Queen Elizabeth is going to visit Amner Hall, the new residence of Prince William, Kate Middleton, and Prince George, but will not be there for Christmas, according to new reports.
William and Kate have spent months refurbishing the ten-bedroom Georgian manor house, paying for the £1.5 million (about $2.3 million) makeover themselves.
The Queen gifted the couple the Norfolk house for their wedding in April 2011.
“The Queen is looking forward to seeing the house, especially the new nursery that Kate has designed,” a source told Vanity Fair.
The exact timing of the visit isn’t clear but an increasing number of reports have twisted the original reports by adding speculation that it will be for Christmas. However, the reports indicate that it will not be for Christmas.
Instead, the couple is expected to only be with Kate’s family for most of the holidays.
“One of the advantages of Anmer Hall being so big is that Kate’s family can stay there very comfortably and that’s the plan,” the source said. “William and Kate are looking forward to hosting an informal and exciting first Christmas at Anmer Hall with Prince George.”
But the growing family will spend time with William’s side, including a Christmas Eve supper, a Christmas Day church service, and a Christmas turkey lunch.
The Independent confirmed that William and Kate will be spending part of the holidays apart from the royal family.
“William spoke to the Queen about doing their own thing, especially since Kate has been suffering with acute morning sickness. He thought it would be nice for her to have a low-key Christmas. The Queen agreed,” a source said.
“Christmas in previous years has been formal and duty-filled. Timetables and instructions were even handed out to guests! But Wills’ Christmas with the Middletons last year made him realise how much more enjoyable the festive period could be and he’s been campaigning with Kate to bring that informal flavor to the royal fold,” another source said.
The VF source also clarified that Norfolk is the couple’s private residence while Kensington Palace “is their long-term base and will continue to be so.”
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