Prince Edward and Duchess Sophie have been married for 26 years, and have spent their entire wedded lives living together in Surrey. After their 1999 wedding, the late Queen Elizabeth II gifted Edward, 61, and Sophie, 60, the royal home, which is named Bagshot Park.
Since then, the Duke and Duchess of Edinburgh have lived happily in the 120-room property, bringing up their children Lady Louise Windsor and James, Earl of Wessex there. While the family of four have always seemed more than happy in the home, it seems that not everyone is as fond of the Tudor Gothic style mansion.
As reported by Hello!, Nicholas Pevsner, an architectural historian once famously called the property “bad, purposeless, ugly” when talking about its design.
However, it seems that Sophie and Edward beg to differ, with the couple seemingly loving life at the royal residence.
Since living there, the couple have made various additions and amendments, including a conservatory.
They have also benefited from just how big the property is, especially during the Covid-19 pandemic when Edward and Sophie were carrying out royal engagements via video calls, while their children were having to complete school work from home.
As well as plenty of indoor space, including offices and reception rooms, the family also have plenty of space outdoors, with the estate’s grounds spreading across 51 acres, which includes a private lake and several stables.
In a previous interview with The Telegraph, Sophie said the family were “very, very lucky” to have the “wonderful surroundings” of Bagshot Park to get them through the Covid-19 lockdowns.
She also revealed that having plenty of outdoor space for Louise and James to use stopped sibling arguments during this time.
She said: “If things were kicking off inside, right from the year dot, I’d say: ‘Right, outside!’ Louise would take herself off on her bike, and James is very self-motivated to get out, so actually, it was never a struggle.”
Despite having lived at Bagshot Park for 26 years, the couple show no signs of wanting to relocate anytime soon.