent at 81), but still past retirement age for the UK.

      Whatever they get in exchange for representing the Queen doesn’t seem like much. Duchess of Gloucester was photographed (last year?) wearing the same outfit for 2-3 engagements in the same week. The Gloucesters did a combined 400+ engagements in 2015. Offering to give up their London home to W&K 6 years ago might have been them wanting to leave London and do fewer engagements. They may have assumed, like many did, that W&K would start working once they married.

6. Rebecca made for a beautiful bride. She seemed happy on the inside and outside.

   So W+K want their kids to grow up normal? The price tag screams the opposite.

   I have a funny feeling about this KP shuffle. Weren’t there charities in W+K current location that had to move for them? So now the Gloucesters will too? Pardon me, but St James Palace could be an option for H+M. Plus, who wants to live around boorish William anyway?

   I’d say I like Zara the most out of HM’s grandkids. She seems down to earth. I love that she lets Mia be a kid.

   Thanks for the round-up, KMR!

   1. If Harry kicks out charities or his elderly cousins who have shown nothing but duty, class, and dignity through their service to the crown I will be very disappointed. However I want to reserve judgment at this point because it sounds like the original Express article is just conjecture, saying these are all the options at KP for a future home for Harry. And then the Mail ran with it to make it clickbait about his relationship.

      1. Charities and offices are moving from Diana’s 8&9 to new accommodation near the Orangery, so Harry would have an apartment available should he choose.

         1. It all remains conjecture and rumor (which we obviously enjoy!). We don’t know which staff are moving where. If the staff in 8&9 are W&K&H’s staff as has been rumored for a couple of years, they wouldn’t be the staff who are moved into the new building.

            The new basement and completely new two-storey building for HRP and Orangery staff will take a couple of years to build. If he is moving into 8&9, would it happen anytime soon? Wouldn’t it have to wait until the Orangery and HRP staff move, then W&K&H staff in 8&9 are moved into the space formerly occupied by HRP?

            The map in this article is helpful to me, because I haven’t seen it all from this angle before. I haven’t seen the building plans, so don’t know where the new building is going. I’m guessing it will be built next to the Orangery.

            1) between the Orangery and the Upper Lodge staff apartments and Boiler Room

            or

            2) on the opposite side of the Orangery where there are a bunch of trees.

            Building it anywhere else would destroy the view of the gardens from the Orangery, which is part of why people book the place.

            http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-3749679/Through-KP-keyhole-Eugenie-s-moving-Kensington-Palace-Wills-Harry-Kate-shares-pile-Diana-hated.html

            1. I’d imagine it doesn’t much matter considering W&K demanded Apt 1A (it was the largest, and I have read it actually was not available for them but, you know, they get what they want) when HRP was using it and kicked them out.

               I don’t think Harry is that sort, so who knows what will happen. I think it’s mostly the tabloids trying to tie Harry to moving instead of W&K expanding though we’ve heard they wanted to renovate their place again. Didn’t they repaint and change things after George was born?

            2. It probably doesn’t, and since the press doesn’t know what is really happening, they keep spinning tales to keep getting clicks. I don’t expect any of the elderly royals to be moved out of their existing spaces to accommodate Harry. Staff (KP, Orangery, or HRP) are another matter.

               The new building is for Orangery and HRP staff, that seems to have been made clear. Where they are housed now isn’t known, since multiple sources put W&K&H’s staff in 8&9. Lots of other spaces on the map aren’t labelled, so that could be where the HRP staff had to move when they were kicked out by W&K.

               If they’re redoing their space at KP again, that gives them an excuse to not move to London until right before school term starts in the fall.

            3. That schematic of KP is very eye opening – is it accurate? I’m surprised at the size of William and Kate’s spread. It appears to be larger than the space Charles and Diana were given when they married.

            4. It mislabels the Diana vs. Prince Michael of Kent spaces. In the first one I posted, it wrongly combines the two. The link I include lower down here shows those two residences properly (Diana under the number 5, P&P Michael under the number 4).

               1A is much larger than the space Charles and Diana had. It is not only a larger footprint, but when you look closely you see that it is a storey taller than C&D’s space. There is another storey half-under ground at 1A, a bi-level floor.

               While more recent (and W&K friendly) talk say it is 20 rooms? Earlier articles from Princess Margaret’s time there it is 50 rooms, with 10 bedrooms just for staff (probably the attic and half under-ground spaces).

