The painter Sébastien-Charles Giraud created several paintings for princesse Mathilde Bonaparte depicting interiors of her hôtel particulier at 24 rue de Courcelles in Paris. Since demolished (1954), the hôtel had been put at her disposal in 1852 (Or 1857, depending on the source) by her cousin - and former fiancé - the Prince-Président, or perhaps-by-then Emperor Napoléon III, and it soon became one of the most celebrated salons of the nineteenth century. Le Salon de la princesse Mathilde, 1859. La Salle à manger de la princesse Mathilde, circa 1854. La Princesse Mathilde dans son atelier, circa 1860. La Véranda de la princesse Mathilde, circa 1864. Un Coin d'atelier de la princesse Mathilde, circa 1853. The dating on these images, and even whether they all record spaces at 24 rue de Courcelles, is problematic. Different sources give different dates for her residence there. Much complicating the issue, she apparently lived at another address on the same street, 10 rue de Courcelles - which I believe is still standing - prior to moving to number 24. When she first lived in the neighborhood and when she moved from the first to the second address, and at whose instigation - Nieuwerkerke's or the Emperor's - is unclear. If the dates attached to the paintings are at all accurate, one or two of them may actually depict interiors from number 10. *** Portrait by Édouard Louis Dubufe, 1861. Mathilde Laetitia Wilhelmine Bonaparte, Princess of France, Princess of San Donato (27 May 1820, Trieste - 2 January 1904, Paris), daughter of Jérôme Bonaparte and his second wife, Princess Catherine of Wurtemberg, and therefore the Emperor Napoléon's niece. She spent the first years of her childhood in Rome and nearly married her cousin Louis Napoléon, the future Napoléon III, in 1836, but the betrothal was broken as a result of the failure of the Strasbourg coup and his imprisonment at Ham. In 1840 she married the Russian nobleman Anatole Demidoff, Prince of San Donato, but he refused to part with his mistress and, after a very stormy marriage, the couple separated; in 1846, with her own lover, comte Émilien de Nieuwerkerke, she settled in Paris. She went on to establish a soon to be legendary salon; "This salon is the true salon of the nineteenth century, with a mistress of the house who is the perfect model of the modern woman", wrote the brothers Goncourt, her frequent guests. Indeed, she gathered at 24 rue de Courcelles all those who mattered from the intellectual and artistic elite of the Second Empire. She organized dinners for men of letters on Wednesdays, when writers such as Sainte-Beuve, de Maupassant, Flaubert, Théophile Gautier, Alexandre Dumas, and François Coppée would be entertained. She also invited journalists like Émile de Girardin and Hippolyte de Villemessant, founder of Le Figaro, while scholars and scientists, such as Pasteur and Berthelot were also part of her circle. The artists were received at dinner on Friday, Édouard Detaille, Eugène Isabey, Baudry, Bouguereau, Meissonier, Doré, Carpeaux, and Fromentin among the guests. In 1854, she acquired the château de Saint-Gratien, on the shores of Lake Enghien, where she lived for six months a year. There she replicated the literary and artistic circle of the rue de Courcelles. The war of 1870 and the fall of the Empire forced her to flee France and take refuge in Belgium; her hôtel was sequestered. Returning to France in 1871, she moved to the rue de Berry and resumed her pre-war receptions with the same eclecticism as in the past. Now frequenting her table were, among others, Paul Bourget, Anatole France, Maurice Barrès, Proust, and the actress Réjane. Following the death of Demidoff in 1870, she married the artist and poet Claudius Marcel Popelin, but outlived him. Her salon flourished to the end, and long before her death at the age of eighty-three, she had more than earned the sincere nickname "Notre-Dame des Arts." *** Intérieur du cabinet du comte Émilien de Nieuwerkerke, Directeur général des Musées impériaux, au Louvre, 1859. In spite of his rather unusual relationship with the Emperor's cousin, princesse Mathilde - both were married to other people - the comte de Nieuwerkerke played a highly important rôle during the Second Empire, acting as a kind of minister of cultural affairs, energetic and powerful. Giraud also depicted the comte's office on the first floor of the north wing of the Louvre's Cour Carrée. The artist has incorporated into the decoration of the room a number of precious objects that are in the collection of the museum. Copies of Winterhalter's state portraits of the Emperor and Empress hang between the windows. *** Sébastien-Charles Giraud (18 June 1819, Paris - 30 September 1892, Sannois), French painter. Beginning in 1835, he studied at the École supérieure des beaux-arts, with a focus on genre painting. In the 1840s, he traveled to America and then, in 1846, with a military expedition ordered by King Louis Philippe, he went to Tahiti. While there he made numerous sketches of the island - the vegetation, the people, and their dwellings. On his return to France he was given the nickname "Giraud le Tahitien".

The painter Sébastien-Charles Giraud created several paintings for princesse Mathilde Bonaparte depicting interiors of her hôtel particulier at 24 rue de Courcelles in Paris. Since demolished (1954), the hôtel had been put at her disposal in 1852 (Or 1857, depending on the source) by her cousin - and former fiancé - the Prince-Président, or perhaps-by-then Emperor Napoléon III, and it soon became one of the most celebrated salons of the nineteenth century. Le Salon de la princesse Mathilde, 1859. La Salle à manger de la princesse Mathilde, circa 1854. La Princesse Mathilde dans son atelier, circa 1860. La Véranda de la princesse Mathilde, circa 1864. Un Coin d'atelier de la princesse Mathilde, circa 1853. The dating on these images, and even whether they all record spaces at 24 rue de Courcelles, is problematic. Different sources give different dates for her residence there. Much complicating the issue, she apparently lived at another address on the same street, 10 rue de Courcelles - which I believe is still standing - prior to moving to number 24. When she first lived in the neighborhood and when she moved from the first to the second address, and at whose instigation - Nieuwerkerke's or the Emperor's - is unclear. If the dates attached to the paintings are at all accurate, one or two of them may actually depict interiors from number 10. *** Portrait by Édouard Louis Dubufe, 1861. Mathilde Laetitia Wilhelmine Bonaparte, Princess of France, Princess of San Donato (27 May 1820, Trieste - 2 January 1904, Paris), daughter of Jérôme Bonaparte and his second wife, Princess Catherine of Wurtemberg, and therefore the Emperor Napoléon's niece. She spent the first years of her childhood in Rome and nearly married her cousin Louis Napoléon, the future Napoléon III, in 1836, but the betrothal was broken as a result of the failure of the Strasbourg coup and his imprisonment at Ham. In 1840 she married the Russian nobleman Anatole Demidoff, Prince of San Donato, but he refused to part with his mistress and, after a very stormy marriage, the couple separated; in 1846, with her own lover, comte Émilien de Nieuwerkerke, she settled in Paris. She went on to establish a soon to be legendary salon; "This salon is the true salon of the nineteenth century, with a mistress of the house who is the perfect model of the modern woman", wrote the brothers Goncourt, her frequent guests. Indeed, she gathered at 24 rue de Courcelles all those who mattered from the intellectual and artistic elite of the Second Empire. She organized dinners for men of letters on Wednesdays, when writers such as Sainte-Beuve, de Maupassant, Flaubert, Théophile Gautier, Alexandre Dumas, and François Coppée would be entertained. She also invited journalists like Émile de Girardin and Hippolyte de Villemessant, founder of Le Figaro, while scholars and scientists, such as Pasteur and Berthelot were also part of her circle. The artists were received at dinner on Friday, Édouard Detaille, Eugène Isabey, Baudry, Bouguereau, Meissonier, Doré, Carpeaux, and Fromentin among the guests. In 1854, she acquired the château de Saint-Gratien, on the shores of Lake Enghien, where she lived for six months a year. There she replicated the literary and artistic circle of the rue de Courcelles. The war of 1870 and the fall of the Empire forced her to flee France and take refuge in Belgium; her hôtel was sequestered. Returning to France in 1871, she moved to the rue de Berry and resumed her pre-war receptions with the same eclecticism as in the past. Now frequenting her table were, among others, Paul Bourget, Anatole France, Maurice Barrès, Proust, and the actress Réjane. Following the death of Demidoff in 1870, she married the artist and poet Claudius Marcel Popelin, but outlived him. Her salon flourished to the end, and long before her death at the age of eighty-three, she had more than earned the sincere nickname "Notre-Dame des Arts." *** Intérieur du cabinet du comte Émilien de Nieuwerkerke, Directeur général des Musées impériaux, au Louvre, 1859. In spite of his rather unusual relationship with the Emperor's cousin, princesse Mathilde - both were married to other people - the comte de Nieuwerkerke played a highly important rôle during the Second Empire, acting as a kind of minister of cultural affairs, energetic and powerful. Giraud also depicted the comte's office on the first floor of the north wing of the Louvre's Cour Carrée. The artist has incorporated into the decoration of the room a number of precious objects that are in the collection of the museum. Copies of Winterhalter's state portraits of the Emperor and Empress hang between the windows. *** Sébastien-Charles Giraud (18 June 1819, Paris - 30 September 1892, Sannois), French painter. Beginning in 1835, he studied at the École supérieure des beaux-arts, with a focus on genre painting. In the 1840s, he traveled to America and then, in 1846, with a military expedition ordered by King Louis Philippe, he went to Tahiti. While there he made numerous sketches of the island - the vegetation, the people, and their dwellings. On his return to France he was given the nickname "Giraud le Tahitien".

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The Royal Family have defended spending a seven-figure sum refurbishing the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge's Kensington Palace apartment.

The latest project from the founder and CEO of Banda is an expansive three-bedroom apartment in one of London’s favourite postcodes. Photographed by Taran Wilkhu.

The painter Sébastien-Charles Giraud created several paintings for princesse Mathilde Bonaparte depicting interiors of her hôtel particulier at 24 rue de Courcelles in Paris. Since demolished (1954), the hôtel had been put at her disposal in 1852 (Or 1857, depending on the source) by her cousin - and former fiancé - the Prince-Président, or perhaps-by-then Emperor Napoléon III, and it soon became one of the most celebrated salons of the nineteenth century. Le Salon de la princesse Mathilde, 1859. La Salle à manger de la princesse Mathilde, circa 1854. La Princesse Mathilde dans son atelier, circa 1860. La Véranda de la princesse Mathilde, circa 1864. Un Coin d'atelier de la princesse Mathilde, circa 1853. The dating on these images, and even whether they all record spaces at 24 rue de Courcelles, is problematic. Different sources give different dates for her residence there. Much complicating the issue, she apparently lived at another address on the same street, 10 rue de Courcelles - which I believe is still standing - prior to moving to number 24. When she first lived in the neighborhood and when she moved from the first to the second address, and at whose instigation - Nieuwerkerke's or the Emperor's - is unclear. If the dates attached to the paintings are at all accurate, one or two of them may actually depict interiors from number 10. *** Portrait by Édouard Louis Dubufe, 1861. Mathilde Laetitia Wilhelmine Bonaparte, Princess of France, Princess of San Donato (27 May 1820, Trieste - 2 January 1904, Paris), daughter of Jérôme Bonaparte and his second wife, Princess Catherine of Wurtemberg, and therefore the Emperor Napoléon's niece. She spent the first years of her childhood in Rome and nearly married her cousin Louis Napoléon, the future Napoléon III, in 1836, but the betrothal was broken as a result of the failure of the Strasbourg coup and his imprisonment at Ham. In 1840 she married the Russian nobleman Anatole Demidoff, Prince of San Donato, but he refused to part with his mistress and, after a very stormy marriage, the couple separated; in 1846, with her own lover, comte Émilien de Nieuwerkerke, she settled in Paris. She went on to establish a soon to be legendary salon; "This salon is the true salon of the nineteenth century, with a mistress of the house who is the perfect model of the modern woman", wrote the brothers Goncourt, her frequent guests. Indeed, she gathered at 24 rue de Courcelles all those who mattered from the intellectual and artistic elite of the Second Empire. She organized dinners for men of letters on Wednesdays, when writers such as Sainte-Beuve, de Maupassant, Flaubert, Théophile Gautier, Alexandre Dumas, and François Coppée would be entertained. She also invited journalists like Émile de Girardin and Hippolyte de Villemessant, founder of Le Figaro, while scholars and scientists, such as Pasteur and Berthelot were also part of her circle. The artists were received at dinner on Friday, Édouard Detaille, Eugène Isabey, Baudry, Bouguereau, Meissonier, Doré, Carpeaux, and Fromentin among the guests. In 1854, she acquired the château de Saint-Gratien, on the shores of Lake Enghien, where she lived for six months a year. There she replicated the literary and artistic circle of the rue de Courcelles. The war of 1870 and the fall of the Empire forced her to flee France and take refuge in Belgium; her hôtel was sequestered. Returning to France in 1871, she moved to the rue de Berry and resumed her pre-war receptions with the same eclecticism as in the past. Now frequenting her table were, among others, Paul Bourget, Anatole France, Maurice Barrès, Proust, and the actress Réjane. Following the death of Demidoff in 1870, she married the artist and poet Claudius Marcel Popelin, but outlived him. Her salon flourished to the end, and long before her death at the age of eighty-three, she had more than earned the sincere nickname "Notre-Dame des Arts." *** Intérieur du cabinet du comte Émilien de Nieuwerkerke, Directeur général des Musées impériaux, au Louvre, 1859. In spite of his rather unusual relationship with the Emperor's cousin, princesse Mathilde - both were married to other people - the comte de Nieuwerkerke played a highly important rôle during the Second Empire, acting as a kind of minister of cultural affairs, energetic and powerful. Giraud also depicted the comte's office on the first floor of the north wing of the Louvre's Cour Carrée. The artist has incorporated into the decoration of the room a number of precious objects that are in the collection of the museum. Copies of Winterhalter's state portraits of the Emperor and Empress hang between the windows. *** Sébastien-Charles Giraud (18 June 1819, Paris - 30 September 1892, Sannois), French painter. Beginning in 1835, he studied at the École supérieure des beaux-arts, with a focus on genre painting. In the 1840s, he traveled to America and then, in 1846, with a military expedition ordered by King Louis Philippe, he went to Tahiti. While there he made numerous sketches of the island - the vegetation, the people, and their dwellings. On his return to France he was given the nickname "Giraud le Tahitien".

