Prince William and Kate Middleton are preparing to move into their new country retreat with their baby son Prince George. It is being reported that the new family will soon be relocating to Anmer Hall on the Queen's Sandringham estate in Norfolk, which will become their primary residence until renovations are completed at Kensington Palace.
It is understood that the Queen has asked the current tenant of Anmer Hall to vacate the property as soon as possible, four years before his lease is up. The 10-bedroom Georgian property is currently being lived in by company director James Everett and his family, who have resided there for 13 years.
This week, Mr Everett confirmed to the Mail that the family timber business, Norfolk Oak, which is run from the property's stables, has already started moving out of Anmer Hall ahead of the lease, which was not due to end until March 2017.He denied that he is receiving compensation from the Queen to leave early.
The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge and their newborn son are currently staying at the Middleton family home in Bucklebury, Berkshire.
It was revealed earlier this year that the couple had been planning major renovations for Anmer Hall. Changes approved all provide the house with greater privacy and security and include re-routing of the driveway, extensive tree planting to shield the property, and plans to expand accommodation, perhaps for the couple's protection officers.
It is one of 150 properties situated on the Queen's 20,000-acre Sandringham Estate, and is only two miles east of Sandringham House, where the royal family gather every Christmas. It was leased to the Duke and Duchess of Kent as their country house from 1972 until 1990.Anmer Hall could well be the present the monarch gave to Prince William for his birthday last year.
When the Duke turned 30, his grandmother gave him and his wife one of the cottages housed in her 20,000 acre estate in Norfolk, but it has not been confirmed which was gifted to the Duke and Duchess.The couple are already renovating a 20-room residence in Kensington Palace to serve as their London residence.William and Kate currently live in Nottingham Cottage, a smaller residence on the estate, but are due to move into Apartment 1A, formerly Princess Margaret's abode, in 2013.
The whole Kensington Palace complex has just enjoyed a spectacular £12 million make-over. And now the newly-refurbished building is to welcome a new resident – none other than Prince Harry. William's brother has reportedly moved out of his father's official residence at Clarence House in favour of a small apartment next door to the royal couple's London base.
The six-bedroom flat will become their permanent London residence, and their staff will follow them from their current base, St James's Palace.