               I had never seen it from that angle, I’d only seen this one before.

               http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-BmHXAu1m200/UgAx237LgkI/AAAAAAAAHm0/zFk5J7ytB64/s1600/KenPal_Ariel_mail.co.uk.jpg

               I have to look at both to try to figure out what the angle of the photo changes. Once you look at both pictures, you can see that 1A is almost twice the size of C&D’s old space.

   2. According to the DM article, the Glouchesters offered to move if W&K wanted their apartment and apparently offered the same thing to Harry. But I agree, who would want to live next door to the D&D of C?

      1. Maybe Harry wants the privacy that new of row of hedges provides?

   3. I think people are confusing normal and middle-class. George will grow up a lot more normal than his father and certainly grandfather and great grandmother but he’ll be a normal rich kid. Private schools, multiple vacations, private travel, large estates, etc is normal for a lot of rich kids. I don’t think in anyway he’ll be anything other than a normal rich kid, not a normal middle class kid.

      1. I would rather George ends up like his grandfather and great grandparents. They might be out of touch and feel entitled to money but they were raised to embrace their position and you can see this in that they are happy to be royals and they do engagements willingly.
         William is a normal rich “kid” like you said. He wants money, free time, no public attention and freedom to do whatever he wants without caring about anybody else. Unfortunately unlike normal rich kids, his money comes from the taxpayers.

         1. What a bummer life is for William.

7. When there were rumors that George would attend his dads old school, I understood it was close to KP, but worried George would once again have to wear his dad’s old clothes and have comparisons galore. He can be more independent now. I think it’s smart for his parents to chose a co-ed so Charlotte can join him in a few years.

   Anne’s grandchildren look like they are having fun, and that they’d be covered in grass stains and mud by the end of the day. I don’t think we’ll ever see public pictures of the Cambridge children like this, but seeing how Will is close to Zara I do think they likely know their cousins and hopefully have days like this together away from the press.

   I imagine Kate and Will were at the wedding, and Harry might have been too as Rebecca worked for Sentable.

   I’m am doubting if Harry was planning a Swiss vacation at the moment – April is the start of off-season for skiing, right? Not that he doesn’t take vacations less than William does. I think he probably went to Switzerland at some point during this winter staying at his cousins’ chalet.

   1. Yes April is usually off season, but he did go to Kazakhstan to ski with Cressida at the end of March a few years ago so he clearly isn’t opposed to late season ski trips. I imagine he didn’t skip a ski trip all together this year. He probably has been to the York’s chalet quietly at some point this season.

8. Does it worry anyone else that in the last photo of Mia and Anne that the child is not harnessed in a suitable car restraint? Isn’t it illegal to not have children safely restrained when in a moving vehicle?

   The Gloucester’s are a class act. I hope they stay where they are for as long as it suits their needs. The report seems to suggest that Harry is overseeing renovations on another apartment; hope so, asit would be bad form to take up the Gloucester’s offer.

   1. It worries me Jen. Mia is only three. I don’t even move my car until both my kids are strapped in properly. I don’t know what the regulations are in the UK. I don’t think they are that lacks. My children have to beg in a seat/booster until they reach seventy pounds.

      I like Anne. I respect her hard work and dedication to the Crown and her charities. She is tough and has a lot of grit. She is definitely her father’s daughter. Anne’s children to me seem the most well adjusted of her HM grandchildren. I was actually reading an article about the comparisons and differences between Charles and Anne. It was interesting. Especially in parenting styles. Anne is no nonsense when raising her children. Charles was more lacks. It shows in my opinion.

   2. I do not know the laws in the UK but I thought for the most part seat belt/car seat laws don’t apply to private property, which isn’t the Gatcombe horse trials on Anne’s private property? That could be why she isn’t restrained properly. That being said it still worries me and obviously the safest thing would be to have her restrained properly in all moving vehicles no matter what.

      1. Private property or not, inadequate restraint of a small child in a moving vehicle is reckless. Mia was not even sitting, she was balancing on a seat with her head out the window = accident waiting to happen.

         1. Oh I agree! The royals in general are pretty lax about proper vehicle restraint. I feel like I see various royals not wearing seatbelts all the time in pictures, even William and Harry. Now if my mother died in part because of being an unrestrained passenger in a moving vehicle you better bet I’d wear my seatbelt all the time.

            1. Exactly. What greater message would you need to buckle up? Diana would have survived that car crash had she been belted in, like the only survivor of that crash, Trevor Rees-Jones. I suspect the royals feel insulated to such realities: security always close by, living largely in a constructed fantasy of being sent by God.