With the royals' annual summer break upon us, I thought it a good time to visit a topic several of you mentioned in the comments recently: Harry and Meghan's homes. Where do they live? Is there any truth to the many rumours concerning their country home? What are the long term plans for their residences? For the time being, the couple's London home is Nottingham Cottage, affectionately known as "Nott Cott" in the grounds of Kensington Palace. The cosy property boasts two bedrooms, two reception rooms and a small private garden. It was the starter home for the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge in the early years of their marriage. Once they moved out, Harry decided to live there and is said to be incredibly fond of it. Apparently, he put his own stamp on the place by installing a hammock in the yard. In a bid to get to know each other privately without media pressures, Nott Cott became the secluded love nest the couple needed to spend valuable time together and plan the future away from the public eye. When the time was right to propose, the cottage was just the place to do it. Harry shared the following during the engagement interview: 'We had to sort of reverse the whole process and cozy nights in, in front of the television, cooking dinner with just the two of us by ourselves in our little cottage rather going out for dinner and being seen in public. So we, we reversed the whole process which is, it's provided different opportunities. And has made us a hell of a lot closer in a short space of time. That's without question. So you know if anybody else... maybe slow down to date, spend more time at home. But no, it's it's for us it's it's an opportunity to really get to know each other without other people, you know, looking, trying to take photos on the phones and that kind of stuff. That comes comes comes with it comes with the job comes the role.' The cottage is 1,324 square feet in size.It stands near two other grace-and-favour houses; Kent Cottage and Wren Cottage. Nottingham Cottage was designed by Christopher Wren. Its name derives from Nottingham House, the residence of the Earl of Nottingham from which Kensington Palace was expanded by William III and Mary II. The house has been occupied by several people who have formerly been employees of the Royal Family. From her retirement in 1948, the house was given for life to Marion Crawford, the former governess of Princesses Elizabeth and Margaret. In gratitude for Crawford's service, Queen Mary, the princesses' grandmother, decorated the house with Victorian furniture and prints of flowers for her. Crawford described the house as a dream "of seasoned red brick...with roses round the door". Crawford left the cottage in 1950 in the aftermath of her selling stories about the Royal family to newspapers. More from The Telegraph: 'Nottingham Cottage is one of the smallest properties within the grounds of Kensington Palace and was formerly the home of the Duke of Edinburgh’s private secretary, Brigadier Sir Miles Hunt-Davis, and his wife Gay. Princess Diana's sister Lady Jane Fellowes and her husband Sir Robert Fellowes also lived there. Photographs of her former home in Toronto suggest that she favours a minimalistic, monochrome colour scheme with plenty of soft furnishings, coffee table books and floral arrangements. The American actress decorated it to "look like a California bungalow", and you can see how it looked while she lived in it on pictures she posted to Instagram. She wrote on her blog The Tig that the sunny decor helped her to stave off “seven Canadian winters.” She has probably put her own mark on what had been, for four years, a bachelor pad. The Duchess of Cambridge is said to have redecorated it to her own taste when she first moved in.' We've seen an abundance of rumours circulating about the possibility the Duke and Duchess of Gloucester will move out of of their apartment to smaller lodgings and the Sussexes will take up residence in their stately 21 room apartment. It is located so close to William and Kate's Apartment 1A, they are linked by adjoining doors. There's also been mounting speculation Harry and Meghan will make Clarence House their permanent London home when Charles becomes King. At this point neither report has been confirmed, with Kensington Palace telling the media the couple plan to stay at Nott Cott "for the foreseeable future". All the senior royals have a country residence where they can escape the hustle and bustle of London and ensconce themselves in the countryside indulging their love of the outdoors. For the Queen it's Balmoral, located in the stunning Scottish highlands. Charles has his beloved Gloucestershire residence Highgrove and for the Cambridges, it's their rural Norfolk retreat Anmer Hall. It's been said for years, Harry has been considering options for his own scenic hideaway. Now, with Meghan by his side, it seems the couple have chosen Oxfordshire for the time being at least. Several reliable reporters understand the couple signed a lease on a property in the Cotswolds at the beginning of the year. It is thought the bolthole is located in the Great Tew estate. Located just over an an hour from London, the Estate encapsulates much of what might be considered the archetypal English Country Estate. Spring lambs playing in rolling grassland, oak woods with a carpet of bluebells and thatch cottages. Reporter Omid Scobie said Meghan adores it there. "She's really fallen for the countryside". The quaint, sleepy village of Great Tew has a village shop which is also a café and a parish church. Whilst the village is often described as one of the prettiest in England, Great Tew remains cloaked in its long history, from its Roman origins, through the Civil War to its ownership by one of the pre-eminent industrial revolution families. The Sun reported the couple spent their last weekend before the wedding in Oxfordshire: 'They like to escape to the country for the weekend and the cottage is just perfect for them.” The friend added: “It’s very private, has a vast open-plan kitchen and dining area for Meghan to cook in and lots of large windows for the stunning views.” Renovations have just been completed at the home which has also been made fully secure. A source told The Sun: “Blacked-out Land Rovers have been seen driving up to the property and a lot of security work has been done.' The village is home to the Beckhams' estate as well as exclusive members' club Soho Farmhouse, where Meghan is said to have had her hen party. The club is set in 100 acres of countryside. Soho House consultant Markus Anderson is one of Meghan's closest friends. Once the lease is up on the property, the couple are expected to move into their permanent country home. There's been speculation they will build a secluded mansion in the Cotswolds. However, it is most likely the Queen will offer Harry and Meghan a property. Most recently, it has been suggested, Her Majesty invited the couple to view Adelaide Cottage, nestled in the heart of the Home Park in Windsor. Adelaide Cottage was originally built for Queen Adelaide, the wife of King William IV, in 1831, using building materials from the Royal Lodge. In more recent times, it served as the former residence of Peter Townsend, the famous lover of the Queen’s late sister Princess Margaret. At this point, it remains just another rumour. I expect we'll see an exclusive from a seasoned royal reporter on the couple's definite plans over the next year or so. Below, a painting of the cottage from 1839. ************ We have a couple of other brief updates to share today. For those fond of Meghan's GOAT Flavia dress, the brand has released the dress in nude with frayed trims - identical to the bespoke piece the Duchess wore. It's available in UK sizes 8-18 on the website. On Saturday, the wedding of one of Prince Harry's closest friends Charlie van Straubenzee and Daisy Jenks will take place in Surrey. It has been reported Harry will be Best Man. There's a very strong possibility we'll see Meghan there :)

A “landmark” Georgian mansion in Norfolk has been put up for sale as a development opportunity. Riddlesworth Hall has spent the last 76 years as an independent prep school for children aged between…

In "The Princess Diaries" movie, Mia and her mom lived in a cool firehouse-turned-art studio in San Francisco, which is now on the market for $2.6 million.

The painter Sébastien-Charles Giraud created several paintings for princesse Mathilde Bonaparte depicting interiors of her hôtel particulier at 24 rue de Courcelles in Paris. Since demolished (1954), the hôtel had been put at her disposal in 1852 (Or 1857, depending on the source) by her cousin - and former fiancé - the Prince-Président, or perhaps-by-then Emperor Napoléon III, and it soon became one of the most celebrated salons of the nineteenth century. Le Salon de la princesse Mathilde, 1859. La Salle à manger de la princesse Mathilde, circa 1854. La Princesse Mathilde dans son atelier, circa 1860. La Véranda de la princesse Mathilde, circa 1864. Un Coin d'atelier de la princesse Mathilde, circa 1853. The dating on these images, and even whether they all record spaces at 24 rue de Courcelles, is problematic. Different sources give different dates for her residence there. Much complicating the issue, she apparently lived at another address on the same street, 10 rue de Courcelles - which I believe is still standing - prior to moving to number 24. When she first lived in the neighborhood and when she moved from the first to the second address, and at whose instigation - Nieuwerkerke's or the Emperor's - is unclear. If the dates attached to the paintings are at all accurate, one or two of them may actually depict interiors from number 10. *** Portrait by Édouard Louis Dubufe, 1861. Mathilde Laetitia Wilhelmine Bonaparte, Princess of France, Princess of San Donato (27 May 1820, Trieste - 2 January 1904, Paris), daughter of Jérôme Bonaparte and his second wife, Princess Catherine of Wurtemberg, and therefore the Emperor Napoléon's niece. She spent the first years of her childhood in Rome and nearly married her cousin Louis Napoléon, the future Napoléon III, in 1836, but the betrothal was broken as a result of the failure of the Strasbourg coup and his imprisonment at Ham. In 1840 she married the Russian nobleman Anatole Demidoff, Prince of San Donato, but he refused to part with his mistress and, after a very stormy marriage, the couple separated; in 1846, with her own lover, comte Émilien de Nieuwerkerke, she settled in Paris. She went on to establish a soon to be legendary salon; "This salon is the true salon of the nineteenth century, with a mistress of the house who is the perfect model of the modern woman", wrote the brothers Goncourt, her frequent guests. Indeed, she gathered at 24 rue de Courcelles all those who mattered from the intellectual and artistic elite of the Second Empire. She organized dinners for men of letters on Wednesdays, when writers such as Sainte-Beuve, de Maupassant, Flaubert, Théophile Gautier, Alexandre Dumas, and François Coppée would be entertained. She also invited journalists like Émile de Girardin and Hippolyte de Villemessant, founder of Le Figaro, while scholars and scientists, such as Pasteur and Berthelot were also part of her circle. The artists were received at dinner on Friday, Édouard Detaille, Eugène Isabey, Baudry, Bouguereau, Meissonier, Doré, Carpeaux, and Fromentin among the guests. In 1854, she acquired the château de Saint-Gratien, on the shores of Lake Enghien, where she lived for six months a year. There she replicated the literary and artistic circle of the rue de Courcelles. The war of 1870 and the fall of the Empire forced her to flee France and take refuge in Belgium; her hôtel was sequestered. Returning to France in 1871, she moved to the rue de Berry and resumed her pre-war receptions with the same eclecticism as in the past. Now frequenting her table were, among others, Paul Bourget, Anatole France, Maurice Barrès, Proust, and the actress Réjane. Following the death of Demidoff in 1870, she married the artist and poet Claudius Marcel Popelin, but outlived him. Her salon flourished to the end, and long before her death at the age of eighty-three, she had more than earned the sincere nickname "Notre-Dame des Arts." *** Intérieur du cabinet du comte Émilien de Nieuwerkerke, Directeur général des Musées impériaux, au Louvre, 1859. In spite of his rather unusual relationship with the Emperor's cousin, princesse Mathilde - both were married to other people - the comte de Nieuwerkerke played a highly important rôle during the Second Empire, acting as a kind of minister of cultural affairs, energetic and powerful. Giraud also depicted the comte's office on the first floor of the north wing of the Louvre's Cour Carrée. The artist has incorporated into the decoration of the room a number of precious objects that are in the collection of the museum. Copies of Winterhalter's state portraits of the Emperor and Empress hang between the windows. *** Sébastien-Charles Giraud (18 June 1819, Paris - 30 September 1892, Sannois), French painter. Beginning in 1835, he studied at the École supérieure des beaux-arts, with a focus on genre painting. In the 1840s, he traveled to America and then, in 1846, with a military expedition ordered by King Louis Philippe, he went to Tahiti. While there he made numerous sketches of the island - the vegetation, the people, and their dwellings. On his return to France he was given the nickname "Giraud le Tahitien".

