The Prince and Princess of Wales have been happily settled at Forest Lodge since November last year, residing there with their three children, Prince George, Princess Charlotte and Prince Louis. While they love Windsor life, they retain access to Apartment 1A inside Kensington Palace for days spent in London, and the royal children will certainly be excited about a project right on their doorstep…
In January, the Diana, Princess of Wales Memorial Playground closed to members of the public for a full refurbishment to be carried out, and this week, major progress has been made. Photos show a large crane winching in a galleon, which forms the main part of the new playground.
© Alamy Stock Photo
© Alamy Stock PhotoThe space, which is inspired by the magical adventures of Peter Pan, first opened in 2000 to commemorate Princess Diana. The Royal Parks charity confirmed that a £3 million revamp was needed to replace "ageing features" since the park first opened. This overhaul is expected to take six months in total and by summer, children will be playing here once again.
The team have said it will "retain the characteristics of the existing Peter Pan-inspired playground but will provide more accessible and inclusive play, as well as challenging physical play, so that children of all abilities can enjoy creative and imaginative play together".
© PAResidents and London visitors are eagerly awaiting the reopening, and many have been left disappointed that the park is currently closed. A Facebook page entitled London with kids: Travel planning and advice had a parent ask about the park earlier this month and the query was met with comments like: "Playground still closed, unfortunately."
Princess Kate's fun at the park
Given the park's close proximity to their London home, the royal trio may be keen to test it out when it has reopened. In 2014, Princess Kate took her then-baby son, Prince George, to the park to play in the sand. At the time, an insider told The Express the mother and son stayed for around 15 minutes. The onlooker said George looked to be enjoying himself.
Inside Prince William and Princess Kate's London home
The title of 'apartment' may be a little deceiving, as their London base is a little more palatial than a flat. It's a spacious property made up of 20 rooms, including five reception rooms, three main bedrooms, dressing rooms and a night and day nursery, as well as separate staff quarters. There's also a basement floor featuring a private gym and a laundry space.
© Photo: Getty ImagesOver the years, we've seen a few glimpses into their home, and one of the biggest ones was when they invited Barack and Michelle Obama over. Photos released showcase their grand living space with floral cushions, antique furniture and plenty of individual lamps dotted around, adding a cosy sense of atmosphere despite the vast size of the room.
