Author Topic: Royal Interiors, Part II  (Read 200796 times)

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Eric_Lowe

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Re: Royal Interiors, Part II
« Reply #315 on: November 08, 2011, 01:46:27 PM »
I think we would be able to see Kate's personal taste when they move in next September.

cphiggin

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Re: Royal Interiors, Part II
« Reply #316 on: November 24, 2011, 05:52:37 PM »
Some staggering pictures of Sunninghill Park (former home of the Duke and Duchess of York) here on this Facebook Page:

http://www.facebook.com/pages/Sunninghill-Park/353245286214

Offline Douglas

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Re: Royal Interiors, Part II
« Reply #317 on: December 19, 2011, 09:59:39 AM »
Some staggering pictures of Sunninghill Park (former home of the Duke and Duchess of York) here on this Facebook Page:

http://www.facebook.com/pages/Sunninghill-Park/353245286214
It appears that the home is abandoned?   The home was gifted to the Prince when he married Fergie.  Both the marriage and the home are now in ruiins.   What's to be done with the property?

CHRISinUSA

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Re: Royal Interiors, Part II
« Reply #318 on: December 19, 2011, 02:56:31 PM »
Yes, the Duke sold the property in 2003 to an offshore trust which reportedly is controlled by a Russian billionaire.  The buyer never moved in  and has allowed the house to sit empty and fall into decay.

What will happen to the property?  No one is quite sure - although in recent years reports suggested the local council was considering seizing the house as derelict property.  Its quite an embarrassment to the royal family - especially given the controversy around the sale. 

Eric_Lowe

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Re: Royal Interiors, Part II
« Reply #319 on: December 20, 2011, 10:47:36 AM »
Yes. It was a shame.

Robert_Hall

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Re: Royal Interiors, Part II
« Reply #320 on: December 20, 2011, 11:32:12 AM »
What a waste of  money and vanity. Perhaps a homeless shelter could be in order, if not very useful.

CHRISinUSA

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Re: Royal Interiors, Part II
« Reply #321 on: December 20, 2011, 12:39:54 PM »
The site itself has a royal history - the Crown Estate purchased the property in 1945 and the main house was intended for Princess Elizabeth and the Duke of Edinburgh, but that house burned down in August 1947 (3 months before the royal couple married).  In the 1960s the site was considered for a new home for Princess Margaret, but that never materialized. 

Eric_Lowe

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Re: Royal Interiors, Part II
« Reply #322 on: December 20, 2011, 02:21:42 PM »
That was before South York was built...

Offline grandduchessella

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Re: Royal Interiors, Part II
« Reply #323 on: December 20, 2011, 04:35:53 PM »
Well, yes, since the new house was constructed specifically for Andrew and Sarah. Interesting tidbit--Sunninghill Park was the first newly-built royal home since Bagshot Park was built in 1879 for the Duke of Connaught.
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Offline grandduchessella

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Re: Royal Interiors, Part II
« Reply #324 on: December 20, 2011, 04:38:49 PM »
What a waste of  money and vanity. Perhaps a homeless shelter could be in order, if not very useful.

That's exactly what the Mirror reported could happen (granted this was in 2009):

"In July 2009, Bracknell Forest Borough Council were said to be considering seizing the property under the Housing Act 2004 and using it as a homeless shelter, following several reported break-ins."

More stories:

Exclusive: Prince Andrew's £15million former royal residence could be seized and used for the homeless
http://www.mirror.co.uk/news/top-stories/2009/07/19/andy-and-fergie-s-15m-mansion-faces-seizure-115875-21530759/

From royal fairytale to crumbling eyesore: the mystery of Prince Andrew's old home
http://www.guardian.co.uk/money/2009/mar/01/sunninghill-park-prince-andrew

The fall of the house of York: Why has the mansion sold by Duke in mystery £15m deal gone to ruin?
Read more: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-1153465/The-fall-house-York-Why-mansion-sold-Duke-mystery-15m-deal-gone-ruin.html#ixzz1h7KUhhLA




They also serve who only stand and wait--John Milton
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Eric_Lowe

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Re: Royal Interiors, Part II
« Reply #325 on: December 20, 2011, 10:44:57 PM »
In short a fiasco. The money now used by the Duke to help his former wife Sarah, Duchess of York to live in White Lodge.

CHRISinUSA

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Re: Royal Interiors, Part II
« Reply #326 on: December 21, 2011, 07:34:44 AM »
What do you mean Eric?  Sarah does not live in White Lodge, she lives in rooms in Royal Lodge with her former husband.

Robert_Hall

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Re: Royal Interiors, Part II
« Reply #327 on: December 21, 2011, 11:40:27 AM »
In any case, Sunninghill is certainly in a NIMBY neighbourhood. A homeless shelter ? Doubtful.

Eric_Lowe

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Re: Royal Interiors, Part II
« Reply #328 on: December 21, 2011, 12:37:59 PM »
Wonder what could do with it ?

CHRISinUSA

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Re: Royal Interiors, Part II
« Reply #329 on: December 22, 2011, 07:38:12 AM »
As Robert pointed out, that 5 acres sits in the middle of very desirable Crown Estate property at the edge of Windsor Great Park.  I would think any wealthy / aristocratic family (or Russian oligarch) would be very happy with that site as a home.

That said, the most likely scenario is that somebody will eventually buy the freehold, tear down the house and replace it with a new one.  It's a rather uninspiring house anyway, not really worth restoring to its original condition (at least IMO). 

My mind wanders to "what ifs".  I would assume that after the QMs death, Andrew would have inherited Royal Lodge anyway (even if the York marriage had lasted), meaning Sunninghill Park would have still needed to be sold, or perhaps given to another royal family member.  I wonder if it might have ended up as the Cambridge's country home, or perhaps Harry's eventually?