The painter Sébastien-Charles Giraud created several paintings for princesse Mathilde Bonaparte depicting interiors of her hôtel particulier at 24 rue de Courcelles in Paris. Since demolished (1954), the hôtel had been put at her disposal in 1852 (Or 1857, depending on the source) by her cousin - and former fiancé - the Prince-Président, or perhaps-by-then Emperor Napoléon III, and it soon became one of the most celebrated salons of the nineteenth century. Le Salon de la princesse Mathilde, 1859. La Salle à manger de la princesse Mathilde, circa 1854. La Princesse Mathilde dans son atelier, circa 1860. La Véranda de la princesse Mathilde, circa 1864. Un Coin d'atelier de la princesse Mathilde, circa 1853. The dating on these images, and even whether they all record spaces at 24 rue de Courcelles, is problematic. Different sources give different dates for her residence there. Much complicating the issue, she apparently lived at another address on the same street, 10 rue de Courcelles - which I believe is still standing - prior to moving to number 24. When she first lived in the neighborhood and when she moved from the first to the second address, and at whose instigation - Nieuwerkerke's or the Emperor's - is unclear. If the dates attached to the paintings are at all accurate, one or two of them may actually depict interiors from number 10. *** Portrait by Édouard Louis Dubufe, 1861. Mathilde Laetitia Wilhelmine Bonaparte, Princess of France, Princess of San Donato (27 May 1820, Trieste - 2 January 1904, Paris), daughter of Jérôme Bonaparte and his second wife, Princess Catherine of Wurtemberg, and therefore the Emperor Napoléon's niece. She spent the first years of her childhood in Rome and nearly married her cousin Louis Napoléon, the future Napoléon III, in 1836, but the betrothal was broken as a result of the failure of the Strasbourg coup and his imprisonment at Ham. In 1840 she married the Russian nobleman Anatole Demidoff, Prince of San Donato, but he refused to part with his mistress and, after a very stormy marriage, the couple separated; in 1846, with her own lover, comte Émilien de Nieuwerkerke, she settled in Paris. She went on to establish a soon to be legendary salon; "This salon is the true salon of the nineteenth century, with a mistress of the house who is the perfect model of the modern woman", wrote the brothers Goncourt, her frequent guests. Indeed, she gathered at 24 rue de Courcelles all those who mattered from the intellectual and artistic elite of the Second Empire. She organized dinners for men of letters on Wednesdays, when writers such as Sainte-Beuve, de Maupassant, Flaubert, Théophile Gautier, Alexandre Dumas, and François Coppée would be entertained. She also invited journalists like Émile de Girardin and Hippolyte de Villemessant, founder of Le Figaro, while scholars and scientists, such as Pasteur and Berthelot were also part of her circle. The artists were received at dinner on Friday, Édouard Detaille, Eugène Isabey, Baudry, Bouguereau, Meissonier, Doré, Carpeaux, and Fromentin among the guests. In 1854, she acquired the château de Saint-Gratien, on the shores of Lake Enghien, where she lived for six months a year. There she replicated the literary and artistic circle of the rue de Courcelles. The war of 1870 and the fall of the Empire forced her to flee France and take refuge in Belgium; her hôtel was sequestered. Returning to France in 1871, she moved to the rue de Berry and resumed her pre-war receptions with the same eclecticism as in the past. Now frequenting her table were, among others, Paul Bourget, Anatole France, Maurice Barrès, Proust, and the actress Réjane. Following the death of Demidoff in 1870, she married the artist and poet Claudius Marcel Popelin, but outlived him. Her salon flourished to the end, and long before her death at the age of eighty-three, she had more than earned the sincere nickname "Notre-Dame des Arts." *** Intérieur du cabinet du comte Émilien de Nieuwerkerke, Directeur général des Musées impériaux, au Louvre, 1859. In spite of his rather unusual relationship with the Emperor's cousin, princesse Mathilde - both were married to other people - the comte de Nieuwerkerke played a highly important rôle during the Second Empire, acting as a kind of minister of cultural affairs, energetic and powerful. Giraud also depicted the comte's office on the first floor of the north wing of the Louvre's Cour Carrée. The artist has incorporated into the decoration of the room a number of precious objects that are in the collection of the museum. Copies of Winterhalter's state portraits of the Emperor and Empress hang between the windows. *** Sébastien-Charles Giraud (18 June 1819, Paris - 30 September 1892, Sannois), French painter. Beginning in 1835, he studied at the École supérieure des beaux-arts, with a focus on genre painting. In the 1840s, he traveled to America and then, in 1846, with a military expedition ordered by King Louis Philippe, he went to Tahiti. While there he made numerous sketches of the island - the vegetation, the people, and their dwellings. On his return to France he was given the nickname "Giraud le Tahitien".

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Vishma Maharaj: "Sono una viaggiatrice dell'anima che condivide la propria esperienza attraverso la mia visione e prospettiva". La Maharaj (whizicalme

