King Charles is said to be ’miffed’ over plans by Prince William to start renting out his beloved Welsh holiday home – meaning the monarch must move all of his belongings out of the property, The Daily Mail reveals.
Charles bought the £1.2 million ( $2,297,001.12) cottage through the Duchy of Cornwall in 2007 and spent years having it lovingly restored.
But the property, Llwynywermod, on the outskirts of the Brecon Beacons National Park, was taken over by William when he became the Prince of Wales following the late Queen’s death last year.
Charles spent a week or two every year at Llwynywermod after leasing it back from the Duchy. But the King volunteered to give up the lease when the Duchy passed to his elder son. His Majesty’s belongings are currently being removed from his study there.
Now there are plans for William to turn the cottage into a holiday home — much to King Charles’s ’disappointment’, according to an insider.
The property includes a barn attached to the main three-bedroom house, which was renovated using traditional techniques, and 192 acres of rolling countryside.
Llwynywermod will be marketed to holidaymakers after September. Three nearby properties owned by the Duchy are already let out. The nearby North Range cottage, which also has three bedrooms, is priced at £2,400 ($4594) a week.
Charles had restored Llwynywermod with the help of architect Craig Hamilton and with interiors by the Queen’s sister, Annabel Elliot, in an elegant but rustic style. The King, Queen and Elliot invested a lot of time and energy into the renovation.
In the renovated barn, which now serves as a dining room for up to 16 guests, a huge new east window was designed by Hamilton.
There is even attention to detail on the floor, with custom-made carpets based on an 18th Century Welsh blanket design.
In line with the King’s wishes that the building is sustainable, a wood-chip boiler provides heating and hot water to the entire estate. Outside there is storage for rainwater.
The King chose roses, jasmine and honeysuckle for the gardens along with six maple trees which lined the aisle at Kate and William’s 2011 wedding in Westminster Abbey replanted in the grounds. Such is his affinity for the place, the King agreed to continue to pay for the upkeep, including the cost of hiring the two topiary experts to maintain the manicured trees and shrubs.
Last night, a Royal source said: “The King was quite miffed but that was the deal. It means he can continue to stay there but he will pay rent to the Duchy and the rest of the time it will be rented out.
“The King has agreed to pay for the topiary upkeep as he doesn’t want to see all the good work in the grounds go to waste.”
The Mail on Sunday revealed last month that William wants to spend more time in Wales staying in B&Bs and holiday rentals – and so support the tourist economy – rather than any permanent Royal residence.
In April, the couple visited the Bluebell Inn in the hamlet of Glangrwyney, Brecon Beacons, for dinner with friends, then retired to £1,000-a-night ($1914) Duffryn Mawr.
Kimberley Fry, who owns both the house and the inn, said: ’The locals in the pub were very surprised to see them. We charged the going rate.’
Buckingham Palace said last night: “His Majesty voluntarily served notice on the lease arrangements at Llywnywermod at the time of the Accession, since he would not be able to use the property in quite the same way as previously.
“Should His Majesty stay there in the future, that would be under commercial terms with the Duchy, in the same way that applies to His Majesty’s occupancy of Highgrove, similarly owned by the Duchy.”