Inside the Kensington Palace home of the Prince and Princess of Wales
Inside Apartment 1A at Kensington Palace: New coronation video shares sneak peeks into Prince and Princess of Wales’ London residence
- New coronation video shows sneak peeks into the Wales’ lavish London pad
- READ MORE: Prince and Princess of Wales release slick behind-the-scenes Coronation footage of Charlotte, Louis and George
Kensington Palace has released a stunning behind-the-scenes video of the Prince and Princess of Wales at the King’s Coronation last week – and the clip shows sneak peeks in the family’s London apartment.
The video, released by the Wales’s official YouTube account, shows William and Kate meeting crowds of royal fans on the Mall outside Buckingham Palace the evening before the coronation.
It then shows the family getting ready in their Kensington Palace apartment – number 1A – on the day. Prince William, 40, and Kate, 41, live with their children Prince George, nine, Princess Charlotte, seven, and Prince Louis, four, in the private home when staying in London.
And despite being called an ‘apartment’, the home is enormous, according to royal experts, boasting some 20 rooms from the basement to the attic’.
The property required quite extensive refurbishment before the couple moved a few years after their 2011 wedding. And while the palatial home boasts suitably impressive furnishings, it also features homely touches like lots of framed family photographs.
The video shared by Kensington Palace shows the family getting ready in their London residence of the morning of the coronation (pictured: Kate Middleton in a drawing room in apartment 1A)
1. Portrait of Princess Juliane of Saxe-Coburg-Saalfeld
Apartment 1A is a spacious four-storey property with its own large south-facing walled garden.
It takes up half the Clock Tower wing designed by Sir Christopher Wren for King William and Queen Mary.
With its regal provenance, it’s no surprise that there are a number of historical pieces of artwork and portraits hanging on the walls.
Among them, near the door of this drawing room, is a portrait of Princess Juliane of Saxe-Coburg-Saalfeld.
The royal, who was the aunt of Queen Victoria and Prince Albert, lived between 1761 and 1860.
She sat for two two half-length portraits, which were painted by Vigée Le Brun, not long after her 1797 wedding.
In 1844, this, among a number of other family portraits, was copied by William Corden the Younger, in a visit arranged by Prince Albert.
It is recorded as having hung in Queen Victoria’s Bedroom at Windsor Castle in the mid-nineteenth century.
2. Princess Charlotte’s fourth birthday official photograph
Among the framed family photos on display in the room is this image of Princess Charlotte, taken to mark her fourth birthday
Among the framed family photos in the room is this picture of Princess Charlotte, with the image set on top of a bookcase.
Taken by her mother the Princess of Wales, to mark her fourth birthday, the image shows the young royal sitting on a fence in the garden of the Wales’ Norfolk home of Anmer Hall.
Every year, Kate marks her children’s birthdays by sharing new snaps, which she generally takes herself.
3. Photo of Prince Louis taken to mark his first birthday
The Wales’ youngest child, Prince Louis also features in a framed snap in the room. This image was taken by his mother to mark his first birthday
Also sitting on the bookcase is a photo of the Wales’ youngest child, Prince Louis, this one taken to mark his first birthday.
The snap, taken by Kate at the family’s Anmer Hall home in Norfolk, shows the prince beaming as he sits in the garden.
Showing Louis dressed in a red jumper, and showing off some baby teeth in his wide smile, the image was originally released in 2019.
4. Stripy blue and cream sofa
Previous images of the Wales’ Kensington home have highlighted some of the royal residence’s comfortable touches, and this insight is no different.
An image in the video shows the edge of a blue and cream sofa, which matches the home’s regal but homely style.
It has previously been reported that Kate had the help of an interior designer when decorating some of the residence, but that she was able to leave her own mark on the style, which can be seen in homely touches like the comfortable seating.
5. Pale walls
Despite the grandeur of the space, it manages to retain a calm ambience, which could be partly down to the relaxing colour palette.
