Royal News and Views

Royal News and Views
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Charles is won over by Windsor and is putting his 'unique stamp' on Castle

Posted by Susan T on March 6, 2023, 4:03 pm

He has never had a strong desire to live at Windsor Castle, largely because of the noise of aircraft flying overhead to Heathrow.

But the King appears to have had a change of heart in recent months and is busy putting his unique stamp on the late Queen's Berkshire estate.

Workmen have been seen sprucing up Queen Elizabeth's private apartments, while staff have been putting some of her belongings in storage and bringing in many of the new monarch's favourite pieces of art and antiques.

So, did William move into Adelaide Cottage with the understanding that he'd be moving to the Castle after his grandmother died, and now Charles has changed his mind?

Link: Daily Mail

Re: Charles is won over by Windsor and is putting his 'unique stamp' on Castle

Posted by Karen on March 6, 2023, 5:44 pm, in reply to " Charles is won over by Windsor and is putting his 'unique stamp' on Castle"

William and Catherine were never actually going to live in the Castle. That was all the Media.

Re: Charles is won over by Windsor and is putting his 'unique stamp' on Castle

Posted by Susan T on March 6, 2023, 5:51 pm, in reply to "Re: Charles is won over by Windsor and is putting his 'unique stamp' on Castle"

Well, they were never going to stay in Adelaide Cottage until William becomes king, so where were they going to live?

Re: Charles is won over by Windsor and is putting his 'unique stamp' on Castle

Posted by Arlene on March 6, 2023, 6:24 pm, in reply to "Re: Charles is won over by Windsor and is putting his 'unique stamp' on Castle"

Probably move into Royal Lodge once Charles can convince Andrew to leave. I always hoped they could move into Frogmore House (not Toad Hall). I knoew it is used for other things at this time. Either way, I think they would have a lot of work done which may not make the citizens happy. We'll see.

Re: Charles is won over by Windsor and is putting his 'unique stamp' on Castle

Posted by Susan T on March 6, 2023, 6:43 pm, in reply to "Re: Charles is won over by Windsor and is putting his 'unique stamp' on Castle"

I would not have moved my family into temporary housing on the off chance that somebody else was going to vacate their home so that I could move in there.

Re: Charles is won over by Windsor and is putting his 'unique stamp' on Castle

Posted by Hollie24 on March 6, 2023, 7:18 pm, in reply to "Re: Charles is won over by Windsor and is putting his 'unique stamp' on Castle"

I think they were promised apartments in Windsor Castle and that promise got broken. Them the whole Frogmore Cottage thing came up, along with the idea of Andrew vacating Royal Lodge and William and Catherine moving in, and hello, round and round they go, where they stop, nobody knows.

Re: Charles is won over by Windsor and is putting his 'unique stamp' on Castle

Posted by Susan T on March 6, 2023, 7:23 pm, in reply to "Re: Charles is won over by Windsor and is putting his 'unique stamp' on Castle"

So, Charles has managed to get up the noses of both sons with his game of musical houses, ditto brother Andrew, and up Edward's nose regarding the Dukedom of Edinburgh. Anne had better be looking over her shoulder, who knows what he's got planned for her.

Re: Charles is won over by Windsor and is putting his 'unique stamp' on Castle

Posted by Candace on March 6, 2023, 6:36 pm, in reply to "Re: Charles is won over by Windsor and is putting his 'unique stamp' on Castle"

I agree, Karen. I don't think William wants to live in Windsor Castle just yet.

Re: Charles is won over by Windsor and is putting his 'unique stamp' on Castle

Posted by karenl on March 6, 2023, 7:46 pm, in reply to "Re: Charles is won over by Windsor and is putting his 'unique stamp' on Castle"

If what the DM states is correct concerning the renovation/remodel going on in, "in the last few months", then Charles couldn't have just changed his mind. The article makes it seem as this has been going on for a while.
Sounds as if it was all the press and it's speculation, as usual.

Re: Charles is won over by Windsor and is putting his 'unique stamp' on Castle

Posted by Susan T on March 6, 2023, 8:30 pm, in reply to "Re: Charles is won over by Windsor and is putting his 'unique stamp' on Castle"

It's been six months since the Queen died, and it was announced back in June that the then Cambridges would be moving into Adelaide Cottage.

Plenty of time for Charles to have changed his mind. The questions I'm wondering about is: When did he tell William he changed his mind, before or after William sign the lease on Adelaide Cottage?

Re: Charles is won over by Windsor and is putting his 'unique stamp' on Castle

Posted by Karen on March 7, 2023, 7:35 am, in reply to "Re: Charles is won over by Windsor and is putting his 'unique stamp' on Castle"

It's been six months since the Queen died, and it was announced back in June that the then Cambridges would be moving into Adelaide Cottage.