His latest London development is a testament to that fact

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A few months ago, I bought an old copy of Country Life magazine from England – the year? 1928. I had seen it online – showing the apartment where decades later Diana had lived at Kensington Palace. Of course, I started hyperventilating. Here was a chance to see what Diana’s apartment had looked like in the 1920s!!!! A dream come true. The story was advertised as “The Apartments of the Countess Granville, London.” Little did the magazine know that years later the woman that had captivated the world would be living in that very same apartment! Luckily the magazine only cost 45 pounds – because I probably would have paid anything to see it. Anything! I’m not sure why I’m so obsessed with Diana’s apartment. Maybe it’s because I was fascinated with Diana for so long. For years I subscribed to “Royalty” magazine to chronicle her every move and outfit. I vividly remember her wedding day and her funeral and all the days in between. I loved her clothes - her endless shirts with the ruffled collars, and I adored her hair cut, and her smile – there wasn’t anything about Diana that didn’t intrigue the young 20-something me. Her wedding dress was my ideal. If I could have had the exact same dress – I would have. All these years later I don’t think I have ever loved another wedding gown as much as hers. I was especially fascinated with Kensington Palace. There was no internet back then like today and you had to imagine her apartment - whereas now - all you have to do is Google it. Kensington Palace seemed such a mysterious place, with all the older royals living in a sort of “Gated Community For The Titled.” Stories were printed, first of Princess Margaret, and later of Princess Diana, sneaking in boyfriends to Kensington Palace so the press wouldn’t find out. I would try to imagine what their “apartments” looked like, always bringing to mind some cheesy “1960s Swingles Complex” instead of the sophisticated townhouses that these “apartments” actually were. Kensington Palace after the 2012 renovation Through the years there were only glimpses of Diana’s apartment from a few photoshoots. Her apartment was English upper crust, yellows and greens, yet it was welcoming and cozy with down cushions and museum quality arts and antiques. When the photos of her apartment, taken after her death by butler Paul Burrell, were released, the public could finally see the entire apartment. Those photos only highlighted the enormity of her absence. But, life marches on. The fact is that Kensington Palace was never just about Diana, it’s about the royals and their customs and histories starting with William and Mary and later with Queen Victoria and all her numerous offspring who moved here and died here. Queen Victoria was born at Kensington Palace and later her daughters and granddaughters would return to live there in the various apartments. What was the appeal of that particular Palace that so many Royals chose to live there over the others? Princess Diana’s Garden Kensington Palace is an architectural jigsaw puzzle – added onto over and over again with little regard for symmetry, it’s certainly not a beautiful building. Originally, it was just a small house, bought by King William and Queen Mary in 1689 as a second home because their main palace was too near the Thames for William’s fragile health. William and subsequent Kings embarked on a building spree – turning this two story house, built in 1605, into a proper palace. It started to grow and grow, this small house that became Kensington Palace. The original house remains today – surrounded and hidden by all the state rooms that were built around it. At the right is the King’s Gallery which lies behind the row of 11 windows. To the left is the new wing built by Christopher Wren. Today, this wing is Apartment 1A where Kate and William and their children live. To its left is Apartment 1 where the Gloucesters live and where Harry & Meghan are rumored to be moving to. An early photograph shows shrubs growing in front of Apartments 1 and 1A, probably in an attempt to provide privacy for Queen Victoria’s daughter, Princess Louise, who lived there at this time. Today, these two apartments are completely closed off to public view by a series of fences and shrubs in order to protect Kate and William and their children. The front of Kensington Palace decades before it was renovated – its façade hidden behind trees, shrubs, and iron gates. The difference between now and then is profound. For years, Kensington was allowed to languish and deteriorate. That has all changed today. The 2012 Restoration The greenery that blocked the façade is now gone, as are all the gates, save for a few attractive ones to control traffic. There is now a wide, gravel path that welcomes visitors to linger and explore its numerous gardens. This century, the Palace is now a vital tourist spot – its state rooms have been turned into a cross between a museum and an event locale. The royals that live there are now hidden behind a series of security means that aren’t noticeable by the public. Early Years: Queen Victoria was actually born in Kensington Palace and lived there in virtual seclusion until she became Queen and moved to Buckingham Palace at the age of 18. The present Queen Elisabeth’s own grandmother, Queen Mary, was also born at Kensington Palace in 1867. As the Palace grew, so did the number of apartments, most filled with dowager aunts related to the sovereign. Some of the apartments at Kensington were very small – those were reserved for various non-royal assistants. The other apartments designed for royals were rather grand. Diana’s apartment was especially beautiful, as it was originally built for a King’s mistress. The Mistresses of George I: When George I moved from Germany to become King of England, he brought along two mistresses. His wife was left behind, where she was imprisoned in a lavish house with servants. She died 30 years later, still a prisoner. Her crime? Infidelity. George I’s first mistress, Charlotte Sophia von Kielmansegg, was known as an obese woman, though she certainly doesn’t look like it in this painting. She was called “The Elephant” behind her back by everyone in court – her nickname has stuck all these centuries later. She was George’s illegitimate half-sister and historians aren’t sure if they were actually lovers or confidants. Charlotte’s chief rival was George main mistress, The Duchess of Kendal. The Duchess was called The Maypole at Court because she was so tall and skinny, the opposite of her rival Royal Mistress. She bore the king three children. George’s desire to be close to her is the crux of this story. The Duchess was very important to the King emotionally and politically. She was considered his Queen by the Court, even though the true Queen was back in Germany imprisoned in her own house. In order for the King to live close to the Duchess, George needed to build her accommodations at Kensington Palace. Her apartment was just one of the many additions to the Palace that George I made. William Kent George I was responsible for hiring the then unknown William Kent to rebuild the small palace. He added several important state rooms to Kensington – the most extravagant was The Cupola Room, with its rounded dome ceiling and, at the center of the room, the large musical clock – which remains there today. The Cupola Room designed by William Kent for George I. Queen Victoria, then Princess Alexandrina Victoria, was christened here in 1819. The clock was bought in 1743 and cost 4,500 pounds – a fortune then. It took over 20 years to build and its maker died before it was finished, leaving it to another clockmaker to complete the job. The Star of the Garter is at the center of the ceiling. Today, the different state rooms at Kensington Palace are rented out for parties and weddings. I love how the Cupola Room, bathed in pink lights, looked at a recent wedding! Wow!!! Another room George I was responsible for is William Kent’s King’s Staircase. Household staff and Court posed for the mural and Kent also included himself. At the right of the corner is Peter The Wild Boy, a feral child found in the woods of Germany and brought to England by the King as a Court pet. The man next to young Peter is his doctor who taught him to speak. The windows on the staircase overlook the back of the palace, Clock Court, where Kate & William’s apartment is. The Privy Chamber with it beautiful gilded ceiling was also designed by William Kent for George I. While the wing on the south side, where Kate and William live now, was built rather early on, the rest of the apartments in Kensington Palace were built a bit later when George I became King. Because he needed rooms for his two mistresses and grandchildren, he asked Kent to draw up plans for a suite of apartments. The Mistresses Wing was built at the north end of the grounds, right at the end of this room, the Queen’s Gallery. Centuries later, this row of three apartments #7, 8 & 10, built for King George I’s mistresses has hardly changed except in two ways. When built, the apartments were entered through the back Courtyards and not through the front doors as seen here at Apartment #10. The other difference from then to now – the street is closed. Originally it was open to the palace. At some point a brick wall was built with beautiful iron gates that closed it off to provide security. When Diana & Charles moved in, the wall was bricked up completely, leaving only the black door for foot traffic. Princess Michael in Apartment #10 was furious about this and lamented the loss of the beautiful gates. Her complaints fell on deaf ears, as usual. According to the article in the 1928 Country Life – there is very little information on the history of the Royal apartments. Historians have gleaned most of what is known from written letters and correspondence filled with gossipy tidbits. For instance, personal letters written about mushrooms growing on the damp, bottom floors of these three apartments have provided clues about who actually lived here during George I’s time. Another clue about the origin of the apartments is Diana’s grand staircase. It was her staircase in Apartment #8 that provided the most details as to who actually designed the apartments. At one time, it was thought the staircase, thus apartment, might have been built decades before it was, during the time of Charles II (1600’s.) Architectural historians have since studied the staircase and its moldings and attributed them to William Kent during the reign of George I. It was other staircases that Kent designed which confirmed he had created Diana’s staircase in the Inigo Jones/Webb style. It is now know that Diana’s Apartment #8 was built for George’s mistress, the Duchess of Kendal, which accounts for its very fine mantels and moldings and stucco work. The King held daily state meetings in her apartment, so naturally it was grandly designed. Apartment #10, where Prince and Princess Michael live today, was originally built for George I’s granddaughters. A judge granted the King guardianship of the girls, over their parents’ objections, in order that they be properly educated. Needless to say, father and son were not on good terms. Today, Princess Michael (above in her Apartment #10) is forever complaining about how small her apartment is. Now we know the reason why hers is one of the smallest Royal spaces - it was built to house King George I’s three young granddaughters. During George I’s reign, the occupants of Apartment #7, which is to the left of Diana’s apartment, is still unknown. The row of apartments #7, 8, and 10 all overlook the two back courtyards: The Prince’s Court (#2) and the Princesses Court (#1,) shown above. Apartment #9 straddles the two courts. Surrounding the other three sides of the courtyards are various small apartments for staff, mostly. But during George I’s time, instead of these neighboring apartments, there were only old kitchens and unsafe buildings that were later torn down. Apartment #9, located behind the row of 7, 8, and 10, was built by King George to add a few rooms for his mistress, Duchess Kendal. He also added two rooms for his grandchildren in #10 – which today gives Princess Michael a little extra space. Centuries later, Apartment #9 was combined with Diana’s apartment #8, but after her death, it was again separated from it. The Princess Courtyard – facing Apartment 10 where Prince & Princess Michael live – was once covered in ivy. Today, the vines are gone. In the corner, on the left side – those two windows are Apartment 9 where Diana’s dressing room and bedroom overlooked this courtyard. The other side of the Princess Court – as it looked decades ago, when these two courtyards were not maintained. Today they are much more attractive. The covered walkways in these two courts were built so that the Duchess could go from Apartment 8 to10 to visit the King’s grandchildren, without getting wet. Conversely King George put these two apartments right next to each other so he could easily visit his mistress and his grandchildren without having to walk long distances. While #8 and #10 were lavishly finished, Apartment #1 where Kate & William now live was quite the opposite. Apartment #1 was originally built to provide access from Clock Court to the Palace, also without getting wet. Originally the front door of the palace was through what is now the back of the Palace. Back then, guests entered through Clock Court first: Clock Court. This was once the front entrance to Kensington, probably because of the horses and carriages. Once people entered the tower, they would walk through what is today the entrance hall in Apartment #1A where Kate & William live. Here is the path everyone once took to enter Kensington Palace. From Clock Court, you would walk along Stone Gallery to the State Apartments. The “Stone Gallery” in Apartment 1A before it became Princess Margaret’s front hall. In the beginning, the rooms on the other side of the gallery were apartments for various guards and employees. Originally this was just passageway, not a gorgeous front hall in a private apartment. The Stone Gallery during Princess Margaret’s day. Side shell niches combined with columns, beautiful moldings and flag floors make this gallery a wonderful entry hall. This first known occupant of #1 was King George III’s son, the Duke of Sussex, who moved here in 1804. It was in this 50+ room apartment that the Duke housed his library which held over 50,000 books – one of the largest private libraries in the country. Back then, Apartment 1 and 1A were not divided – but instead were one very large apartment. After the Duke died, Queen Victoria’s daughter, the artist Princess Louise, moved into #1 in 1875. Princess Louise’s grand white sculpture of her mother, Queen Victoria, remains a significant contribution to the palace gardens. Princess Louise at the window in her Kensington Apartment #1. Louise renovated her apartment and public traffic was redirected away from her back gardens by planting rows of bushes. Just like today, privacy in Apartments 1 and 1A is an issue. Princess Louise’s tiara is now on display at Kensington Palace along with her mother, Queen Victoria’s