   3. Hi Jen, it looked to me like the vehicle wasn’t moving. Perhaps Anne and Mia were just sitting in it to watch the festivities.

      1. I didn’t think the car was moving, either. l do hope that when it was, little Mia was securely in her child safety seat.

      2. Gee, I hope you’re right. Even if travelling a short distance on your own grounds, accidents can easily happen.

9. It would be so lovely if George and Charlotte were playing yesterday with there cousins. Kate has them on a very tight rope. My fondest memories of growing up is running and getting mucky with my cousins.

   1. Oh me too, Fiona. I have a cousin (Mike) who is 7 years younger than me, 3 years younger than Melissa and not even a year older than my youngest sister, Sam, and he’s always been regarded as the brother that my sisters and I never had! In fact, years ago, on Facebook (just before his younger brother was finally old enough to join), he sent requests to my sisters and I to add us to his family section as his “sisters.” To me, that spoke volumes and told me that the “sibling” feeling is very much mutual.

      Last time I saw Mike was during Thanksgiving and though it had been years since the last time we were face-to-face, he greeted me with a great big bear hug and smile. Bonus is that he’s a wonderful cook! 🙂

   2. Mike was on the radio doing some interview. The interviewer said something about oh aren’t you happy, W&K are having another kid, and Mike was like, “Well, thanks for telling us, it’s the first we heard of it.” Wouldn’t be a stretch to say Mia gets very little time with her cousins. W&K are close only to the Middletons. Even Harry is evasive and vague talking about them, I get the impression he isn’t close to them either; he barely knew Kate when they got engaged and heard of it through the announcement, same with the pregnancies as well.

10. Rebecca looks very pretty! Best wishes to her and her new husband!

    Anne’s family is so sweet to see. They all seem close and genuinely happy to be around one another.

    I am so confused about Harry’s potential new apartment. So the plans for the Orangery’s new basement haven’t been approved yet, but when they presumably are then Apt 8 & 9 hypothetically will be free for Harry? And apparently it’s already undergoing renovation? I thought it was already renovated a few years ago to be offices for the trio’s “court”/charity interests. And also the Gloucesters, who do more engagements then Harry, may be relocated from their long time home to make way for a single guy with no family at the present moment to move in? Does anyone else think this all sounds like conjecture? Like people are taking the plans for the Orangery and running with it for clickbait regarding Harry. I mean Harry may marry Meghan, but why would he need a new, huge, grand apartment at this point? Kate and William didn’t even get Apt 1A until after George was born. Also given how KP is a publicly funded palace shouldn’t all planned renovations to it be made public?

    1. No doubt there’s a kernel of truth in KP renovation stories. It’s all about hierarchy though, isn’t it? However, as you point out, KP is a publicly-owned and funded building so all plans for renovation / repair should be publicly available to those who own it. Given the BRF is riding well at the moment on the back of apathetic taxpayers – money for BP renovations provided for a second time (the first lot appropriated by the Queen) plus a substantial increase of the Sovereign Grant – they may as well push their luck while they can with a residence for Harry, whether he needs/deserves one, or not.

       1. You know that story of Harry’s has been debunked right?

11. Congratulations to Rebecca. I hope her and her husband had a good day and many best wishes for the future. I like Rebecca’s dress and the flowers.
    I adore the photos of Princess Anne and her family. Mia and her cousins appear close and they clearly had a fun day out. Mike and Zara do let Mia be a kid and that is important.
    It is good to see Harry still doing his duty and making appearances. What Harry does in his private time to me is his business. He seems to be maturing and planning a lot more. The Gloucester’s are kind people. I suspect Harry and Meghan would do well to live in Clarence House or St James Palace. There seems to be a lot of moving about in Kensington Palace apartments at the moment. I hope Eugenie’s living arrangements are fixed and that Harry resolves his.

    1. I think SJP and Clarence House are going to be off the table for royal housing soon. Beatrice may be moved out of SJP and end up in NottCott if Harry moves to different space. They’ll eventually concentrate everyone in BP or KP. Once Anne retires (if she ever does), she’ll lose her large SJP space. Since I suspect Peter (and Zara) live there when they’re working in London, they’ll have to find somewhere else to live rent-free in London.

       I was thinking the KP moves could be related to Andrew, Sophie & Edward, all of whom have apartments in BP. With the 10 years of reno coming, I could see them being given small spaces at KP for when they’re in London working. That means the staff for HRP and The Orangery would have to be moved to make room for those royals.

