The Queen’s cousins, the Duke and Duchess of Gloucester, were compelled to vacate their private residence due to financial constraints. The couple previously resided in Barnwell Manor, Northamptonshire, a Grade II-listed building boasting 40 rooms and 12 acres of grounds, providing an impressive country seat befitting royalty.
In 1938, the late Prince Henry, Duke of Gloucester, the third son of King George V, purchased the house and estate with his wife, Princess Alice, the late Duchess of Gloucester. However, in 1995 it was announced that Alice, along with her son, daughter-in-law and their children, would be leaving the home to reside in an apartment at Kensington Palace.
Regrettably for the Queen’s cousins – Prince Richard, the Duke of Gloucester, and his wife, the Duchess, Birgitte van Deurs – leaving Barnwell Manor wasn’t a matter of choice. The Independent reported that the Duke receives financial support from the Queen via the Civil List at £175,000 per annum which, when combined with the Gloucester’s income from farming, was insufficient to maintain the 436-year- old manor.
Consequently, the Duke and Duchess and their children Alexander Windsor, Earl of Ulster, Lady Davina Windsor and Lady Rose Gilman relocated to Apartment 1 at Kensington Palace. Despite this, there were no intentions to sell Barnwell Manor, so they decided to rent it out for £30,000 per year.
In 1995, when the family relocated from Barnwell Manor, their private secretary Major Nicholas Barne was quoted by The Herald as saying: “This is not an overnight decision.
“It’s basically for financial reasons. There has been a general erosion of finances over the years due to the size of Barnwell Manor and difficult times for farming.”
Their new residence, which shared a door with Prince William and Kate Middleton’s lavish Apartment 1A home, boasted an impressive 21 rooms.
However, in 2019, the Gloucesters decided to downsize after their children had moved out, choosing to live in The Old Stables, also within Kensington Palace.
Since 2017, Barnwell Manor has been occupied by Windsor House Antiques, traditional antique dealers renowned for supplying quality antiques.
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