tiaras. Wow!!!!! The hanging diamonds shake when the tiara is worn causing the diamonds to sparkle even more. The largest diamond is 10 carats. Besides her Kensington apartment, Princess Louise had Sir Edwin Lutyens design a house for her in Scotland – surprisingly a long three hours drive from the Royal castle Balmoral and her mother. An old, romantic photograph of her house which was recently put up for sale. This is only one of two house Lutyens built in Scotland. After Louise died in 1939, Princess Marina (the widow of Queen Elizabeth’s uncle) and her three children moved into #1 – including her son Prince Michael who today lives in #10. Michael has lived at Kensington almost his entire life. When her children moved out, Marina declared Apartment 1 was too large for her and it was then that 50+ room apartment was divided into two. Apartment 1A today. You can see the staircase through the fifth window on the right. Marina moved into #1 which freed up #1A for Victoria’s grandson, the Marquess of Carisbrooke. Lady Iris, Carisbrooke’s only child, was born in Kensington Palace in 1920. The Marquess of Carisbrooke’s death in 1960 allowed the newlyweds Princess Margaret and Lord Snowden to move into #1A, which they completely renovated. Now, Kate & William call #1A home. The rumors are that Meghan & Harry will be moving next door into Apartment 1, after it too is renovated and the Gloucesters are politely kicked out!! In Apartment 1A, Princess Margaret and Tony created a fabulous home and later, Kate and William improved upon it even more. BUT – the original Apartment 1 was nowhere near as beautiful to begin with as Diana’s Apartment #8 was. Make no mistake, Apartment #8 was the jewel of Kensington Palace’s Apartments. The 1928 issue of Country Life featured a story about Lady Granville and her Kensington Palace Apartment. The article is a long, scholarly work about #8 - which was built for the Duchess Kendal in the 1700s. This photo on the cover is NOT Lady Granville, although Country Life did use her on a cover some ten years earlier. Lady Glanville WAS shown on the cover of Country Life while she was still single in 1918. Confession: I had to read the article in Country Life a few times just to understand the cadence. It’s amazing how different people wrote just 100 years ago. The wing where Diana’s apartment #8 is was built in 1722-1726, by William Kent, who apparently was the architect and decorator. There wasn’t much written about the wing at all, but as stated before - through clues taken from the interior, it has been agreed that Kent was the architect. The wing was ordered built by George I for his German mistress who interestingly – to say the least – is an ancestor of Princess Diana!! George 1 visited his lover every afternoon from five to eight. He gave her a special allowance of yellow candles to light the grand staircase to her rooms – so that he wouldn’t fall! When George I died, he left the Duchess enough money to buy a villa in Isleworth Middlesex. George II’s Mistresses: The next mistress to live in Apartment 8 was the married Henrietta Howard, who was to become the Countess of Suffolk. She later married (again) and left Kensington for good after she built a beautiful Palladian styled house, Marble Hill, on the Thames. George II continued to visit her at Marble Hill. Henrietta’s beautiful Palladian house, Marble Hill, on the Thames. The house has been restored and is now used for events. Symmetrical beauty!!! After Henrietta left and King George II’s wife died, he took yet another mistress, Amalie von Wallmoden, Countess of Yarmouth. Ooh la la!!! The Duchess of Yarmouth. Such a sexy beauty!!! From Germany, Amalie was the niece of the prior royal mistress the Duchess of Kendal. Small world, indeed. Amalie was the last royal mistress ever to be granted a peerage for life. Historians believe that these two mistresses of George II lived in Diana’s apartment #8 because the Duchess of Kendal, Henrietta and Amalie all complained about mushrooms growing in the damp first floor. As this is the only wing that faces north and is still prone to damp rot, these mushrooms hold the clues to who actually lived in the beautiful Apartment 8. The next person we know for sure that lived in Apartment 8 is Lady Granville. Born Lady Rose Constance Bowes-Lyon, she was an older sister to the Queen Mum or Elizabeth Bowes-Lyon. As such, she was also Queen Elizabeth’s aunt. Lady Granville had two children and was Princess Margaret’s godmother. Lady Rose with her younger sister Lady Elizabeth Bowles-Lyon, mother to the current Queen Elizabeth Lady Granville’s husband died in 1958, but no mention is made of him in the article in Country Life - it’s as if he didn’t live there, although he did. And just like the previous tenant of Apt 8 - Duchess of Kendal, Lady Granville was also related to Princess Diana. Lady Granville’s tiara, earrings, and necklace made of scarabs!!!!!!!! I swear to God!!! The parure was a gift of the Ambassador of Portugal to the wife of the 2nd Earl in 1884. The parure was passed down in the family until 2011 when it was sold. Lady Rose’s engagement announcement in The Tattler. This was years before her sister Elizabeth was Queen, so you can see how blue-blood Rose was on her own. And here, her wedding announcement, bottom right, made the front page of the London papers. Years later in 1940, the now Countess Granville was seen in her country house, not the Kensington apartment. She has impeccable taste with the over large Oriental bowl and plate – filled with blossoms. A console sits between two sofas with slipcovers in what looks like a cotton Tree of Life pattern. Oh…to see more photos!!!!! Back to back sofas in a cotton Tree of Life Slipcover!!!! HEAVENLY!!! The house looks so beautiful with dark hardwoods and moldings, and with a crystal chandelier. There is no doubt that the Countess had a wonderful aesthetic, much better than her sister the Queen Mother or her niece, Queen Elizabeth. That should come as no surprise, after all, given the choice – Lady Granville had chosen the premier apartment at Kensington, the one designed by William Kent for the favorite mistress of King George I. Years later, the same apartment would be ear marked for Charles, long before he was even engaged. I drew up sketch of a floorplan: When the article about Lady Granville was written for Country Life in 1928, the mysterious Misses Kers were living in Apt. 10 and in Apt. 7, lived the Marchioness of Milford Haven. The first photo in Country Life is of Granville/Diana’s front door. As stated before, when the row of apartments 7-8-10 were first built, the front doors were off the back courtyards. Here, the front door has been moved and the portico looks like an exact twin to the one that is off the Queen’s Gallery. Here is the portico off the Queen’s Gallery – doesn’t it look exactly like Lady Granville’s? Even their front doors are identical. Apartment 8 was bombed during the blitz so perhaps that is why the portico was changed during Diana’s renovation. Or, perhaps Charles and Diana just wanted a larger foyer. Today, you can see the portico is now gone and is replaced with Diana’s foyer that opens to what was once a dark passageway that led to the back courtyard. Here Diana shows off the foyer during Christmas. And here, you can see Charles at #8 while in the background is Apartment #7. The stairway is the highlight of Apartment 8 and it is this stairway that proved William Kent built this wing of Kensington. Without any written proof of its designer, architecture historians looked for visual clues as to who the designer was. At this time during Lady Granville’s tenure, the stairs were stained dark. Later, Diana painted them all white, then sensing a mistake, she stained just the banisters dark. Today, this apartment is used by Kate and William and Harry as their meeting rooms – and the staircase remains unchanged. Notice the ceiling with the circular stucco detail. The staircase was damaged during the blitz and some of the stucco was restored, but not all. There are no photos of the ceiling to confirm whether the circular element is still there or not. Notice the large portrait – this is in the exact same position that Diana placed a large portrait of herself. And a favorite, the oval portrait next to it. Notice the stairs are bare. Diana carpeted her stairs but today, they are bare again. Houghton Hall designed by William Kent. The similarity to this staircase is why scholars believe Kent designed the Kensington apartment. Other staircases designed by peers of Kent’s were also noted to be proof of his design. This staircase was based on designs by Inigo Jones – a book of his work came out in 1727 and Kent drew much inspiration from it. Here Banqueting House, Whitehall. This ceiling is another hint that Wren was the architecture of Apartment #8. The two ceilings are very similar as you can see here – except Lady Granville’s was white and circular. Here, Diana’s white staircase with the dark banister. Notice Diana’s portrait in the same place as Lady Granville’s. The window? It overlooks Princesses Court – where Princess Michael lives. Kate & William in the old lobby off Prince’s Court. Today – this lobby is again used as the front door as it was originally intended when first built in the 1700s. Across the arcade you can see the door to Apartment 9A. This is the apartment that was combined for Diana & Charles. Their bedroom, bathrooms and part of the nursery (above their bedrooms) were all located in Apartment 9. Today – it has been returned to a separate apartment again. Lady Granville: Here is the landing with a large rug, a French chest, mirror and more art. The door at the end of the hall was Diana’s study, while the door at the left was Charles’s study. This layout was completely different during Granville’s day. Instead, Diana’s sitting room was Granville’s Dining Room and Charles’ study was Granville’s Drawing Room while Diana’s Drawing Room was Granville’s Library (the middle door.) Isn’t the landing so elegant? Much more so than Diana’s décor. What is that large grill behind the chest? I do prefer the white stairs over the dark brown. The walls look creamy white – but I do wonder if that is correct. Diana’s lobby with the door opening to the stairhall. Today, the landing is now a light moss color. Diana’s carpeting is long gone replaced with hardwoods which are very strangely light while the rooms have dark hardwoods. Her pink and blue study is now a reception room, seen behind Harry. Another view of the staircase today – the stucco on the walls is very different than Lady Granville’s. The inspiration for the additional stucco work was taken from works by Wren. The Dining Room. This was once Diana’s pink and blue study where she spent most of her time. Lady Granville used this room to eat her meals. Notice the pretty fireplace mantel – marble, designed by Kent. The shiny tiles don’t seem original. The door and surround is exactly the same as it is today. I love the plates above the door. Notice the chinoiserie chest to the left of the fireplace. I wish these photos were in color and that we could see the dining table!!! Through the open door is the stair landing. The portrait on the mantel is the Earl’s great grandfather: Granville Leveson-Gower, 1st Marquess of Stafford This photo of Diana’s sitting room shows the same view as Lady Granville’s. The door retains the same exact moldings, which must have survived the blitz. It is really a shame that Diana put stickers on the mantel, but they obviously came off. The shiny tiles are long gone. Diana didn’t use her fireplace – she kept dried flowers in them instead. The rooms in Apartment 9 (Diana’s bed and bathroom, etc.) were added on for the original tenant, the Duchess of Kendal. At the same time, in Apartment 10, the King’s grandchildren received extra rooms too. Today, those extra rooms give Princess Michael much needed space. An early version of the study before it became a cluttered mess – with creams and yellows. I love the pink sofas and can’t help but think they would look good today. In the new photos, it looks like Diana had the bookcases painted a cream shade. They look so much prettier here in a soft shade of white. Today – Same View: The fabric wallcovering has been removed and the carpet is gone – the hardwoods were restored in this room used by Kate, William & Harry for receptions. Through the door is the stair landing and Charles’s study on the right. Straight ahead on the landing past the stairs is a door that opens to an elevator and Diana’s bedroom and dressing room – which are actually Apartment 9. This shows how large Diana’s sitting room really was. The room seems very big without all the furniture and shelves and clutter. When a conference is held, a table is brought in. The door behind Kate leads to Diana’s lovely yellow Drawing Room. Diana’s Drawing Room: This beautiful fireplace was in Lady Granville’s Library – which was actually Diana’s Drawing Room. It is a very large room so it’s interesting that it was chosen to be the library. Perhaps it was also a sitting/reading room. Since the entire library is not shown, I assume the walls were lined with shelves, probably bookshelf cabinets. In fact, you can just barely see one such bookshelf at the immediate left of the mantel. At the right, is a short bookshelf. If you look closely, you can see a faint damask type pattern on the wallcovering. I assume it is either dark red or dark green. Any guesses from you? When was color film invented? It was invented in 1935 – 7 years after this article was written! Dang it! As for Granville’s beautiful fireplace, I do wonder if these tiles are new or if this is exactly how they were in Duchess Kendal’s day? The mantel is large, almost 6 ft tall which is why Diana and Charles look even taller than it. It was designed by William Kent and is an almost exact copy of another fireplace he designed for Houghton Hall: The gorgeous library at Houghton Hall, interiors designed by William Kent. No tiles. Perhaps this is how Diana’s fireplace originally looked. Just gorgeous!!!! NOTICE: To the left of the fireplace is a door. To the right is a door frame with books inside instead of a door. Symmetry! I do wonder if the frame on the right is a secret door? This fireplace further confirmed that William Kent was the architect/designer of the north wing in Kensington Palace. But it wasn’t the only fireplace by Kent. There was this one at Hoakum Hall. And here!!! Princess Margaret’s dining room at Apartment #1. You can see the distinctive scrolls at the side of her fireplace designed by Kent. He really loved those scrolls! Is this original to the apartment or was it added by the Duke or Louise or Margaret herself? Lovely room! A corner in the Library which looks suspiciously very familiar. Notice the window seats and side panels. And notice the rolled molding above the door with its intricate carvings. This same rolled molding is still seen today throughout the apartment, over its doors. AND, notice, yet another bookshelf which confirms that the library had bookshelves, probably wall to wall. Underfoot is a very large area rug that most likely covers the entire space. Finally, notice the pretty grill at the base. This has been replaced today with radiator covers, but this grill is