       1. I am unsure who will get Clarence House and SJP once Charles and Camilla come to the throne? Charles will be in BP and so that will leave Clarence House and SJP for the younger generation. Notts cottage might go to Beatrice but that is if she wants to be near Eugenie and Jack when they get married. If they are. It is always so vague because they are taking so long in deciding.

          1. Charles wants to stay in Clarence House, but I don’t think that’s going to happen. He’ll be expected to live at BP, even if he follows through on the rumored museum plan. I think Clarence House will be turned into office space. A stand-alone residence in London for one royal is too costly to secure.

             The Metro Police took a stand a few years ago and stopped securing SJP with their money. That means more of the money that goes to the monarch via the Sovereign Grant has to be used for securing that instead of whatever else they want to spend/squander it on.

             To me that means slimming down the number of properties that the monarch has to pay to secure. Move the rest of the royals out of SJP and leave it as staff accommodation. Much lower security costs if no royals are in that building.

             The only two left in SJP are Anne and Beatrice, since Eugenie is moving to Ivy Cottage @KP. Everyone else is now at KP (Duke of Kent, P&P Michael of Kent, Gloucesters, Harry, W&K, Eugenie) or BP (Queen and PP, Andrew, Edward & Sophie). And BP is not the main residence for A&E&S – it is 2-4 bedroom apartments for when they are in London working.

             Makes sense to move Beatrice to NottCott (if Harry moves out), and eventually moving Anne out of SJP. Saves money.

       2. If the monarchy gets smaller under Charles, surely less resources would be needed, including housing? Apart from Charles, William, Harry, wouldn’t the others need to find other private accommodation after leases expired etc? Or would they be required to pay true market rent if they wished to stay? I can understand elderly relatives staying until they died, but why move younger members of the family in if they are not going to be needed. And if they are working on something, surely a modest apartment that all could use when in London would be suitable.

          1. I’m with you on this. Have they ever come out and said what Eugenie’s rent will be when she moves in? Their idea of true market value seems to differ from mine.
             Plus I don’t see why the girls need to be part of the KP living situation anyways. They aren’t working royals, have their own money so should have no problems with finding a place of their own

             1. Sarah, it is probably due to security. The girls are blood princesses through the male line. That gives them a little bit of entitlement and they do have patronages so are not adverse to work. Charles wants one rule for his family and another for his siblings. It shows a bit of selfishness to me. Considering Charles will have Windsor, Sandringham and BP, the other royals can have a home where they like in my opinion. Eugenie and Beatrice would not be safe in a street. Considering Eugenie and Beatrice work I think it is fair.

             2. I disagree about the security. I think it’s what they want people to believe to make it more palatable to have them living there. Obviously some sort of risk assessment was done that determined they didn’t need RPO’s, if their father wants to pay that’s his prerogative.
                London has more higher security risk people than them. It’s like living in NYC or D.C. These towns are used to it and have building/homes that is sufficient for them. Other royals live there just fine
                if they pay true market value and not some watered down version, I have no issue with them living there but there is no reason they can’t find a place of their own place outside royal lodging.

             3. Years ago the police assessed that B and E were not in need of state-funded security. I doubt they would have made that decision were they not convinced. Sarah, I agree, it’s smoke and mirrors to justify a life they have become used to and feel they deserve.

             4. Zara was surprised when she moved out of Gatcombe the first time, that she wasn’t going to get taxpayer-funded security. Whatever plans Charles has put in place, things weren’t being made known to his siblings or his nieces and nephews.

                Lots of people live at KP and SJP, non-royals, many not at market rent until it was exposed. Prince and Princess Michael of Kent (not official working royals), peppercorn rent at KP for years until the story broke. Whatever these moves are, it comes from HM or with her approval. Remember, HM hid one of her Bowes-Lyon relatives at KP or SJP as well. B&E living at SJP or KP is at her directive or with her approval.

                I think B&E remain targets, much more than Zara and Peter, because so many people foam-at-the-mouth hate Andrew and Sarah. That has been extended to B&E.

                Andrew inherited money just like the rest of them. How did he pay for the Swiss house, I don’t know, but it is his and Fergie’s and Beatrice and Eugenie will inherit it. If B&E pay fair market rent at KP out of their (or Andrew’s) inheritance, I have no problem with them living in spaces at KP.

                I wonder if Andrew’s 99 year lease at Royal Lodge can be inherited by them after his death? That is essentially pre-paid for 99 years and not related to being a working royal or not.

             5. duplicate

          2. I’ve often thought the BRF have too many properties. BP should be offices/museum, as well as SJP. Possibly Windsor too. I think CH should go, after Charles dies.