One of the key features of the design is the preponderance of pale colours, which notably includes the walls and some of the wood (like doors and frames) which are also painted in light tones.
The simplicity of the light backdrop means the room is able to hold a number of ornate furniture pieces, without looking overwhelming.
6&7. Ornate chest of drawers and ceramic table lamp
Lighting is key to the room’s look, with a number of lamps, including this one with a ceramic base, bringing warmth to the space
Crucial to the décor in the Wales’ residence is the lighting, with large table lamps flooding the room with a warm glow.
Previous glimpses into 1A, which have shown different rooms, highlighted how lamps are a key part of the family’s style.
And this room is no different, featuring a number of lamps, spread out throughout the space.
This large piece boasts a pale green ceramic base, and what appears to be a classic silk shade.
While the room has a light and airy feel – largely thanks to the pale walls and generous scattering of lamps, there are some darker pieces.
Among them is this wooden chest of drawers, which is decorated with gold details.
While the provenance of the piece is unknown, it appears to be an antique, and matches the room’s other regal and classical touches well.
8. Gold mantel clock
Among the classic pieces in the room is this gold mantel clock, one of many which are used to decorate royal residences
The Royal Collection boasts a staggering number of historical mantel clocks, so it’s no surprise to see one gracing one of the rooms in 1A.
This time piece is less ornate than some of the others that can be found throughout the royal residences.
Boasting a simple design, it features a small clock face, housed within a gold-edged glass casing.
9. Wooden book case packed with reading materials
Another one of the homely touches in the room is the wooden bookcase – complete with numerous books.
The Princess of Wales is believed to be a keen reader, and she has previously spoken about out reading with her three children.
She has also revealed some of her favourite tomes for enjoying with the young royals in the past.
Among those titles are Stig of the Dump and Charlotte’s Web – though it doesn’t appear that these classics are among the grand looking volumes on this bookcase.
Photo of Carole and Michael Middleton on royal wedding day
Family photo: In another shot taken from the video, a further family photo can be seen – this one featuring Kate’s parents Carole and Michael Middleton
Another of the many family snaps on show appears to have been taken on William and Kate’s wedding day in 2011, showing her parents
Another shot from the video, which shows a small table by one of the room’s generously sized windows, features yet another meaningful family photograph.
This time, it shows members of Kate’s family, notably her parents Carole and Michael Middleton, taken on the day of her wedding to Prince William.
Kate’s mother Carole looks glamorous in a sky blue Catherine Walker outfit in the snap, apparently refusing to wear her specially designed Lindka Cierach outfit at the last minute.
As well as showing a glimpse inside the royal home, the film also captures the jubilant atmosphere of the celebration as it shows William and Kate meeting crowds of royal fans on the Mall outside Buckingham Palace the evening before the Coronation.
And it features the family leaving the palace to travel to Westminster Abbey in a gold carriage, alongside thousands of armed forces personnel and Buckingham Palace household members.
As well as looking inside the famil home, the video also shows other key moments from the coronation weekend, including the Waleses standing on the Buckingham Palace balcony
The film ends with the coronation concert on Sunday night (pictured: Prince William pictured at Windsor Castle for the Coronation Concert where he delivered a tribute to the King)
William, Kate and their children are then spotted standing on the Buckingham Palace balcony along with other members of the Royal Family after the Coronation ceremony.
The royals and the tens of thousands of people gathered outside the palace were then treated to a flyover by the Red Arrows despite the poor weather.
The following day, the family can be seen in the film pitching in for the Big Help Out – a volunteering event held across the country to celebrate the King’s years of public service.
Prince Louis can be seen helping out with a digger while his brother George has a go at archery before the family join in a group photo with the other volunteers.
The video ends with clips taken at the Coronation Concert at Windsor Castle which starred Katy Perry, Lionel Ritchie and Take That before William makes a speech in honour of the King.
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