so pretty and hopefully might inspire designers today. About the bookcases – these are Georgian and Charles was particularly besotted with them. He had them in his study – those that weren’t destroyed in the blitz. Here is that same corner in the Drawing Room, near the door that leads into Diana’s pink and blue study. Only the swing of the door has changed. Oh to be hired to decorate this room! I do wonder where the tapestry is today? With Charles? I checked Charles’ Garden Room at Clarence House thinking it was the same tapestry, but no. It isn’t. Charles’ tapestry is much more suited for his room with its Arabian theme. In fact, Diana’s would look rather out of place here. Since Robert Kime decorated Clarence House, it’s obvious he made the perfect choice of tapestries. But… WHERE is Diana’s??? Maybe it’s in Kate & Will’s Dining Room at Apt. 1A. Back to Lady Granville: Back to Lady Granville’s Library, the magazine took a photograph of this corner, which must be particularly enticing as Diana used this same corner for another photograph in her Drawing Room: Here Diana and her boys posed in that same exact spot. I love the silk taffeta shades. And notice please the paint treatment on the door! It reminds me of the three paint formula that O & S used in their Guernsey house: cream, white, lighter cream. It looks very much the same. Another look at the Library fireplace with its Kent marble mantel and THOSE distinctive scrolls on the sides, with the two bookcases flanking it. These tiles were also removed by Diana and Charles. The view toward the fireplace. Through that door is the dining room, during Diana’s time. You can just barely see the side scrolls at the bottom of the mantel in this photograph. And Diana & Charles in front of their fireplace. In this photo, you can’t see the scrolls at all. We’ve seen the front door, the stairhall, the dining room, and the library. Where is the drawing room? Diana’s drawing room was of course Lady Granville’s library. And Charles’ study was Lady Granville’s drawing room. While Diana’s sitting room overlooked the north and the cute cottages across the drive, Charles’ study overlooked the back courtyard – the Prince’s Court. When he moved out, Diana turned the room into a TV room for the boys. Up the staircase, you reached a door right off the landing. While Diana’s study was the door to the right, Charles study was the door on the left. And this room was Rose’s fancy Drawing Room. Centuries before, this was the room where the Royal Mistress Duchess of Kendal entertained and dined with King George I, and later Henrietta Howard and then Amalie the Countess of Yarmouth visited with their King George II. For Lady Granville, it was where she received guests and had drinks, later they moved right next door for dinner. When dinner was over, they would walk into the adjoining Library for after-dinner drinks. The highlight of the Drawing Room was the mantel, which was even taller than the one in Lady Granville’s library. This stone was darker, a gray marble. The tiles are similar to the ones in the other rooms. Above the mantel is a raised frame on brackets to draw attention to the painting. Additional raised molding is found along the room. A set of porcelains stand on the mantel and French sconces flank the painting, which is owned by Lady Granville. The painting depicts the Westminster Bridge and Montagu House by Samuel Scott. Another set by Scott of the same views hangs in Kensington Palace’s King Galleries. The only photograph of Charles’ study which was taken by Diana’s butler Paul Burrell a few days after she died. She kept it much as it was during Charles time with the chairs and table. But she probably added the rug and she definitely added the TV for the boys. Through the door is a small library for Charles. I wonder what that room would have been used for during the Mistresses time and Lady Granville? And it was in this study, Lady Granville’s Drawing Room and Charles study, where Diana gave her famous interview stating “There were three people in this marriage.” The room was cleaned up quite a bit for the show and her two green French chairs from her study were brought in for the interview. A surprise was the high boy, most likely a valuable antique. And I love the brass fender with its red pattern. Today, the room shows how it might have been a beautiful Drawing Room, overlooking the back courtyard, during the Mistresses and Lady Granville’s day. The dark wood floors are back with an Oriental rug, which is a bit too new looking. But the floors are SUCH an improvement over the wall to wall carpet. The walls are painted a neutral beige. The trim was all painted the same color, but in olden days, it was most likely painted a lighter shade in order to highlight it. A close up of the gray marble mantel and the picture frame that looks like it is held up with corbels. The side of the room with two doors that open to an internal hall. And as in the former Dining Room, a table is brought in here for a meeting. Such a beautiful room! You can see how pretty it is and how special it is, as it was designed for the King’s favorite mistress. Diana’s Dining Room was not included in the Country Life article. Not sure what this room was during Lady Granville, but it might have been her bedroom. Not seen here, but the crown moldings in this dining room look nothing like the other main rooms – they are rather plain, which leads me to think this may have been her bedroom or another room not seen by guests. Such a pretty view with the cream walls and red curtains with lovely trim – all perfectly designed and hung by Diana’s designer Dudley Poplak. Later they painted the walls a deep red which was not nearly as attractive as the cream. That painting!!!!! A rare photo of Dudley Poplak in what appears to be a loft styled, one room apartment, most likely in an attic. Filled with antiques, there is a bed against the wall and a sofa against another with a pair of French chairs. The desk has a black leather top tooled in gold. Notice the pair of pagodas. The console is French with wire doors and a checked linen liner. Beautiful double wood doors and at the very left is what is probably a small round table for tea. In the 1928 Country Life article, much is written about these rooms – Diana’s bedroom and her dressing room which are actually Apartment #9. These were added a few years after apartment #8 was built by George I for his mistress, The Duchess of Kendal. At the same time, the King ordered a few rooms for his granddaughters – where Princess Michael lives today. The other side of her dressing room over look’s NOT the Prince’s Courtyard, but the Princesses Court where Princess Michael now lives. When Diana added her roof garden, Princess Michael got extremely jealous and asked for one herself. The problem is that her roof garden now looks directly into Apartment #9 and Diana complained that Princess Michael was spying on her. This photograph came from the 1928 Country Life article, showing the Prince’s Court. At this time it was the back door to Lady Granville’s apartment. Today – Kate & William & Harry again use the back door as the front. Guests come to their receptions and meetings through the back courtyard, just like in the Mistresses days. Today, the view towards other direction. Through that back door, one enters the Princess Court, then the Queen’s Gallery. To the right of the back door is Apartment #9, while to the left is #8. In the Mistresses days – the Kings George I and II would slink around the back stairs to reach this apartment block. It was from this that the term “backstairs gossip” was coined as the servants would have to hide while the Kings were using their service stairs. The intrigue!!! Here you can see the Prince’s Court with its lone Magnolia tree. There’s an old fountain behind the athletes. Kate and William own another apartment – one of these on the Prince’s Courts which allows them to move from their Apartment #1A on Clock Court to the offices in Apartment 8 – without having to walk all the way around. I just do not understand why these two courtyards are not landscaped better!!! It’s obvious they have a ability, judging from the Sunken Garden and other public areas. These two courtyards could be fabulous!!! Let’s start a petition to the Queen!!! The Princesses Court with Prince Michael is really awfully landscaped, but this is a very old photo. I’m sure Kate & William & Harry have spruced it up for their visitors who have to enter this court first to get to Apartment 8. A plan showing #1A and the second 1A owned by Kate & William so they can easily and most importantly, securely, walk from their apartment to their offices in #8. Apartment #7 In the beginning, #7 was to become offices for Diana and Charles, but that never happened. There hasn’t been much said about #7 in a long time, but earlier last century – it was the center of Royal Life at Kensington Palace. Princess Victoria, The Marchioness of Milford Haven While the Royal Mistresses lived in Kensington Palace #8, there was no written documentation of who lived in #7. But when Country Life featured Lady Granville in #8, her neighbor was the Marchioness of Milford Haven, Prince Philip’s grandmother! Victoria, the Marchioness, was also a granddaughter of Queen Victoria. Her husband Louis died in 1921 and she moved into #7 the next year remaining until her death in 1950. At that time, Kensington Palace was filled with the grown children and grandchildren of Queen Victoria. The two sisters: Princess Victoria & Alix, the Tsarina of Russia. When Victoria’s husband Louis died, King George V offered Princess Victoria Apartment #7 at Kensington. She and Queen Mary came to Kensington together to make sure the apartment was nice enough. For much needed renovations, the Queen helped with the costs. Queen Mary and Victoria were best of friends and remained so until Mary died. When Princess Victoria passed away in 1950, she was the last grandchild of Queen Victoria. A godmother to Prince Charles, her life was one of old world royalty. Incredibly, her sister was the Tsarina Alexandra who was killed with her entire family by the Bolsheviks in Russia. A second sister of theirs, Grand Duchess Elisabeth, was also killed at the same time. I find it fascinating to think that the sister of the Tsarina of Russia lived in Apt. #7 next to where Diana lived years later. Amazing to me!!! Victoria’s daughters were Queen Louise of Sweden and Princess Andrew of Greece who was the mother of Prince Philip. Her son was Lord Mountbatten of Burma – India Hicks great grandfather. Many of her grandchildren and great-grandchildren were titled. Was there anyone in the royal family Princess Victoria wasn’t closely related to? An elderly Princess Victoria at the left, was named Godmother to Prince Charles. Margaret, on the right, cracks me up here! She looks miserable!!! Princess Victoria’s grandson Prince Philip lived on and off with his grandmother at Apartment 7. David Milford Haven, Philip’s best man and first cousin, lived there too. The boys had rooms in the attic which allowed them to sneak in and out through the rooftops at night to avoid security. A royal wedding send-off at Apartment #7: Princess Victoria, second at left, outside her apartment #7, going to the wedding of her daughter Louise to the King of Sweden. The same wedding send-off in front of Apartment #7. Here are Princess Victoria’s son and grandchildren who were most likely in the wedding, hence his little sailor suit. The sailor boy is, David, who would later grow up to be Philip’s best man at his wedding. Off to marry Elizabeth!!!!! Right before his marriage to Elizabeth, Philip and his mother were staying there with Princess Victoria – their mother and grandmother. Victoria’s other grandson, the little Sailor Boy, David, now grown up was living there too. Philip and his best man David leave for the church from Apartment #7. The greeters must be workers from Kensington Palace – some of the men had coveralls and garden tools with them. At the left is Apartment 8, Diana’s apartment, and where Lady Granville was then living. I wish there were photos of her at the wedding! At this time – this road was opened to the palace and cars drove down this street from both ways. Today of course, the street is a short, dead end – bricked off at the Palace for security reasons. Princess Alice of Greece, Phillip’s mother leaves from Apt. 7 for his wedding to Elizabeth. Philip’s mother had a rather unusual life. She was born in Windsor Castle in the presence of her great grandmother, Queen Victoria. She was born deaf, but learned to lip read and talk in several languages. Philip’s poor mother was a troubled soul who suffered terribly from schizophrenia. She was married and had four children, but she spent long years away from her family in institutions recovering. As a boy, Philip spent his time off from boarding school with his grandmother at Kensington Palace. He was the youngest at the Palace and all the Royal Aunts doted on him. After years in institutions, Alice started a religious order becoming an Orthodox nun. The family asked that she not wear her habit at the wedding and I’m assuming she borrowed this nice outfit from her mother, Princess Victoria. The order later disbanded after many nuns left it. Back home in Greece during WWII, she worked to save Jewish families from the Holocaust and was honored at Yad Vashem as "Righteous Among the Nations." She was buried in Israel as she requested. Prince Philip photographed in Windsor Castle. At the end of this corridor is the Tapestry Room where his mother Princess Andrew of Greece and her mother, the Princess Victoria, were both born in front of Queen Victoria. Philip’s father was Prince Andrew of Greece and Denmark and his great grandfather was the King of Denmark. This photograph honors his Danish roots – his uniform is Danish and he is standing in front of a painting of Queen Victoria and her family painted by the famed Danish artist Laurits Regner Tuxen. One of the white busts is of his mother Princess Andrew. Finally, the elder Princess Victoria went to Broadlands, her son Lord Louis Mountbatten’s estate, for a few years. Sensing the end was near, she asked to return to Kensington Palace where she died shortly after. Queen Elizabeth & Prince Philip celebrated their 70th wedding anniversary at Broadlands, the former home of his uncle, Lord Louis Mountbatten – where they had spent their wedding night, all those years ago. That day, Philip left Kensington Apartment #7 and woke up the next morning at Broadlands. Prince Charles says his mentor was his great-uncle Lord Louis who was tragically killed by an IRA terrorist bomb. Which makes us wonder – is this why the new Cambridge Prince is named Louis? In honor of his grandfather and great-grandfather’s favorite uncle? Full-circle Apartment #7 today? After Princess Victoria died, there is nothing written about anyone living there afterwards or now. Most likely a member of the staff lives in the apartment today. Finally, it was fascinating to learn that entire north wing of Kensington Palace was built in order to provide King George’s mistress a place to live close enough for him to visit her everyday. If he had never ordered that wing to be built – what would the Palace look like today?

