Royal Lodge

Coordinates: 51°26′20″N 0°36′24″W / 51.4390°N 0.6068°W / 51.4390; -0.6068
Source: Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia.
For the Norwegian villa, see
Royal Lodge, Holmenkollen
.

Royal Lodge in 1827, before much of it was demolished

Royal Lodge is a Grade II listed house in Windsor Great Park in Berkshire, England, half a mile north of Cumberland Lodge and 3.2 miles (5.1 km) south of Windsor Castle.[1] The site of homes since the 17th century, the present structure dates from the 19th century, and was expanded in the 1930s for the then duke of York, the future king George VI. Its central section is 3 storeys, with wings two storeys and it has about 30 rooms, with 7 bedrooms. The Royal Chapel of All Saints was built on the grounds in the 1820s.

Part of the Crown Estate, in 2004 it became the official country residence of Prince Andrew, Duke of York, and his family. It was the Windsor residence of Queen Elizabeth The Queen Mother from 1952 until she died there in 2002, at the age of 101.

History

The entrance gates in 1999

Royal Lodge dates originally from the mid-seventeenth century, there being a house on the site by 1662. By 1750, the small Queen Anne style brick house was being used in conjunction with the adjacent dairy. By this time, it was known variously as the Lower Lodge, to distinguish it from Cumberland Lodge, then known as the Great Lodge, or the Dairy Lodge.

From the mid-eighteenth century, it was home to the military

topographer and artist Thomas Sandby (brother of the better known Paul), as Deputy Ranger of the Great Park. The house was then known as the Deputy Ranger's House. It was enlarged by 1792 and was the home of Joseph Frost, the Park Bailiff
, and then of the General Superintendent of Farms, after Sandby's death.

Royal Household
until 1843, and from 1873 to 1931.

The grounds extend to 98 acres (40 hectares),

Sir Eric Savill
, of the Windsor Estate.

In 1931,

Queen Elizabeth II, and niece Margaret Rhodes, by her side.[5] In 2018, the wedding reception for Princess Eugenie and Jack Brooksbank was held at the Royal Lodge.[6]

Lease to Prince Andrew, Duke of York

The banner of the Duke of York can be seen on a flagpole atop Royal Lodge in 2008

In August 2003,

Princess Eugenie of York, or a trust established solely for their benefit.[3] If the prince terminates the lease, the property reverts to the Crown Estate. He would be entitled to compensation for the refurbishment costs incurred up to a maximum of just under £7 million, which is reduced annually over the first 25 years, after which no compensation is payable.[3] The NAO report states that having already taken advice from one independent advisor on the transaction, the Crown Estate appointed a second firm of independent advisors to assess the details of the lease deal, given its importance. The second independent advisor concluded that the deal was appropriate having regard to the need to maintain management control over Royal Lodge and because of the security implications (particularly concerning the Royal Family's access to the Royal Chapel). In the circumstances, the Crown Estate considered that the requirement to obtain value for money was satisfied, taking into account the non-financial considerations relating to the lease of the property. The alternative use, to lease it on the commercial market, was not possible.[3]

Following the renovations, Prince Andrew with his two daughters moved into the house in 2004, having vacated Sunninghill Park.[7] In 2008, his former wife Sarah, Duchess of York moved into Royal Lodge, again sharing a house with the Duke of York.[8] It has been reported that the open market value of the property would have been at least £30 million as of January 2022.[9] After the Duke of York stepped down from public duties in November 2019 the flagpole on the roof of Royal Lodge, used to fly the personal Royal Standard of the Duke of York when in residence, was removed.[9] In 2023 reports suggested that King Charles III was to cut Andrew's annual grant, potentially leaving him unable to afford the Lodge's running costs, and had been offered the smaller five-bedroom Frogmore Cottage instead, until then the UK residence of Prince Harry, Duke of Sussex and his family, who had been issued a request to vacate by Buckingham Palace.[10]

References

  1. ^ Historic England. "Royal Lodge (1323669)". National Heritage List for England. Retrieved 6 December 2013.
  2. ^ Michael Mansbridge (1991). John Nash A complete catalogue. Phaidon Press. p. 175.
  3. ^ a b c d e f "The Crown Estate – Property Leases with the Royal Family". Report. National Audit Office (United Kingdom). 2005. Retrieved 19 April 2015.
  4. ^ "Conversation piece at Royal Lodge, Windsor". National Portrait Gallery, London. Retrieved 27 September 2022.
  5. ^ "Queen Mother dies peacefully, aged 101", The Guardian, 30 March 2002, retrieved 28 March 2019
  6. ^ "Inside Royal Lodge, Prince Andrew's 30-room mansion that William 'has his eye on'". 12 April 2023. Retrieved 15 February 2024.
  7. ^ "Woman arrested after trespassing into Prince Andrew's home at Royal Lodge, police confirm". ITV. 21 April 2021. Retrieved 3 February 2022. Prince Andrew and former wife Sarah Ferguson have lived at Royal Lodge since 2004.
  8. ^ "Fergie and Andrew will definitely remarry, friends say". Irish Independent. 25 August 2013. Retrieved 21 September 2021 – via Telegraph.
  9. ^
    ISSN 0140-0460
    . Retrieved 15 January 2022.
  10. ^ "Harry and Meghan residence Frogmore Cottage offered to Andrew - reports". BBC News. 1 March 2023. Retrieved 1 March 2023.

51°26′20″N 0°36′24″W / 51.4390°N 0.6068°W / 51.4390; -0.6068

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