Prince William ‘tells King Charles that he will have to pay to stay’ in £1.2m Welsh home

King Charles III is reportedly ‘miffed’ and ‘disappointed’ by William’s request

Ellie Muir
Sunday 16 July 2023 10:33 BST
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Prince William has reportedly told his father, King Charles III, that he will have to pay to stay in his beloved Welsh holiday home.

The King is reportedly “miffed” after William told him that he plans to rent out the cottage and that he would not be renewing his lease. This means that the King will have to pay as a guest to stay in the holiday home and move his personal belongings out of the property.

The Mail reports that the Welsh property will be available to hire as a holiday home from September, much to the King’s “disappointment”.

The home, on the edge of the Bannau Brycheiniog, the official new name for the Brecon Beacons, was bought for £1.2m by the Duchy of Cornwall estate on behalf of Charles in 2007 after he spent 40 years searching for the right property.

The property, named Llwynywermod, was taken over by Prince William following the death of Queen Elizabeth II last year, as his father became King and William became the Prince of Wales.

William inherited a £23m annual income from the Duchy of Cornwall when he switched to his new role after the late Queen died. As the heir to the British throne, William is entitled to any surplus of the annual profit generated by the Duchy’s property, land or financial investments.

Charles had restored Llwynywermod, which is now priced £2,400 a week, with the help of architect Craig Hamilton when he was the Prince of Wales.

The King had chosen roses, jasmine and honeysuckle for the gardens, along with six maple trees which lined the aisle at Kate and William’s 2011 wedding in Westminster Abbey, and had them replanted in the cottage’s grounds.

King Charles, then the Prince of Wales pictured in 2019 outside Llwynywermod
King Charles, then the Prince of Wales pictured in 2019 outside Llwynywermod (PA)

A Royal source reportedly told the Mail On Sunday: “The King was quite miffed but that was the deal. It means he can continue to stay there but he will pay rent to the Duchy and the rest of the time it will be rented out.”

“The King has agreed to pay for the topiary upkeep as he doesn’t want to see all the good work in the grounds go to waste.”

Palace sources told the newspaper that William and Kate want to support the tourist economy by renting cottages and rooms.

The Independent has contacted Buckingham Palace and Kensington Palace for comment.

The restored building, which is surrounded by 192 acres of countryside, was originally owned by William Williams in the 13th or 14th century, who was related to Anne Boleyn, the second wife of King Henry VIII.

News comes as a plan to move Prince Andrew into Prince Harry and Meghan Markle’s former home has been “quietly shelved” as his ex-wife Sarah Ferguson recovers from surgery for breast cancer, it has been reported.

After Charles became King last year it was reported that his brother would be moved from the Royal Lodge to the more modest Frogmore Cottage, which are both on the Windsor Estate. Meanwhile, the Sussexes had been asked to vacate their Windsor home.

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