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I have long had a curiosity about and a love for the royal palaces around the world (mostly Europe, I suppose.) Before the internet, unless you had access to old copies of Country Life Magazine and could order out of date books, it was hard to find vintage photos to whet your appetite for what th0se palaces looked like inside. The Internet changed all that. Princess Diana’s Apartment at Kensington from Country Life Magazine – decades before she lived there. For instance, I had long dreamed of what Diana’s apartment at Kensington Palace looked like Before and After she lived there, and now I know, thanks to the internet leading me to an old copy of Country Life magazine. I was also curious about the Queen Mum’s Scottish hideaway, The Castle of Mey. HERE. And the other Scottish private royal home, Balmoral. And Sandringham which was bought as a family home for the Prince of Wales, later King Edward VII. Over the past 15 years, the internet helped me write so many stories about different palaces, including a four part series on Highgrove, Clarence House, Kensington Palace and Nether Lypiatt. And more. LOL!!! I’ll spare you. But, one royal home was never on my blog, even though I was always curious about it: Fort Belvedere. This is the folly where Edward and Wallis Simpson fell in love and where he remained even after he became King Edward VIII. Located in Windsor Park, I’ve been interested in it, but just never had a reason to blog about it, that is, until now. (Oh, if I had only known what I now know………!) The rumor all over the gossipy web sites is that the Cambridges, William and Kate, et al, might move to Edward & Wallis’ love nest. But why??? The Cambridges already have a country estate, Anmer Hall, where they have spent millions upon millions on renovations. It is located on the Sandringham Estate, but it is not an easy, quick retreat from London. On many weekends, the family takes a helicopter there, all together, sometimes even with William flying it. The Queen is reported to be terrified that an accident might occur. Then what? Prince Harry would be King? Meghan would be Queen? Quick, get the smelling salts! (For myself, I would LOVE a Queen Meghan!) Anmer Hall with its new roof. Anmer Hall was once perfect for the future king’s family. When the Queen gave them the estate, William was still working nearby with EMS Helicopters in Norfolk. And now with the news that Sandringham might no longer be used by the royals for Christmas, Anmer Hall seems awfully isolated. No wonder the Cambridges are looking at a move to Windsor. Lots of family members already live in the area: Prince Andrew and Princess Eugenie, The Duke and Duchess of Wessex. Kate’s parents live nearby and so does her sister and brother. Kate’s parents, The Middletons live here in Bucklebury, Berkshire near to Fort Belvedere. Celebrities in the area are the Clooneys and Elton John. Plus Windsor is close to both wonderful day and boarding schools. Most important, it’s close to the Queen who now lives full time at Windsor Castle. The problem is, there aren’t many appropriate Royal-owned houses left in Windsor Park that are available. Prince Andrew’s Royal Lodge would be perfect and so would the Wessex’ Bagshot Park, but both are taken. Hence, all the rumors about William & Kate landing at Fort Belvedere. There is a tenant there now, but that might be changing. The lease on Fort Belvedere is owned by Galen and Hilary Weston, the billionaire couple from Toronto. Mr. Weston passed away two years ago and maybe his wife is wanting to hand the lease back????? This month, the noise grew louder about the Cambridges moving to Fort Belvedere. Every news outlet was talking about it. Could this rumor, after floating around for years, finally be true? If so, Fort Belvedere would be a huge change from Anmer Hall. Anmer Hall – the Cambridges’ country estate. You may recall the family clapping hands for the Covid key workers at this very same back door: Look at the beautiful brick work!! Would the Fort be a better choice for the young family than Anmer Hall? And Why? And where exactly is Fort Belvedere? With security, the Fort is about a 1/2 hour drive from London, much, much closer than Anmer Hall. By contrast, it’s a three hour drive from Anmer Hall to London. The couple could live at Fort Belvedere full time and just commute to the city for the day. If the boys are sent to Eton, they would be within a skip and jump from home. Their current home Anmer Hall is a typical English country estate, cozy and welcoming, something the Fort has never been thought of before. Would Wills & Kate want to give up all that family warmth to live in a cold, stone fort? Fort Belvedere has always been considered a folly, a strange little place, not a family home. WELL! I have news for you. Fort Belvedere is no longer a folly and it’s not strange. It may have been both of those things years ago, but once John Stefanidis got his hands on it, it became quite beautiful. John Stefanidis you ask?? Did you know that the genius Stefanidis renovated that strange, odd folly? Neither did I. But he did. AND, it’s a game changer!! Now with Stefanidis in the mix, I am praying the Cambridges get the lease on the Fort. It’s fabulous!!!!! (The only problem is I doubt they would hire Stefanidis for the job.) Fort Belvedere recently seen from the air. Let’s take a look back: THE FIRST TENANT: THE DUKE OF CUMBERLAND: The Duke of Cumberland (1721–1765), younger son of King George II and Queen Caroline In 1750, the Duke of Cumberland erected a folly – simply called “A New Building on Shrubb’s Hill” but today known as Fort Belvedere. The Duke used it as a summer boat house, his own huge estate is the nearby Cumberland Lodge. Originally, the Fort was a simple, triangular turreted structure, which over the years was greatly expanded by various owners. The original three turreted Fort Belvedere If you are a fan of Outlander, you might recognize this Duke as the “Butcher of Culloden” (horrors!) the English officer (not a gentleman) and the sworn enemy of Bonnie Prince Charlie. The Butcher of Culloden systematically massacred all the surviving Jacobites left on the Culloden battlefield that fateful day. Not a nice guy But, after Culloden, the Duke of Cumberland needed a diversion and Fort Belvedere was it. He chose the location near his estate, Cumberland Lodge, and where in 1746, he created Virginia Water out of a small stream. It was there he sailed his famous boat, immortalized in this print, below. The famous print showing the Fort, seen above Virginia Water, where the Duke of Cumberland’s Mandarin boat is. Amazing, isn’t it? Is that boat even real???!! Actually, yes! Here is an early view of the three sided turreted folly, known as Fort Belvedere. Original plans for the Fort. Notice in the top turret, there are stairs leading to the second floor. These stairs remain there today. The area in the middle of the three turrets is today called the Inner Hall from which several rooms branch out. Built in the Gothic Revival style, there are three towers. The main room, between the three towers on the second floor, was once the drawing room, but today is the Queen’s bedroom. The other two turrets (besides the stairs) were used as a library that was stocked with 200 leather bound books. Later, one tower will greatly increase in height with a flagpole flying high over the landscape of Windsor Park. THE SECOND TENANT: KING GEORGE IV & HIS MISTRESS: King George IV In 1828, the much maligned Jeffry Wyatville, was asked by King George IV to rebuild the Fort, greatly enlarging it so that George’s mistress could live at the Fort. Maria Fitzherbert, the King’s on and off wife/mistress who was moved into the newly enlarged Fort Belvedere, the first pair of lovers to live at the Fort! Don’t they look alike? Proposed changes by Jeffry Wyatville – 1828. Jeffry Wyatville built and restored many royal buildings, including Windsor Castle, so it is only natural that King George IV would hire him to enlarge the Fort. You may remember Prince Andrew’s country home, Royal Lodge, HERE and the room Jeffry Wyatville created for the lodge. Remember this magnificent Wyatville room at Royal Lodge? Wyattville’s creation at Royal Lodge. Side note: I was watching a documentary on Windsor Castle and was so surprised to hear Prince Charles disparaging Wyatville: ''I am afraid to say that I have never been a great admirer of Wyatville,'' Prince Charles says in the documentary, 'Restoration.’ “Charles said he thought Wyatville had ''vandalized'' St. George's Hall.” Well! I have NEVER!!!! At Fort Belvedere, Wyatville added an octagonal dining room which Edward, the Duke of Windsor, would later use as his drawing room. This octagonal room became the most iconic room in the Fort. He also added a library and bedrooms. One turret was greatly elongated so that guests could take in the views from London to Windsor Castle. In addition, the Fort, made of brick, had an applied wash put over it, along with pieces of flint, which was meant to simulate stone. Later, Queen Victoria would occasionally use the Fort as a tea room. It was also opened to the public at this time. Postcard showing the new Wyatville octagonal drawing room as it looked when Queen Victoria used it. THIRD TENANT: THE DUKE OF CONNAUGHT’S COMPTROLLER: In 1910, the Comptroller for the Duke of Connaught, who lived at nearby Bagshot Park, moved into the Fort. Prince Arthur, the Duke of Connaught. What a dandy! Arthur was the third son of Queen Victoria and many important changes to the Fort were made while his Comptroller lived there. Interestingly, the Comptroller later died in a boating accident on Virginia Water! Prince Edward and his wife Sophie Wessex currently live in Bagshot Park which would make an ideal home for the future King of England William and Kate, but I’m sure the Wessex are never budging from their fabulous home, especially to hand it over to William and Kate. What a beauty! Bagshot Park where the Duke of Connaught once lived and where Edward and Sophie Wessex live today. Let’s look at the original Fort Belvedere with its three towers: The original three turrets. Now look at this aerial view of the Fort today: You can still see the original three turreted building, with all the additions that have sprung up around it. That center section between the three towers is now The Inner Hall from which other rooms branch off. Notice, also the Wyatville addition – the octagonal drawing room. And, also notice in the parterre garden – the center feature is another octagon, which mimics the shape of the Drawing Room. A very early view of the Wyatville octagonal dining room. Edward used this octagonal room as the drawing room and today, it continues to be used as such. Above it, with the beautiful window, WAS the original drawing room. Today it is the Queen’s Bedroom. Notice the one turret is now much higher than the other two. After the aforementioned Comptroller to the Duke of Connaught moved into Fort Belvedere, extensive renovations took place: A new service wing was built, along with an entrance porch, both of which were later demolished. Also, the dining and drawing rooms were enlarged. I found the most beautiful plans for the Duke of Connaught’s improvements. These plans also help you understand the floorplan of the fort. The darker yellow indicate changes. At the right is the floor plan which I enlarged: Here in yellow are the changes made for the Duke of Connaught. In purple, you can see the original three turrets surrounding the Inner Hall. To the right is the enlarged dining room and all the new staff rooms. The entrance used to be towards the back left side where the smaller circular driveway is shown. That driveway was demolished by Edward, and today the entrance is at the front while the former entrance now has a beautiful iron pergola over it, thanks to the Westons. Notice the stairway off the Inner Hall. You will see that in an Instagram photo, later. And, of course, notice the octagonal drawing room at the top – the important addition made in the 19th century by Jeffry Wyatville. The second floor. The Queen’s bedroom is seen over the Inner Hall. Its two bathrooms are in the original turrets that were once libraries. We will see what this suite looks like today – further down. THE FOURTH TENANT: THE PRINCE OF WALES, LATER KING EDWARD VIII, KNOWN PRIVATELY TO ALL – AS DAVID A rare view of the Fort before the swimming pool was built. At the far left is the lily pond over which Edward built his pool. That large tree in front of the Fort was cut down, per Edward’s instructions, as were the trees on the left side, that kept the Fort in deep shade and created mold on its walls. This is how the Fort looked when Edward moved in. This shows all the renovations the Duke of Connaught and his Comptroller made according to the floorplans. Just a thought here – that must have been some talented Comptroller to get such a nice “grace & favor” home, given to him by the Crown, along with all those renovations!! After the Comptroller vacated the Fort, it languished in “thick dust and sunken floors.” At this time in 1929, Edward asked his father, the King, for permission to lease the Fort from the crown. 'When I went to my father to ask whether I might live there, he was surprised. "What could you possibly want that queer old place for? Those damn weekends, I suppose." But then he smiled, "Well, if you want it, you can have it." When Edward moved into the Fort in 1929-1930, he could not have had an inkling that he would have to give up being King for a woman he had not yet even met. Edward stayed at the Fort until his abdication in 1936. During his time there, he built a swimming pool, a tennis court, and stables. He put bathrooms in almost every bedroom suite – unheard of in that day, and he installed much needed (steam) heating. In addition, cupboards were added for storage. In the basement, he installed a Turkish steam bath and shower. Edward wanted the Fort to have all the luxuries he had witnessed in Long Island when he visited his American polo buddies. The major changes to the facade by Edward: the white tower was later shortened by him. Edward’s bedroom/library, left of the front door, had one arched window, here with a sunshade over it – he replaced this with a larger window. The bedroom above had three small windows, today that is also one window. And notice all the weird elements coming out of the chimney pots! They look like they are channeling aliens. Ground control to Major Tom!!!! The Fort, seen here under construction for Edward. The scaffolding is up, the trees are down. After Edward’s renovations. The front view of the Fort shows the new enlarged room and windows in his suite – left of the front door and in the bedroom above. You can really see the original three sided fort, now completely surrounded by the additions. At the center of the Fort is the double front door. Edward loved his Fort immensely. He wrote “I created a home at the Fort just as my father and grandfather had created at Sandringham…Here I spent some of the happiest days of my life.” Several noted interior decorators worked on the house while others provided furniture, and Edward’s two girlfriends before Wallis ruled the roost. A guest wing was added for more offices and rooms needed as he was to become the King. Edward’s bedroom suite was located on the ground floor. Wallis, who moved to the Fort after her divorce in early 1936 lived on the second floor in two bedrooms she had combined to create a suite for herself. She also redecorated – changing the fabrics in Edwards suite and the Queen’s bedroom which was once all pink. She used cream and white instead. 'The Fort laid hold of me in many ways. Soon I came to love it as I loved no other material thing – perhaps because it was so much my own creation. More and more it became for me a peaceful, almost enchanted anchorage, where I found refuge from the cares and turmoil of my life.' The back view after Edward remodeled the Fort. Cleared of messy trees, there is the new pool and the hard tennis court. You can also plainly see the one story octagon – the Wyatville drawing room. Notice too, Wyatville’s renovation of the back turret – its height was greatly increased, so much so that one could see St Paul’s with a “spy glass.” An inventory taken of the Fort during the Duke of Cumberland’s time, mentions a spy glass in a mahogany case. Outside the back of the Fort, in an arc, are 31 brass guns which were fired in royal salutes on birthdays and important events. The cannons were brought over from the Duke of Cumberland’s estate, Cumberland Lodge. Master Gunner Turner in a salute to Queen Victoria on her last birthday. Whoa! That smoke! The guns were to be sold and melted down during WWII, but after an intervention, it was decided that the guns would remain at the Fort where they are today. Master Gunner Turner, the last bombardier, died in his cottage at Fort Belvedere in 1901. In modern history, his cottage, which is connected to the Fort by an archway, was recently completely renovated by the current tenants, the Westons, who pulled up its wood floor to install underfloor heating. Most likely the cottage is now used a lovely guest suite. The cannon. Notice behind, the arched window peaking out. Taken after Edward’s updates in the 1930s. The pool has now been landscaped. You can see Edward’s stables to the far left. Today, most of those buildings to the left side of this photo are gone, as are the rooms on that side of the house which were later replace. This most clear photo after Edwards renovation. Here you can see the bombardier’s cottage, to the right of the arch, which leads to a courtyard. Another clear view of the original three sided Fort, now encased by all the additions. When Edward first moved into the Fort, it was overtaken with vines and foliage that created mold on the walls. The yards were overtaken with undergrowth. The Duke would ask his weekend guests to join him in the gardening, which was really backbreaking work. At that time, before Wallis was on the scene, his brother Bertie would come over and help garden. He lived nearby in Royal Lodge which Prince Andrew lives today. After the abdication, the Queen Mum loathed Wallis so much, she never spoke to her again. 1933. Before Wallis. At the left, Lord Mountbatten, Bertie, Prince and Princess of Sweden, Queen of Denmark, Queen Mum, and Edward’s then girlfriend Lady Thelma Furness! What a crowd. Edward wrote that he loved his swimming pool and spent much time sitting by it. At the pool. Wallis and her Aunt Bessie with Edward’s shadow looming over them. And more time by the pool. There were also lunches out by the pool. Here Wallis sits next to her husband while Edward glowers at the camera probably jealous of Wallis’ husband! I have to say, he was really handsome when he was young! She wanted club sandwiches, dang it! Now go make them!! Supposedly a true story about a run-in Wallis had with Edward’s chef. Guess who won that one in the end. Edward was immensely proud of how the gardens turned out compared to how they were before. Remember: Before the Comptroller’s time, the grounds were overgrown and a total mess. Edward’s brothers and friends help clear the undergrowth. Proud of his flowers! He was besotted. She, less so. Playing dress up at the Fort. An antique biscuit tin showing the then King at Fort Belvedere. I’d love to have this tin! As happy as they were at the Fort, a constitutional crisis was looming in London. All Edward’s hopes to marry Wallis and remain King were denied to him. He was furious that he was being told he couldn’t marry the woman he loved. But in his heart, he knew Bertie would make a better King. Bertie agreed to step up in his brother’s place. On December 3, a few weeks before the abdication, Wallis was sent away, never to return to the Fort. On December 10 1936, The King signed his abdication letter at the Fort with his three brothers, Bertie, Henry and George, as witnesses. I guess his sister Mary, being a female, was not needed. My, how times have changed. But Mary’s spirit was to live on at the Fort in a very strange twist. When the King abdicated, he too was forced out of the Fort. He believed (because Bertie told him so) that he would eventually be allowed to come live at the Fort once things settled down, but he never walked into his house again. Edward felt deep bitterness to his family and especially Bertie, now the King, whom he felt manipulated him. All his furniture was placed in the Fort’s basement where it languished for a few years. Finally, it was all shipped to France, much of which was damaged in transit. His furniture that remained intact was proudly displayed in both his town home and country estate in France. Despite being forbidden to return, Edward continued to pay for the upkeep of the Fort, hoping he would be allowed back. He was grief stricken when was told that all his plants were uprooted and taken to Windsor Castle. In 1940, he was informed the Fort was no longer his. His brother Bertie had promised that he could keep the Fort should he ever return and the Duke considered this a failure of Bertie to keep his word. With that all settled, a new tenant was needed to buy the 99 year lease for Fort Belvedere. FIFTH TENANT: Honourable Gerald Lascelles and his wife Angela and son. The Lascelles. After the ex King and Wallis Simpson left England, the Fort stood empty for a few decades until 1955 when Queen Elizabeth’s cousin, Gerald Lascelles moved in. (You might remember that name from The Crown. It rhymes with tassels.) Gerald was the son of Edward’s beloved sister Mary, Princess Royal. Edward was very close to his sister, Mary, and in order to keep peace, she wrote him that her son would be moving into the Fort. I can only imagine how betrayed Edward must have felt! 1963. Jazz legend Dizzy Gillespie visited the Lascelles for a Jazz festival at the Fort. You can see the Lascelles had let the vines overtake the Fort. Gerald was a bit of a Renaissance Man. He was heavily into jazz music and also falconry and hunting and he wrote several books on those subjects. After the abdication, there