NEW TITLE! The Secret Hideaways of the Young Royals
Nestled among the rolling hills of Gloucestershire sits Highgrove House, the country estate of King Charles III. To the casual observer, it appears a stately yet humble abode, surrounded by lush gardens and wooded grounds.
However, within these verdant borders lie secret places that have brought joy to generations of young princes. Hidden amongst the ferns and foliage are magical treehouses, cozy shepherd’s huts, and underground retreats that have fueled the imaginations of William, Harry, and little George.
But what treasures might these hidden nooks hold? Let me take you on a tour of the secret spots that have been a sanctuary for the royal boys throughout the years.
We’ll start our adventure in a fern-filled glade called the stumpery, where a most enchanting treehouse awaits. Built by King Charles himself in 1988, this wooden wonder was a playground for young William and Harry.
With a striking leaf-shaped door and sheltering thatched roof, it must have felt like stepping into a fairy tale.
What dreams and adventures were conjured up within those wooden walls as the princes peered out at the surrounding greenery? Now, the treehouse has been renovated and passed down to the next generation.
Three-year-old Prince George can now climb its roughhewn steps to let his imagination run wild, just as his father and uncle once did.
But as William and Harry grew from boys into teenagers, they sought new havens better suited for older pursuits. In the large basement of Highgrove House lies a cavernous space they nicknamed “Club H” – a fitting name for a secret lair.
Harry recalls how it became the perfect hangout, its earthy aromas of moss and damp providing the ideal atmosphere to escape from prying eyes.
One can only imagine the mischief and revelry that occurred underground, hidden from parental supervision. Though windowless, it must have felt like a world of their own making.
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King Charles didn’t stop with magical treehouses – he gifted young Prince George with an even more rustic retreat for his first birthday: a charming Victorian-style shepherd’s hut.
Situated on the grounds, no doubt it has provided many an afternoon of cozy playtime with its log burner and day bed.
And what three-year-old wouldn’t delight in picnics and tea parties in such a quaint cottage in the country? The hut remains a place where Welsh children can still play to this day when visiting the estate.
But King Charles’ gifts to his grandchildren didn’t end there. In 2021, he revealed that the same year one-year-old Prince George was born, he planted an area of forest on the Highgrove grounds and named it “Prince George’s Forest” in honor of the newest royal.
Perhaps little George will someday climb amongst the colorful trees that his grandfather so carefully chose, noticing how they change with the seasons.
It’s surely destined to become another secret haven where future kings can run free through towering trunks and emerald ferns, far from prying eyes.
So in these hidden spots – from treehouses to underground clubs to cozy huts – we see how King Charles has fostered a love of the natural world in the young royals.
Through whimsical gifts that spark imagination, he has given William, Harry and George places to play, grow, and simply be young boys, away from the pressures of palace life.
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Highgrove House may appear a stately residence from the outside, but tucked within its borders lie secret treasures that will live on in the memories of the royal children for generations to come.