             Question, there are offices at KP, right? It seems many of the interior apartments and those on the east-ish side (side with the sunken gardens) are not homes. If BP and SJP become offices, then couldn’t those become living apartments? Louise and James will need somewhere to live…

             1. But Louise and James won’t be working royals so wouldn’t they grow up, get jobs and support themselves privately? Same with Eugenie and Beatrice, though Andrew pays for them, but where does he derive his income? And Peter and Zara too, though they live under Anne’s umbrella of privilege.

                They all seem to want to hang on and on. There’s nothing to stop them doing charity work on their own time, as many millions of other people do but don’t require housing and the provision of other benefits.

             2. To be fair we are all just going to have to wait and see what happens. The monarch traditionally lives at BP. I don’t understand Charles. On one side he preaches about Organic farming and has The Princes Trust. The other side is more ruthless.

          3. Charles has made noise about wanting to open up BP to the people year-round, as he feels it is, well, owned by the people. I think that is a very good idea. Either him staying at CH and using BP as an office, or just one wing closed for private rooms and so on for Charles, Camilla, the family when they are in London, and concentrating the rest of the royals at KP. I think it’s a sound decision honestly.

             1. It’s more than a feeling on Charles’s part – BP is owned by the people! A small 2-3 bedroom apartment there would be fine for C+C. Accommodation for his sons in KP; the rest should pay market rents with their own funds, according to their means. Because they will not be in the public eye – see Sarah Chatto, David Linley – they should be able to go about their lives relatively privately. Downsize the monarchy to state occasions only, small per diem, no hundreds of millions per year.

             2. yup, isn’t it? So it seems stupid to not be open every day, not just summer opening of some rooms. Which is nice, but I like Charles’s plan of keeping the thing open year ’round.

                But he seems more accessible than HM in a lot of ways.

                I agree, they should pay market rent at KP or whatever if they want to stay there.

             3. BP should be lived in. It would be a pity to be a museum. It is where state banquets, investitures are held. Charles probably wants it to be a museum because he wants to remember his mother. That is not a bad choice but it is the centre of things.

             4. I think part of the rumored BP plan (only rumored) is that Charles doesn’t want to leave Clarence House. Too darn bad, Charlie. BP can be both a museum and the London residence for C&C. Saves money that way.

12. Rebecca was a lovely bride! So serene and happy. And, I wish the newlyweds continued happiness and good health.

    I also wish there was a full-length photo of her gown from the front. I loved the back of the dress.
    I join the others in thinking Mia is adorable and her cousins, too. Wouldn’t it be nice if all the children were able to play with Charlotte and George. Of course, maybe they do and its all done in seclusion, but I get the impression the families are not so close.

    Of course, I am sure Pippa’s child/children will be in constant contact with G and C. Family is wonderful, but both sides should be included, I think.

    Oh, well. Enough complaining. I have work to do. Enjoy the day/eve, all.

    1. It always makes me a bit sad to see the Mia and the Phillips girls running around, playing together but G&C are never there. I think you’re right that Pippa’s kids will be on constant contact with G&C but again it’s sad that W&K don’t seem to socialize with his family.

       1. I am guessing that Kate does not really make the effort to be close to Zara or Autumn. William and Zara used to be close cousins. I don’t see why they cannot socialise. Pippa’s future children are in a different social circle to Autumn and Zara.

          1. Hi Laura, I do wish however that William would make an effort to make sure his children connect with their cousins on his side of the family, it doesn’t need to be spearheaded by Kate.

             1. Hi Queen Lauri. I agree. Charlotte and George should know their cousins but William and Kate’s privacy does not let that happen. Who knows what goes on. If I were Kate I would make an effort as well as William. Somebody seems not to trust Zara or Autumn.

             2. I don’t think it’s trust. I honestly think it’s more of an adult version of mean girling in some way which is crappy and sad, IMO. The children should be allowed to spend time with one another and they’re going to regret it later on in life.

             3. I don’t think William is around enough to care whether his kids see his cousins’ kids. That said, since Kate doesn’t have any cousins with kids close in age, it would have been a normal thing to arrange the occasional play date. Both Will and Kate clearly don’t care about their kids forming close bonds with relatives close in age.

             4. I don’t think it’s trust issue. I think it’s a William doesn’t have a relationship with any of his family outside of “work” obligations thing.