were more changes to the Fort made by the Lascelles. In this photo you can see to the left side of the Fort that an enormous amount of rooms were torn down. There is a one story addition where there once were Edward’s offices – today there is a second story conservatory there. The Lascelles spent three years restoring the Fort, with the help of designer Stanley Peters (more about him later.) Gerald Lascelles removed most of the Duke’s additions except for the swimming pool and the faux Scottish pine paneling in the Wyatville Drawing Room. He removed many of the offices built for the King. Twenty years later, Lascelles fathered a child with a girlfriend and was divorced. He put his 78 year remainder on his lease up for sale for 200,000 pounds, advertising that the house had an hexagonal Inner Hall, fine drawing room, dining room, library, staff, 6 bedrooms and 5 baths, all on 59 acres. Three cottages were included in the lease. SIXTH TENANT: The son of the Emir of Dubai bought the lease from Gerald Lascelles. It was he who rented out the Fort for the “Edward and Mrs. Simpson” movie which was filmed inside the Fort! THE SEVENTH TENENTS: GALEN AND HILARY WESTON The Canadian Billionaires who are personal friends with the royal family. Mr. Weston had a polo team and played with Prince Charles. This photo above is an aerial view showing the Weston updates. The swimming pool was landscaped and sheltered from the wind. The area under the garrison is also now beautifully landscaped. It looks like there are two tennis courts on grass. Notice the beautiful parterre gardens on the left side of the Fort and a vegetable or cutting garden behind it. There are also hot houses for winterizing the plants. Notice, too, you can see the Weston’s glass conservatory on the second floor that overlooks the gardens. Even more recent! Notice all the grown box. I love the swimming pool landscaping. And look at the conservatory! Wow!!! The Canadian flag flies when the Weston are in house. They live in Toronto during the winter. Love that flag! In the 1980s, billionaire Canadians Galen and Hilary Weston took over Fort Belvedere. The Westons are well known to interior design aficionados as the couple who created Windsor in Florida, and whose house there was designed by the great John Stefanidis. Hilary was Lt. Governor of Ontario and her husband was head of Selfridges, amongst other companies. The Westons are the fourth couple to live here. Very happily married, it was a shock when Mr. Weston recently passed away in 2020. I wonder if that is the reason the rumors are flying about William & Kate taking over the lease????? Could Mrs. Weston be ready to leave the Fort? TODAY: The Westons made many changes to gardens and pool area. They extended the stream so that it is now much closer to the Fort. Also they added new windows and doors – seen here in both downstairs rooms, the most gorgeous windows!!! Notice the lancet shape of the windows. Second story Conservatory A small, blurry photo of the garden shows the conservatory on the second floor. Here’s a photo of the Westons working on the renovations. You can see the scaffolding after it was taken down. You can clearly see the conservatory. It must be beautiful up there, overlooking the gardens. Another Weston addition. From Instagram. A current view of the parterre garden in full bloom! So pretty! The second story conservatory overlooks this area. Behind the parterre garden, there is another enclosed garden, for vegetables or cut flowers? The Westons installed garden vignettes throughout the estate. Close up of the new Weston windows and gardens. Notice the tops of the windows recreating the lancet look. The Westons have replanted the gardens throughout the estate. Notice at the very right, below, is a glimpse of the basement window. Edward had put in a Turkish sauna and bath down in the basement which the Westons modernized and reinstalled. Let’s go inside Fort Belvedere. The majority of photos come from “Rooms” by John Stefanidis, Instagram, the Royal Collection, AND screenshots from the docu-drama “Edward and Mrs. Simpson” a 7 part movie that was actually filmed at the Fort, thanks to the Emir’s son who owned the lease at the time, 1977. Watch it free on Amazon Prime! THE FRONT PORCH: The lovers Edward and Wallis sit outside the newly installed front door. Prior to this, the front entrance was at the side of the Fort. These same doors are being used today! Hilary Weston on her way to Ascot, hence the fancy hat. At the door are red portieres. And see, the same front door! ENTRANCE HALL: From the movie “Edward & Mrs. Simpson” filmed at the Fort. A Lascelles Christmas card taken in the front entrance that leads to the Inner Hall. That small door must be under the stairs on the opposite side of this wall. The door is no longer there. Their decorator Stanley Peters faux painted the arch and the base molding. From the movie: The view from the front door into the entrance hall. At the right between the two pedestals is the dining room. To the left is the Inner Hall, the original FORT between the three towers. AND, drum roll please!!!! The Westons hired John Stefanidis to decorate the Fort and later their Toronto townhouse and their Windsor Florida beach house. Perhaps too – their house in Mango Bay, Barbados. Here, is the same view as above – the entrance hall. Stefanidis painted most of the house in a sunny yellow. Antique hall chairs flank the Kent consoles. A full length Elizabethan portrait overlooks the entire hall. Gorgeous. Instagram: To the left of the front door, another portrait hangs over the skirted table. To the right is glimpse into the Inner Hall. Instagram: Hilary Weston fills the house with flowers from the estate. These flowers sit on the Kent console under the full length portrait. INNER HALL: The Fort with its three turrets surrounds a hexagonal space, which today is the core of the Fort. The drawing room and Edward’s bedroom/library are off the Inner Hall, just as are the stairs and Entrance Hall. Stanley Peters, the Lascelles decorator, created this design for the Inner Hall. Angela Lascelles suggested the colors and the dado. He shows a lantern, but the Lascelles kept the crystal chandelier that was previously there. Movie: The hexagon Inner Hall with its lino floor with a star motif designed by the Lascelle’s decorator Peters. Behind is Edward’s bedroom and through other door are the stairs. MOVIE: Although Stanley Peters’ plans called for a lantern for the Inner Hall, a chandelier was used instead. This might have been left over from Edward’s days or one the Lascelles brought to the Fort. But, after the Emir’s son left, so did the crystal chandelier: Today: The first photo of the Fort in his book Rooms, this made me gasp! I had been looking at terrible photos and screenshots from the movie and finally – a view of the Fort that takes your breath away! John Stefanidis’ design for the Inner Hall. As in all the rooms, the walls are a sunny yellow. The table is designed by Stefanidis. Through the double doors is the Wyatville Drawing Room – such a beautiful view! The two busts took a while to source: its difficult to find two antique busts that are the right color and size. TURRET STAIRS: A rare, but fuzzy, view of Edward playing the bagpipes at the Fort. The turret stairs are behind him through the door. If you look closely you can see the rope handrail that was there, but removed under Lascelles. Edward liked to dress up in his Scottish kilt. He was taught to play the bagpipes by the piper from Balmoral and was the only one of his siblings who took up the pipes, which he played at night to entertain his friends at the Fort. Movie: A closer view of the stairs without the rope handrail. Notice the doors have a hexagon pattern mimicking the shape of the Inner Hall. Today: Stefanidis replaced the original ropes and tassels threaded through bass rings. He also removed the matting exposing the original stone floor. A wooden vase sits in the niche. In a book about the original fort, the stairs were described as having a “worstead rein line with forty brass strung loops to run it through.” Stefanidis replaced this as an almost exact match. WYATVILLE’S DRAWING ROOM: Movie: Edward placed French chairs with yellow leather around the Inner Hall. Here, the view through to the beautiful drawing room with its lancet windows. Does not look as luscious as the same Stefanidis view, before. The Wyatville Octagonal Drawing Room: Architectural Digest: A view of the Drawing Room as Stanley Peters designed it. As the years went on, mirrors were added and other accessories. The paneling is faux painted pine installed by Edward and it is one of the few decorative elements that were kept by the Lascelles. Lascelles: Dizzy Gillespie paid a visit to the Fort. Through the arch to the lobby of the drawing room, you can see the addition of the antique mirrors flanking the doors, and the crystal chandelier in the Inner Hall. Movie: They tried to recreate Edward’s decor. It was said to include low, more modern upholstery. Movie: It looks like the Emir’s son replaced the mantel. MOVIE: The entry room into the Wyatville Drawing Room. You can see this area on the floor plan. Today: Stefanidis beautiful drawing room!!!! OMG. He is just so talented!!!! When these photos were taken they were not through with the job, this mirror was later replaced with a gilt one. Pretty antiques mixed with upholstered pieces. Beautiful blue and white on display. Notice the paneling from Edward’s time remains, just painted now. The camera leads through the small entry area, then through the double doors to the Inner Hall with the Stefanidis table and tall lantern. Sigh!!! This room is painted a peachy yellow tone according to Rooms. Instagram: Hilary Weston on her way to another Ascot race! Notice the fabulous antique settee in front of the beautiful curtains. The pedestals behind the sofa were previously in the dining room. Instagram: Hilary and her daughter who lives in London with her architect husband. Hilary wearing an award from the royals. DRAWING ROOM FIREPLACE: Edward, the bagpiper, in front of the fireplace with the dark marble and lighter painted mantel. The Lascelles – same dark marble but the mantel might be darker. Also notice the carving at the side of the marble. Movie: The Emir’s son left the mantel, but changed the marble to green and added trim around it. You can clearly see the side moldings here. Stefanidis tried to emulate what the Fort looked like under Edward’s time. He put back the dark mantle. Notice the side carvings are still there, painted out. DINING ROOM: LASCELLES: Excuse the terrible photos!!! The Lascelles dining room was the subject of a great PR disaster. Angela Lascelles asked Stanley Peters to design a mural based on Gerald’s mother’s estate, which he did. When the Lascelles brought in photographers to publicize the renovations, Gerald loudly announced that he had designed the beautiful murals, not mentioning the work of Stanley Peters or the artist. Peters went to his grave swearing that his career took a nosedive after this job and it never recovered. Worse is that he had agreed to take on the job which lasted for three years for free saying he would get many clients from the publicity. Instead, it basically ended his career. Another terrible photo. I do wish I could see the original photos – it looks like a pretty mural, for sure. Movie: In 1977 – this scene took place in the dining room. The room is completely paneled. What happened to the mural? I assume the Emir’s son paneled the room over the mural. Today: What a far cry from the Emir’s cluttered stay. Here we have this gorgeous, restrained, John Stefanidis dining room. Cream chairs with red accent ones and patterned curtains. Apple matting. In the corners are two gilt pedestals that were later moved to the drawing room. Blue and white china. I just LOVE this room. Classic Stefanidis. Instagram. Years later, a rug was laid which you can just barely see under the table. And there are more blue and white urns, along with gilt sconces flanking the console. Red chairs. I like the previous version better with the cream upholstery. The blue and white plates are from OKA HERE. Notice the buzzer next to Mrs. Weston’s plate to call the help? This made me smile remembering also growing up with a call buzzer. Ours was installed under the tile floor and after the meal, the ever chic Betty Rae would casually use her foot to discreetly call our housekeeper in the kitchen. The only problem was the kitchen was right next to the dining room and the buzzer was LOUD!!! Unsuspecting guests would always get a kick out of what was so embarrassing to a teenager, like me. When my parents moved, the buzzer stayed behind replaced by a small bell. By that time, they mostly went out to dinner each night. EDWARD’S BEDROOM AND LIBRARY: The barely seen white door was once the front entrance, later it became Edward’s suite, a bedroom and study. Lascelles used it as a library. Another view of Edward’s bedroom/library door with his bathroom in the turret on the right. Today: The Weston’s have reestablished this door as a focal point using new landscaping and a beautiful iron pergola. Bedroom/Library, First Floor Edward: Leading off that door where the pergola is now – is Edward’s bedroom, on the ground floor. He enlarged it by using the room next door to create a library. Here is another view, showing the windows that face the front yard and the sofas facing the fireplace. Notice the tapestry hanging behind his bed. Paris: That tapestry and bedding and desk was all sent from the Fort to Paris, where it was auctioned off after Wallis’ death. Look how faded the tapestry had become through the years. This desk from the Fort turned up on an internet shop. Edward used it in his Paris marble filled bathroom. It was also shipped with all his possessions from the Fort, though from which room is not known. The Fort: In the adjoining turret is Edward’s bathroom, with its black lino floor andi chrome fittings and marble. Stefanidis wrote that he kept this bathroom much the same, as it was so classic. Lascelles: The Lascelles changed Edward’s bedroom into a library. That door leads to the Inner Hall which had previously been closed up for the Comptroller (see the floor plans.) The Lascelles’ portraits flank the door. Angela had several which were auctioned off after her death along with all her possessions including many from her mother in law, Mary, The Princess Royal. The Lascelles in front of the library’s fireplace. You can see this is a normal marble mantel, but the Emir’s son changed it to all matte black stone. Dizzy Gillespie tries his hand at the piano in the library. Through the glass doors that open to the Inner Hall, you can see the original mural that Stanley Peters designed for the Lascelles. Here: Stanley Peters original drawing for the Lascelles Inner Hall. Nice, but I much prefer John Stefanidis’ Inner Hall. Movie: Edward’s bedroom with the French door that leads off the hexagonal Inner Hall. In the movie they just used a portion of the library. His cane bed was against this wall in the movie. Not sure why the production staff didn’t use the entire room and copy the furnishings from the photo shown above with his tapestry over the bed. Movie: These doors lead out to what was once the front door but is now where the Weston’s iron pergola is. Notice that fireplace in with the matte black mantel. Did the Emir’s son change it from the Lascelle’s marble? If you see him, ask him for me, please! There are no photos of this room by Stefanidis for the Westons, but looking at current photographs through the windows with its lamps and curtains, I’m sure it is just as beautiful as all his other rooms in the Fort: The Library from the outside. Curtains and lamps, oh my! Too bad Stefanidis did not take any photos. The Three Original Turrets: The three turrets are the center of the Fort, with the Inner Hall is between each turret: The top original turret is now the staircase, seen earlier. Let’s look at the other two, which both lead off the Inner Hall! Each turret room is behind the glass door with the hexagon design. Seen at the end of this view -the turret doors have the same hexagon shape as the Inner Hall. The first turret room is at the left of the octagonal drawing room above: Here’s another view of the turret up close, with its door that leads into the Fort. Today: The turret looks out on this window, in the drawing room’s entrance. Beautiful Weston landscaping! Stefanidis: This turret room is used as a bar. The prints were the idea of the Westons. The door on the left, leads to the kitchen. The chandelier was made by Stefanidis – he made two, one for each turret since they would be visible to each other. The second turret is this beautiful writing room with a custom made desk. This turret is the tallest one. Notice the original print on the desk? Yes! The Westons purchased the print of the Duke of Cumberland’s Mandarin Yatcht he kept at the Fort. Second Floor “The Queen’s Bedroom:” The original building. On the second floor was the drawing room, today the Queen’s Bedroom Behind the octagonal drawing room on the second floor is the Queen’s Bedroom. The Queen’s Bedroom. Originally, this was done in all pinks but Wallis redid it in neutrals. Here you can see there is a mural painted on the walls! Prince of Wales feathers on the canopy. Before the Wyattville renovation, this room was the Drawing Room with a $600 Chelsea porcelain chandelier hanging from the ceiling. It was done in all blue silks. Another view. Through the doorway on the left is the turret. There is another turret entry on the right. Both were turned into bathrooms by Edward. But, originally when this was the drawing room – both turrets were libraries that held hundreds of fine leather books with gold lettering on their covers. One turret was painted blue with gold and the other was green. Across from the bed is this area that overlooks the Wyattville Drawing Room below. Stanley Weston’s sketch for the Queen’s bedroom: The Lascelles Queen’s Bedroom. And their vanity room overlooking the Wyatt Drawing room. Today: For the Westons, Stefanidis made the vanity area a sitting area. The doors open to the top of the Wyatt Drawing Room. As with the rest of the house, the walls are a yellow. The bedroom – Stefanidis built twin closets on each side of the sitting area. The closets have lancet style molding. The green chair is a striking accent in the sea of yellow and red. Fans shades cover lights just as in the sitting room. The plates are in an octagon shape (again,) sitting below a beautiful portrait of a young man. Antique gilt frame. Oh John, John!!!! I love you!!! Each connecting turret, the former libraries, now hold the two master baths. This room was not changed much. Stefanidis added the shades and chair. Notice the ceiling! Today: Look in the windows of the sitting room in the Queen’s bedroom. The curtains are RED! I just love all the yellow throughout the house, but it seems much red has been added. And notice to the right, the Weston’s iron pergola. Edward: An upstairs guest room. Today: A guest room by John Stefanidis! Another beautiful room in yellow with a Bessarabian rug. I love the desk and chairs at the end of the bed. I might try that in my own bedroom. He’s a genius. I swear he is. On Instagram – I found this photo of the late Mr. Weston and Hilary. I drove myself crazy trying to decide where this fit in the Fort, was it the Fort? Where was THAT staircase? Was it added to reach the new conservatory they put in? And what was that room to the left with the blue walls and red chair???!?!? It wasn’t until I found the original floorplans for the Comptroller of Bagshot that I realized it was the Fort. Here, behind the dining room addition, you can see the staircase with a room to the left. Whew! Such relief to find those stairs! Instagram: And the room to the left? Shown here. Beautiful console and mirror and flowers! Hilary loves to store baskets under consoles and tables. Instagram: There was this room that I could never source. Is this the library? I love the pink wallpaper of which I wish I could see more of it. Does anyone recognize it? A photoshoot at the Fort’s new swimming pool when Edward lived there, after the landscaping was completed. Movie: How it looked after the Lascelles moved out. Today: And here, a garden party by the Westons. So pretty! With their OKA plates and striped tablecloths. The grass now leads right up to the pool coping, no more stone patio. Love the large box!! Another party, under the iron pergola. Another yet garden party. Such a great idea! Wallis gave this cigarette case to Edward before their marriage showing all the places they had traveled together, including cruises. Notice – “The Fort!!” is shown. The Fort has been the scene of much happiness and love – With the King and his mistress, then with Edward and Wallis, later with the Lascelles (before their divorce, ouch) and now, with Galen and Hilary Weston who are such soulmates. I looked at hundreds of photos of them online and there are only a few where they were not holding hands! So, maybe this would be the perfect spot for William and Kate? A rare photograph of the couple holding hands! Kate looks glowing here, just beautiful. It will be so interesting to see if they land at Fort Belvedere and if they do – what they plan to do to it!!! And now, new news! It was reported the Fort Belvedere is too small for the Cambridges. After the Queen passes, they will move to Windsor Castle. Seriously? Wow. Just wow. The fort is too small?????? It really isn’t and they could add onto to it. It is said that King Charles and Queen Camilla (Oy) will move to Buckingham Palace and Clarence House will be saved for Prince George. It seems odd that all of a sudden they are talking about real estate. Is the Queen really sick? Is that why? She looks frail, but not sick. Time will tell. For the times they are a changing.

Since 2008, Luo Yang has led her audience into the homes of the many girls across China who’ve inhabited her personal project of the same title.

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