Duchess of Cambridge’s Parents New £5million Mansion?

Whilst Kate is preparing to move into the splendid marital home of Kensington Palace her parents may also be preparing for a change of house in the not so distant future. Michael and Catherine Middleton may be planning a move to a mansion, which has its own ties to Royal history. A grade II listed Georgian mansion in Berkshire, just a few miles from their current abode, is said to be the next place where the Middleton’s intend on settling. The house, rumoured to be around £4.7million, has many interested buyers but neighbours believe that the Middleton’s have nearly sealed the deal.

The mansion has seven bedrooms and is set within 18 acres of land. The estate agents responsible for the sale of the property have refused to reveal who the buyers are but neighbours are convinced that the Middleton’s are going to move in soon as they have spotted viewing it a number of times. At present a senior banker and his wife reside at the mansion at present but have confided to friends and neighbours that they have sold their property to the Middleton’s.

Neighbours in the village are now very excited at the prospect of the new residents as they believe that Kate and William will no doubt be spotted there on occasions. It is thought that there were four potential buyers interested but as the Middleton’s expressed interest from the beginning the asking price has shot up from the initial £4million, which has delighted the current owners. Rumours circulating are that the Middleton’s are to move in mid-July. The mansion will offer them more security and privacy than their current home, especially when their royal relatives pay a visit. The final selling price was around £4.7milllion due to the interest expressed because of the royal connection but the house has had royal connections linked to it before.

Initially King Henry I bestowed the land at the property to the monks of Reading Abbey. The monks decided to create various fishponds within the grounds and astonishingly three of the original fishponds are still intact there. Then in 1540 when Henry VIII was in power, after the monasteries’ were dissolved, which included Reading Abbey, the property was given to John Winchcombe who was the son of a wealthy wool merchant in the area. He went on to become an MP four years later. The Hartley family had the house passed them at a later date, they still remain Lord and Lady of the Manor and so the title goes with them not with the house. Therefore the Middleton’s will not inherit it.

The Middleton’s annoyed locals back in April when they put plans in to extend their current home to accommodate their growing business, Party Pieces which daughter Pippa and son James work for. However this house already has planning granted for a separate outbuilding to be built which will be ideal for them to expand their business, which currently employs over 30 staff. The current owners have made no comment to the media about their royal buyers though as they say that the sale process is still ongoing.