13. The choice of school is interesting. As this school educates children up the age of 11 or 13 – does that mean PG won’t be off to boarding school in 4 years time? (ie same age as his Dad was?). One of my own bugbears with KW has been their comments on how hard parenting is with little understanding of what it’s like for working parents without staff or family to help (like my husband and I) & I have wondered how the ‘busy devoted parents ‘ lament would be viewed once PG is packed off to boarding school – a rather cruel penchant of the British upper classes. IMHO
    *I recognise the support available to her as mother was inclouded in DOC recent speech.

    1. It is an interesting choice of school, particularly as it is 30 – 40 mins away from KP and the morning ‘school run’ for George through central London is going to be a nightmare. I do believe they should have picked something closer to their home as our security services are stretched enough without this additional burden. The threat implications are extremely high and it seems quite a foolish decision when there are excellent schools only minutes away from their home. It will also be interesting if he doesn’t board. Whilst I appreciate all the arguments against it would be safer for the lad and would get him out of what appears to be a Middleton-heavy influence. (If it wasn’t I’m sure he’d have been playing with his cousins. Jmo).

       1. Maybe they’ll helicopter George to and from school. I wouldn’t put it past them.

          1. Or simply have a George Only lane from KP to the school. Because the world stops for the fragrant Cambridge’s.

       2. The school is that far from Kensington Palace? Is Kate going in the car with him each day? Is Nanny Maria? That is quite a distance for a little boy to travel for school.
          No wonder, Kate said he’s in for a shock — or whatever words she spoke.

          Really, I can’t imagine putting either of my daughters through such hoops to get to school. Especially, at that age. Don’t other schools push “kindness,” as well?

14. I think Mia is my favorite little one from the BRF she seems full of like and spunky. Plus how nice to see Anne usually so gruff sweet with her grandkids!
    If only we got pics like that with charles

    1. I would love to see a photo of Charles with his grandchildren, maybe when Harry has kids.

15. That is the nicest I have ever seen Rebecca look, really lovely and so happy. So pleased for her.

    Mia is the bees knees, and I have a feeling little cousin princess shares the same sort of personality. Can you imagine those two as cohorts some day? I really hope the cousins get to see each other more than we know of. I come from a large family with many cousins close in age, and family gatherings were the best times. I would hope that for anyone

16. What a great day for royal watching 🙂

    http://www.dailymail.co.uk/femail/article-4352528/Queen-Maxima-welcomes-Argentinian-lady-Amsterdam.html

    http://www.dailymail.co.uk/femail/article-4353342/Queen-Mathilde-arrives-Brussels-Stock-Exchange.html

    http://www.dailymail.co.uk/femail/article-4353180/Sophie-Wessex-attends-annual-Mencap-fashion-lunch.html

    and lastly, a little shirtless Chris Hemsworth :):)

    http://www.dailymail.co.uk/tvshowbiz/article-4352734/Chris-Hemsworth-photobombs-friend-romantic-photo.html

    You’re welcome 🙂

    1. All hail, Queen Lauri! Thanks for the links. Especially the last one, wink, wink!

       1. Lol, Thanks BethNY!!! the last link certainly made my Monday better 🙂 wink, wink!

          1. Thank you for the Hemsworth picture. Swoooon

    2. Ah, Chris Hemsworth. Thank you Australia!

17. P.K has announced that Cathy will Luxemourg this spring.

18. EPHRAIM HARDCASTLE: What will Charles do with his property when he becomes King?
    http://www.dailymail.co.uk/debate/article-4358720/What-King-Charles-property.html

    “Central to that scheme involves the new King Charles continuing to live in Clarence House and moving all the KP Royals into the vacant Buckingham Palace, developing an event space and museum on the Kensington site. But what will he do with the rest of his property?”

    This seems backwards to me, like Hardcastle has his palaces mixed up. Rumor has always been BP turned into a museum, not KP.

    1. Isn’t Hardcastle’s article suffering from lack of accuracy? The term ‘his property’ is a falsehood. Beyond Sandringham and Balmoral, Charles doesn’t own any property, and certainly not those claimed in the article. So it would not surprise me that Hardcastle has also mixed up BP with KP.

       The damage done is that it feeds the myth that the BRF owns the Duchies and palaces; this narrative needs to be challenged at every turn simply because the public hears it often enough – smuggled into junk journalism like this – to believe it to be fact. Additionally the DoC website deliberately obfuscates the true owners of the Duchy, the British people. It is not accidental. This is BRF PR at work.

       1. The BRF are definitely hiding the info and promoting the falsehood. Loads of important information disappeared in the latest revamp of the official Monarchy website.

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