Yahoo Finance Queen’s Platinum Jubilee: 7 homes with royal connections on the property market
What better way to celebrate the Queen’s platinum jubilee than by finding a home with links to the royal family?
Kudos aside, these well-connected properties are sound investments and command a premium when sold.
"Many international buyers, particularly those from the US, are keen to own a piece of the UK’s rich architectural heritage," said Vic Chhabria, founder and managing director of London Real Estate Office.
"A property with royal provenance, to many, is seen as the ultimate trophy home. When you combine period character with the fascinating histories these buildings inherently possess, naturally the price increases too."
From majestic apartments to plush country piles, all these homes for sale boast impeccable pedigrees.
1. Halstock Place, Poundbury, Dorset, £435,000
Despite its classical looks, this three-bedroom end-of-terrace house, by developer ZeroC, is brand new and includes an open plan kitchen/diner, a separate living room, a good-sized garden and two parking spaces.
It’s in a small scheme in the Northern Quarter of Poundbury, an urban extension to Dorchester on land owned by the Duchy of Cornwall.
Homes are designed according to principles of architecture and urban planning advocated by Prince Charles, who visits regularly. For more information, contact Connells.
2. River Cottage, Great Barford, Bedfordshire, £1m
Exterior doors of this pretty thatched cottage are painted pink as a nod to former owner Dame Barbara Cartland, as it was her favourite colour.
She lived here in the 1940s and became step-grandmother to the future Princess of Wales when her daughter, Raine, married Diana’s father Earl Spencer in 1976.
Dating from the 18th century, the house has three bedrooms, a study, conservatory, a self-contained three-bedroom annex, frontage to an inlet from the Great River Ouse and a private mooring. Find out more from Lane & Holmes
3. Harefield Place, Ickenham, Middlesex, from £1.075m
In 1602, Queen Elizabeth I watched a performance of Shakespeare’s Othello in the grounds of Harefield Place, a grand mid-16th century house which was replaced in 1786 by the existing Georgian mansion.
The estate was owned by the aristocratic Newdigate family for 440 years before being sold in 1877 and later used as a hospital and offices.
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Now it’s been transformed into 25 converted and new two- and three-bedroom luxury apartments, overlooking eight and a half acres of landscaped grounds.
Residents have access to a private wellness centre containing a spa, gym and swimming pool, and an all-weather tennis court. Visit Harefield Place to learn more.
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4. The Homestall, Ashurstwood, East Grinstead, West Sussex, £2.25m
The spacious, seven-bedroom south-west wing of Grade II* listed Dutton Homestall is the oldest part of the house, and believed to date in part from the late 1300s.
John of Gaunt, a son of Edward III, stayed there when hunting in nearby Ashdown Forest and his coat of arms is set into a wall of the heavily beamed and panelled drawing room, which has been described as the oldest sitting room in Sussex. For sale through Jackson-Stops.
5. The Old Hall, Saxlingham Nethergate, South Norfolk, £2.75m
This Grade II* listed Elizabethan hall was is said to have been given to Anne of Cleves, Henry VIII’s fourth wife, as part of their divorce settlement.
Although the current owners have sensitively restored it and created a comfortable family home, the floorplan has changed very little in over 400 years.
There are nine bedrooms, and highlights include a 15th century open fireplace in the drawing room, an atmospheric great hall, a panelled Queen Anne room, an outdoor pool and beautiful gardens. Via Savills.
6. Coleherne Court, South Kensington, London SW5, from £3.15m
A blue plaque next to the front door of this imposing Edwardian mansion block draws attention to the fact that its most famous resident was Lady Diana Spencer, later Princess Diana, who was frequently photographed outside it.
Her flat, which she shared with friends, was an 18th birthday present from her parents but she only lived there for a couple of years before getting married — and the rest is history.
A ground floor, three-bedroom, two-bathroom apartment with a 36-feet long double living room giving direct access to private communal gardens is for sale through Marsh & Parsons.
Alternatively, check out the split level, two/three-bedroom apartment on the third and fourth floors of the same building. With three reception rooms, three bathrooms and a full-width terrace, it costs £3.25m, from Foxtons.
7. Brimptsmead Estate, Yelverton, Devon, £4.95m
Nestling in Dartmoor National Park at the meeting point of the East and West River Darts, this substantial six-bedroom country house enjoys sweeping views over the surrounding unspoilt countryside.
It was completed in 1906 and leased from the then Prince of Wales. The present owners took the rare opportunity to purchase the freehold from Prince Charles nearly 30 years ago, before embarking on extensive renovations.
The house comes with over nine acres of land, two cottages, direct access to the moor and a river bank, which Britain's future king has the right to fish on — provided he gives 24 hours’ notice. Available through Knight Frank.
