Kate and William Add Second Kitchen to Kensington Renovation
Earlier this week it was revealed that the cost of renovating Kensington Palace for Prince William and Duchess Kate was nearly $6.6 million. Now comes word that the couple will install a second kitchen in the residence for their own, private use.
This second, more intimate kitchen, will be paid for by the Duke and Duchess themselves, meaning that there will be no additional cost to the taxpayers. Of course, there is always the chance that the royal couple sought financial help from Prince Charles.
"Many young couples when doing up houses seek help from their parents or grandparents," a Clarence House spokesman said. "There may have been some assistance."
Kate and William both love cooking and fixed all their own meals when they lived in Wales. Now they apparently want to continue on that tradition in their own residence. The couple are both determined to keep their independence as much as possible, which is why they chose their own renovations and oversaw every detail.
"The Cambridges were actually extremely sensitive to the fact that public funds were being used to pay for a lot of this work," an aide told the Daily Mail. "They understood that it would be a drain on public expenditure and they wanted to minimize that. It is not done out to lavish standards. You would be surprised at what an ordinary level the apartment has been done to. Comfortable, but an ordinary level of furnishing."
Kate and William have also decided to redo their country home at Sandringham Estate, so that they will be comfortable and have the latest security resources. Upgrades to the Kensington Palace apartment included removing asbestos, installing central air conditioning and WiFi, as well as panic rooms for the royals.
The two are reportedly considering moving to the Sandringham Estate if William chooses to become a helicopter pilot with an air ambulance company. No official word about his plans for the future has been released.