And they did. They were living in the Cottage when the late Queen died in September.

Plenty of time for Charles to have changed his mind.

What was Charles to change his mind about? The Wales are still living in the Cottage. There was never any intention of them to move into apartments in the Castles. That's was the Media's speculation.

The questions I'm wondering about is: When did he tell William he changed his mind, before or after William sign the lease on Adelaide Cottage?

Your questions are pointless. The King never changed his mind, as he didn't have any reason to change it.

Re: Charles is won over by Windsor and is putting his 'unique stamp' on Castle

Posted by Susan T on March 7, 2023, 8:25 am, in reply to "Re: Charles is won over by Windsor and is putting his 'unique stamp' on Castle"

It's my opinion that the media was correct in reporting that William and his family were to move into the Castle after the Queen's death. My questions arise from that opinion.

I know they moved into the cottage, that was part of what you deem media speculation. They moved when they did so that their children could begin their school year at their new school.

But it was also part of media speculation that it was never intended that they would remain there until William succeeded to the throne. It's too small. They have no space for live-in staff. They can't even have overnight guests. When they have to be away overnight, they'll have to play musical bedrooms, doubling up the children or allowing whoever is watching the children to use theirs. Okay for the short-term, not okay for ten to twenty years.

I've given reasons why I believe the media speculation. If you want to change my mind, give me reasons why not to believe it, why a family of five with their responsibilities would be able to function in that space.

Re: Charles is won over by Windsor and is putting his 'unique stamp' on Castle

Posted by Karen on March 7, 2023, 11:07 am, in reply to "Re: Charles is won over by Windsor and is putting his 'unique stamp' on Castle"

My original answer was saying that they were never going to move into the Castle and THAT was all media speculation. My response was never about them moving into the cottage.

Re: Charles is won over by Windsor and is putting his 'unique stamp' on Castle

Posted by JohnW on March 11, 2023, 10:36 pm, in reply to "Re: Charles is won over by Windsor and is putting his 'unique stamp' on Castle"

Like Karen I find it hard to believe that the Waleses planned to move into the Castle, as its primary occupants, at least.

Just as Churchill advised a young QEII that Buckingham Palace was the London residence of the Ruler, I cannot imagine the Government allowing Windsor Castle not be the Windsor residence of the Ruler, even if, in fact, he never actually stayed there.

Re: Charles is won over by Windsor and is putting his 'unique stamp' on Castle

Posted by Hollie24 on March 7, 2023, 12:49 pm, in reply to "Re: Charles is won over by Windsor and is putting his 'unique stamp' on Castle"

I think Susan's questions are worth exloring, as I think there is some very good evidence that Charles did, in fact, change his mind. It's pretty evident Adelaide Cottage was never intended to be a long-term home, but just a temporary solution for the Waleses. It's too small for the family. At the time of their move everyone but the Sussexes had to be aware of the Queen's diagnosis and I think plans were made then that William and Catherine would eventually move into the Castle when the time came. Charles seems to have set aside those plans in favor of his own agenda.

I do need to add that dismissing someone's questions as pointless comes perilously close to an ad hominem attack. We don't encourage that here. Thanks.

Re: Charles is won over by Windsor and is putting his 'unique stamp' on Castle

Posted by Jessi on March 7, 2023, 1:10 pm, in reply to "Re: Charles is won over by Windsor and is putting his 'unique stamp' on Castle"

The question is this then: why move into a cottage that you know is already too small and is going to be temporary? That just wastes time and makes the public see the Waleses as simply being spend happy on the taxpayer's dime, after all they have their Kensington Palace apartment, Amner Hall, plus the properties from the Duchy of Cornwall.

I get that they wanted to be closer to HM the late Queen and to the Princesses family, who live nearby but it does not make sense to move to a temporary home. They could have simply moved into Frogmore House, which is much larger or found some other home nearby.

Re: Charles is won over by Windsor and is putting his 'unique stamp' on Castle

Posted by Hollie24 on March 7, 2023, 1:39 pm, in reply to "Re: Charles is won over by Windsor and is putting his 'unique stamp' on Castle"

Frogmore House wasn't available nor were any other properties in Windsor, the Waleses wanted to get their children settled into their new school before any other changes came, and they weren't the Duke and Duchess of Cornwall then.

It didn't waste the taxpayer's money for them to move to Adelaide Cottage or to have Anmer Hall or the Kensington apartment. And I think it was sensible to make the move then rather than have everything--the Queen's death, the change in status and title, etce--thrown at the children all at once. Now Charles is playing musical houses and that has got to be upsetting.

