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Metro
2 days ago
- Lifestyle
- Metro
Everything to know about Kate and Wills' old (and new) home in three minutes
It's official, Kate and Wills are leaving behind their four-bedroom Adelaide Cottage and upsizing to the £16million Forest Lodge. Their new abode, which they hope to move into before Christmas, is only 16 minutes up the road from their current home and sits just off Lime Avenue next to the A332. It's hoped to be a 'fresh start' for the couple after Kate's cancer diagnosis and the pair are reportedly expecting it to be their 'forever home', carrying out renovations on the property out of their own pocket. Here's everything you need to know about Adelaide Cottage and their new residence, Forest Lodge… The couple moved to Adelaide Cottage back in August 2022, just before the late Queen Elizabeth II passed on September 8. It's located right near Windsor Castle, close to St George's Chapel, and is a grade II-building featuring a marble Graeco-Egyptian fireplace, stucco façade with elaborate pierced bargeboards, and a south entrance flanked by a pair of diagonally set chimneys with stepped bases. The pink cottage was built back in 1831 for Queen Adelaide, the wife of King William IV, using materials from the Royal Lodge, which was built 11 years earlier. Prior to Kate and Wills moving there with their three children George, Charlotte and Louis, the cottage was often visited by Queen Victoria for breakfast, and was home to Peter Townsend, who had a love affair with Princess Margaret. It became a fancy guesthouse, similar to Frogmore Cottage where the Sussex's lived before they moved to Montecito. The Prince and Princess of Wales have no live-in help at Adelaide Cottage in an effort to lead a private life. The Sun reported Kate and Wills living there was designed to 'test life in Windsor and see if it worked for them as a family'. After three years in the property, the couple are now moving on. The eight-bedroom grade II listed property, nestled in the 4,800-acre Windsor Great Park, was built in the 1770s and is just four miles from their current home. Originally known as Holly Grove, it became part of the Royal Estate in 1829 when George IV purchased it. It was then renamed to Forest Lodge in 1937. The royal couple put in for planning permission to make modest internal and external renovations back in June, including new doors and windows, removing internal walls, altering the ceilings and adding new floors. It was last renovated in 2001 for £1.5million and was then valued at £5.5million, although according to house price rises, it is estimated to be worth around £16million today. It boasts a red brick cellar, an original slate roof, six chimneys and nine bay windows. However, it's still half the size of the 31-bedroom Royal Lodge Prince Andrew resides in, just 10 minutes down the road. It's also a short drive from Cumberland Lodge which houses an educational charity currently, however since being built in the 17th century it's housed the Keeper of the Privy Purse, and even third son of King George II, the Duke of Cumberland. While you might assume the taxpayer will be footing the renovation bill for Forest Lodge, you'd be wrong. More Trending Any work carried out on the property will come out of the couples pockets, instead of from the Sovereign Grant, which provides funding for the monarchy. They will also be paying market rent on the property, which was worth £15,000 a month back in 2001, meaning it would now be significantly more. Prince William's income comes from the Duchy of Cornwall, which is an estate covering land in south-west England, worth £1billion – it's made him £22.9million in profit this year. This wasn't the approach Harry and Meghan took when they moved into Frogmore Cottage and spent £2.4million of taxpayers money, although Harry has since repaid the amount in full. Do you have a story to share? Get in touch by emailing MetroLifestyleTeam@ MORE: How Princess Anne earned her nickname as 'hardest working royal' MORE: King Charles says war heroes will 'never be forgotten' in VJ Day national address MORE: Iconic London curry house Peter Crouch once considered naming his child after closes down Your free newsletter guide to the best London has on offer, from drinks deals to restaurant reviews.
