The monarch’s move is reportedly to assist his wife prevent its conversion into a marriage venue, thereby safeguarding her privacy and security.
Queen Camilla acquired her vacation home, the Ray Mill House, in 1996 following her divorce and uses it as a private retreat.
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King Charles Purchases Neighboring Property To Ensure Queen Camilla’s Privacy
Based on the Every day Mail, the king personally funded the $3.8 million purchase after learning the estate, often called the Old Mill, was set to be converted into a marriage venue.
Sources near Camilla revealed that Charles, 76, grew increasingly uneasy upon hearing that the property’s latest owners intended to “maximize industrial use of the property as a short-term holiday rental and wedding venue.”
Concerned about potential security issues and disruptions, he acted swiftly to secure the estate. One insider noted that the prospect of energetic wedding parties happening right round the corner every weekend left Charles with “great anxiety.”
“Consider it — dozens of wedding guests carousing every weekend just the opposite side of her fence,” one other insider said.
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King Charles Will Reportedly Lease Ray Mill House To ‘Security-Vetted Tenant’
Based on reports, Charles intends to lease the property to a “security-vetted tenant” who will use it in a way that aligns with royal standards.
A royal source described the arrangement as “a practical solution, being each a sound financial investment and a way of maintaining Her Majesty’s privacy, protection and continued enjoyment of her much-loved home, with none public funds getting used.”
Meanwhile, Camilla, 77, is alleged to be “grateful and relieved,” especially given the challenges she has faced over the past 12 months.
Friends say the situation had develop into “intolerable” for the queen because the Ray Mill House serves as a sanctuary for her.
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“She has her horses, she walks her dogs, and [Camilla] loves spending time along with her family,” one insider said, adding, “This business along with her neighbor was frankly the last item she needed.”
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Property Developer Previously Listed Ray Mill House On Airbnb, Raising Security Concerns
The Old Mill estate has been a longstanding source of frustration for Charles III and Camilla.
In 2018, property developer Phil Clayton purchased the house and quickly began extensive renovations, causing disruptions within the neighborhood.
Based on Page Six, certainly one of his most controversial changes was converting a garage right into a rental unit called Pear Tree Loft, listed on Airbnb, just 200 feet from Camilla’s front door.
Camilla’s security team raised concerns, and she or he personally objected to Clayton’s repeated expansion proposals, even submitting formal complaints on HRH-headed stationery.
Nonetheless, her efforts were ultimately unsuccessful. Friends say the situation had develop into “intolerable” for the queen.
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Now, with the Old Mill estate secured, Camilla’s long-term plans are more certain. It’s believed that if she outlives Charles, she intends to make Ray Mill House her everlasting residence quite than move into the palace.
Queen Camilla Reportedly Feels More At Ease At Ray Mill House
Camilla, who wed Charles in 2005, has owned Ray Mill House since 1996, purchasing it a 12 months after her divorce from Andrew Parker Bowles.
The property, a mix of Nineteenth-century Italianate architecture with Twentieth-century Neo-Georgian updates, is a two-story mansion that famously hosted the marriage reception of her daughter, Laura Lopes, in 2006.
Friends say Ray Mill Home is where Camilla feels most comfy when distressed.
She sought refuge there after Queen Elizabeth’s passing in 2022 and continues to spend as much time as possible on the countryside retreat when not fulfilling royal duties at Highgrove House in Gloucestershire or Clarence House in London, the official residences she shares with Charles.
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Queen Camilla’s Feud With The Old Mill’s Previous Owner
Camilla’s issues with The Old Mill date back to its previous owner, Ralph Adams, who passed away in 2017.
At one point, she raised concerns about her dressing room being visible from his property. Nonetheless, tensions between the neighbors escalated in 2006 when Adams filed a grievance about her overgrown hedge.
Garbage collectors refused to drive down their shared access road, citing that the hedge was “uncontrolled.” Consequently, Adams was forced to haul his bin to the closest essential road, a task he found difficult.
Frustrated by the situation, the retired sand merchant remarked, “Walking 400 yards is hard for me, but she will be able to all the time have a flunky do it.”