Re: Charles is won over by Windsor and is putting his 'unique stamp' on Castle

Posted by Jessie on March 7, 2023, 1:55 pm, in reply to "Re: Charles is won over by Windsor and is putting his 'unique stamp' on Castle"

It did cost the taxpayers 4.5 million to refurbish the Waleses Kensington Palace apartment, the money came from the Sovereign Grant. I stand corrected on Anmer Hall as that refurbishment was paid for out of royal personal funds. Adelaide Cottage did not need any real refurbishment apparently.

End of the day we may know that the taxpayers did not pay for everthing, the public however only sees the royals with so many homes and yet here comes another one, in a recession it looks bad on the royal family.

If The Royal Lodge is in such bad repair, it will cost quite a bit to bring it up to date, including dealing with the mold problem. When The Duke of York took on the Royal Lodge it cost almost 8 million to refurbish it, I can only imagine the cost now.

Frogmore House is empty and has only been used for royal receptions, so it is somewhat available, it makes sense for the Waleses to either live in Windsor Castle or Frogmore, as it may be some time before they can live in the Royal Lodge, if that is where they are heading.

Re: Charles is won over by Windsor and is putting his 'unique stamp' on Castle

Posted by Susan T on March 7, 2023, 1:59 pm, in reply to "Re: Charles is won over by Windsor and is putting his 'unique stamp' on Castle"

Royal Lodge is going to need a new roof and whatever the 'damp' encompasses regardless of who is living there. And the longer it's put off, the more it will cost.

Re: Charles is won over by Windsor and is putting his 'unique stamp' on Castle

Posted by Hollie24 on March 7, 2023, 3:47 pm, in reply to "Re: Charles is won over by Windsor and is putting his 'unique stamp' on Castle"

Agreed. I hope this game of musical homes gets settled quickly. Any repairs and refurbishment Royal Lodge needs will take time. Andrew and Fergie could easily be moved into Frogmore House before the Coronation, with the Waleses moving into repaired and refreshed Royal Lodge by the summer.

Re: Charles is won over by Windsor and is putting his 'unique stamp' on Castle

Posted by Susan T on March 7, 2023, 4:04 pm, in reply to "Re: Charles is won over by Windsor and is putting his 'unique stamp' on Castle"

The media originally reported that Harry was told to vacate within weeks, but that time frame was rolled back to beginning of summer (and that he could stay there for the Coronation), and the last report I've seen is that the deadline is now "in the autumn".

Re: Charles is won over by Windsor and is putting his 'unique stamp' on Castle

Posted by Hollie24 on March 7, 2023, 4:22 pm, in reply to "Re: Charles is won over by Windsor and is putting his 'unique stamp' on Castle"

Ugh. As you suggested elsewhere, maybe William could get the Duchy of Cornwall to buy him a house near Windsor, similar to the deal Charles worked out for Highgrove in Gloucestershire. That could solve his housing situation very nicely, keep the kids in the same school, and still be near the Middletons.

Re: Charles is won over by Windsor and is putting his 'unique stamp' on Castle

Posted by Susan T on March 7, 2023, 1:43 pm, in reply to "Re: Charles is won over by Windsor and is putting his 'unique stamp' on Castle"

Because at the time they started looking (which was first reported in the Times and the Telegraph, not the tabloids), the idea was to move during the summer of 2022 so that the children could start at a new school, and so that the family would be closer to the Queen to counteract whatever influence Andrew was exerting.

We don't know exactly when the Queen was diagnosed with bone cancer, but I think it had to be no later than the end of 2021. The first sign we had that the Queen was smoothing the way for Charles's reign came in the New Year's honours when she gave Camilla the Garter.

That started the ball rolling with what will happen when Charles is king, who will live where, blah, blah, blah and the problem that Charles faced with fewer royals to fill up the same amount of homes. It was said he didn't want to leave major homes vacant lest the government exert pressure to repurpose them. He supposedly didn't want to move to Windsor, didn't like the place, he preferred Highgrove, blah, blah, blah.

So, either he changed his mind after the Queen died, or Camilla changed it for him, or he was future-faking and pulled a bait and switch. Or William knew that the plan was to try to entice Andrew to leave Royal Lodge, William was on board with it, and the media was told William would be moving into the Castle to prevent the Queen from knowing what Charles had in store for his little brother.

Re: Charles is won over by Windsor and is putting his 'unique stamp' on Castle

Posted by Carolyn on March 12, 2023, 2:16 pm, in reply to "Re: Charles is won over by Windsor and is putting his 'unique stamp' on Castle"

I assume Highgrove will be open for visitors to tour the gardens this summer, but Charles won't spend much time there.

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