The National
29-04-2025
- The National
Grand Egyptian Museum: Six things to look forward to when doors open
Creating the Grand Egyptian Museum has become a seemingly Sisyphean task, with years of delays suggesting it would be eternally on the verge of opening. These setbacks are understandable. Egypt has undergone revolution, political uncertainty and economic crises since the museum was announced in 2002 – when a foundation stone was laid at the site, two kilometres away from the Giza pyramids. The museum held a soft launch in October 2024, partially opening to the public, but even then an official launch date seemed elusive. Only recently has the museum finally announced it will open on July 3. Now, with the hilltop in sight and 700,000 years of history waiting inside, here are six things to look forward to at the Grand Egyptian Museum. Under construction for 21 years, the museum took almost as long to build as its ancient neighbours. Architecturally, it is no less impressive. Designed by Heneghan Peng Architects, a Dublin firm, the museum draws on Pharaonic styles. The structure is shaped like a chamfered pyramid. Its north and south walls are aligned with the Great Pyramid of Khufu and the Pyramid of Menkaure. Its entrance features a pyramid of translucent alabaster stone. The complex is decorated with triangles, some more apparent than others, so the entire site will resemble a conglomeration of pyramids. A diorama of the museum is on display inside, by the window that overlooks the Great Pyramids. This is one of the best views of the tombs – provided you visit during the day. The first of the museum's attractions is outside its entrance. The hanging obelisk was created in the name of King Ramesses II. It was discovered in two pieces at Tanis in the eastern Nile Delta. After a meticulous restoration process, the obelisk now stands on a platform that allows visitors to walk underneath the towering structure and admire its base. Walking into the museum, visitors immediately see a lofty statue of Ramesses II. The 11-metre statue is made of red granite, weighs 83 tonnes and is more than 3,000 years old. The statue was discovered in the early 19th century in the village of Mit Rahina, near the ancient city of Memphis. It was split into six pieces. Initial attempts at restoring the statue failed until 1955 when the fragments were moved to Cairo's Bab Al Hadid Square. The statue was put back together and the square became known as Ramses Square. It was transported to Giza in 2006 and finally made it to the Grand Egyptian Museum in 2018. The entrance to the museum's galleries is in itself a remarkable experience. Statues of deities, sarcophagi, columns, sphinxes and obelisks are arranged on the steps. There are kings such as Ramesses II, Merneptah, Amenhotep III and Senwosret I; deities including the falcon-headed Horus and Sekhmet, mother of lion-headed war god Maahes; and Serapis, the Graeco-Egyptian god who is believed to have been a merging of Osiris, god of the afterlife (among other things) and the sacred bull Apis. Visitors can either climb the wide steps and take their time admiring each piece, or they can briskly head up via a travelator. Called Journey to Eternity, this area aims to reflect the burial rituals of ancient Egypt, specifically of a royal's soul travelling to Heaven to become a star. Curating hundreds of thousands of years of historical artefacts is no straightforward task. Chronological curation is the most obvious approach and, while the museum does that, there are also thematic divisions to the collection. The galleries are arranged in three spaces. Each is dedicated to a specific time period, beginning with the Prehistoric Period, Predynastic Period and the Old Kingdom, before transitioning to the Middle Kingdom, the New Kingdom, and finally the Late Period and Graeco-Roman Period. Each gallery is then segmented into three spaces, which touch upon everyday society, the royal class and the belief systems. Every artefact is an important historical piece. You will find Pharaonic busts in marble, baboons carved into limestone, colossal statues of kings and queens, granite stela marking key moments and, of course, funerary items. The boy king is arguably the star of the museum, and artefacts found in his tomb are being kept under wraps until the official opening. King Tutankhamun is one of Ancient Egypt's most famous rulers. He ruled from just nine years old until his death at around 19. His reign was short but was during one of Ancient Egypt's wealthier periods and made a profound impact. He was instrumental in promoting traditional Egyptian religion and art, restoring tombs and statues dedicated to the old deities. His penchant for art is reflected in the items found in his tomb that will be on display. These include the famous gold mask to protect him in the afterlife. His golden throne, chariots and golden shrines will also be exhibited.
