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The Princess of Wales wears chef's whites to take part in a cooking workshop© Pool

Princess Kate's modest kitchen at childhood home is worlds away from royalty

The Princess of Wales' parents Carole and Michael Middleton live in Berkshire

Georgia Brown
Senior Lifestyle & Fashion Writer
September 16, 2024
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The Princess of Wales was always a country girl at heart, having been raised by her parents in leafy Berkshire, where Carole and Michael Middleton, along with Kate's siblings Pippa and James Middleton, still live today.

Carole and Michael purchased West View in Cock Lane in Berkshire for £34,700 back in 1979; a four-bedroom, semi-detached house complete with a sprawling garden. 

After 16 years at the Victorian property located opposite the village green, the Middletons sold the house in 1995 for £158,000, bagging themselves a hefty profit.

Today, the property is estimated to be the most expensive in the postcode with a value of £783,000, which is 22 times its value when the Middletons first moved in.

Unearthed photographs of the Princess' childhood home give a rare glimpse inside the family's modest kitchen. 

carole michael middleton west view© Getty
The Middleton's lived at West View in Berkshire

The charming space features countertops on either side of the room, boasting a long walkway leading out to the garden. The interiors are clean and minimal, with the kitchen boasting white tiled walls and a contemporary checkerboard floor.

In photographs from an original listing on a real estate website, the sleek, black marble countertops were formerly wooden.

The Middleton's family kitchen© Shutterstock
The Middleton's family kitchen

Inside Princess Kate's royal kitchen

The Princess of Wales' simple, cream kitchen from her childhood isn't a far cry from her now-family kitchen at home with Prince William and their three children; Prince George, Princess Charlotte and Prince Louis. 

During the late Queen Elizabeth II's Platinum Jubilee celebrations, Kensington Palace shared a rare, candid video of the Wales children baking at home with their mum. The wholesome clip could have been taken at Kensington Palace, or at the royal's Norfolk home Anmer Hall where they spend their summer holidays.  

See inside the Wales' kitchen as Princess Kate bakes with her children

Much like her parent's kitchen, Kate's homely space featured crisp white cupboards and black countertops. 

Kate Middleton baking with George, Charlotte and Louis© Instagram / @Kensington Palace
The Princess of Wales shared a video from inside her kitchen

Adding a dose of luxury to level up the heart of the home, Kate and William appeared to have decked out their kitchen with high-end fittings and utensils, such as a £4,200 range cooker and a £499 KitchenAid standing mixer.

In the royal biography, Finding Freedom, authors Omid Scobie and Carolyn Durand shared details about the couple's kitchen-dining space at Anmer Hall.

Kate Middleton playing cards with Michael Middleton and daughter Princess Charlotte© Kensington Palace
The Prince and Princess of Wales' boho dining room at Anmer Hall

"There, the couple often entertained out of their huge kitchen with its glass-roofed dining area. Friends and family from nearby gathered informally in the inviting space for laid-back meals – a stark departure from lunch at Buckingham Palace or Sandringham, where guests were served by a full staff," they wrote.

It has also been reported that the late Queen infamously commented on their chosen renovations, finding it baffling that they would want to spend prolonged time entertaining in the kitchen.

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