The Earl and Countess of Wessex moved into the vast 120-room country estate in 1999, shortly after tying the knot.
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A historical royal estate
Located just 30 miles from London, the Grade II building has approximately 120 rooms and 51 acres of land.
The house has been in the Royal Family for over 200 years, built for King Charles I in 1609. The original building was a series of small lodges but was demolished in 1877 and rebuilt for Prince Arthur, The Sun reports.
Over the years, the house has gone through various renovations, extensions and even a ‘re-design’ before Prince Edward and his wife, Sophie, Countess of Wessex, moved in.
According to The Sun, the estate could be worth close to £30 million.
A huge family home
King Charles III owns the house and grounds, and Prince Edward and his family lease it from the Crown Estate. According to reports, Prince Edward recently extended the lease by 150 years, which apparently cost £5 million.
The Earl and Countess of Wessex live in the mansion with their children, Lady Louise and James, Viscount Severn.
The Wessexes loved the sprawling country estate because of its proximity to Windsor, allowing their children to spend more time with their grandparents when they were alive.
Sophie Wessex said to Sky News:
We’re a lot more fortunate because we live so close to the Queen, so when she spends a lot of time at Windsor on the weekends, our children are more fortunate because they can go over and have tea with her on a regular basis.
Life on the inside
As with most Royal residences, Royal fans rarely get a glimpse inside what Royal homes look like, especially when they aren’t open to the public like Sandringham and Windsor are.
However, with recent TV interviews, fans can see inside the home of ‘the most normal’ Royal family.
In a recent conversation with the BBC, Sophie sat in one of their living rooms. It had cream walls, a green carpet and a marble fireplace. Green striped chairs and wooden furniture furnished the room.
During the pandemic, Sophie sat in her kitchen in conversation with the Thames Valley Air Ambulance. The kitchen was decorated in neutral tones of blue and grey.
In a third interview, it seemed the Countess of Wessex was sitting in an office or study space. The wall space behind her was fitted with carved wooden doors. An interview with Prince Edward seemed to be held in the same room, with walls lined with wooden bookshelves.
Those three rooms have been caught on camera, leaving only another 117 rooms to see.
Sources used:
- The Sun: A ROYAL VISIT Inside Prince Edward’s 120-room mansion where he lives with his wife Sophie Wessex, and their children, Louise and James