Words: Francesca Wallace, Vogue Living
There’s plenty to consider when becoming a royal— the amount one has to give up, for example. From the ability to eat shellfish to the standards of dressing, royals are subjected to a slew of weird and wonderful rules to abide by during their life of crown-appointed leisure. And whilst not all of these rules are restrictive, some make living as a commoner look rather appealing. Case in point: not having the freedom to decorate their own homes.
Not exactly a royal law (like the aforementioned shellfish rule) and more a situational one brought on by Meghan Markle and Prince Harry’s circumstances, one freedom we take for granted won’t be bestowed upon the royal newlyweds: renovating their house. A rite of passage for many new homeowners, the Duke and Duchess won’t have the go-ahead to gut their new house in Windsor, and will instead have to abide by heritage laws which restrict changing the interiors.
The couple’s new home, Adelaide Cottage, which is located within the same castle complex that the pair married in, was gifted to them by the Queen — and is set to be the perfect country home for the couple. Whilst their London home, Nottingham Cottage, is much less grand, the pair had more freedom to decorate, as the property wasn’t heritage listed. Adelaide Cottage is listed with a Grade II status — meaning any changes that will affect the “special architectural or historic interest” of the building must be approved. And considering previous occupants of the cottage include former Queens and other important royals, we’re guessing the approval process for removing historical touches they may have put on it, will be denied.
But it’s no secret Markle loves an interior. A fan of posting photos of her pre-Harry home in Toronto to her Instagram, Markle’s love of art and furniture was clear. Laid back in her style, Markle enjoyed an eclectic mix of pieces with neutral undertones in her house, none of which we can see really fitting in with the nautical theme of Adelaide Cottage, which features a “coved ceiling with gilded dolphins and rope ornament” in the main bedroom.
So how will Markle and Prince Harry combat the lack of renovation in their new, rope-filled cottage? Touches including linens, towels and private decorations (in bedrooms and private living rooms where guests will likely never enter) will be up to the couple to decide. And as an avid lover of brands including Diptyque and Jo Malone, we can imagine there will be plenty of scented candles, fragrant body washes and soft towels on offer.
Feature Image: Instagram @Meghan_Markle
