BY GEORGE
Inside the grand home of Prince George’s football pal & it’s MUCH larger than the royal’s four-bed Adelaide Cottage
We shared inside George's pink-hued, idyllic cottage
PRINCE George may be second-in-line to the throne - but some of his friends have even more jaw-dropping houses of their own.
The 10-year-old royal was joined by pal Ralph Tollemache, 12, as he cheered on Aston Villa with Prince William last week, who lives in a 400-acre estate with its own drawbridge.
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Ralph, who is the eldest child of King Charles' godson and banker Edward Tollemache and his wife Sophie, lives at Helmingham Hall in Suffolk, which is a far cry from Prince George’s modest four-bedroom Adelaide Cottage home.
The Tollemache family, also spelt Talmach or Tallemache, has resided at Helmingham Hall for centuries and was living in Suffolk before the Norman conquest of England.
Edward and Sophie are part of King Charles' inner circle, and Ralph was one of four Pages of Honour attending the king at the Royal Coronation in 2023.
Lord and Lady Tollemache attended the royal wedding of the then (now Prince and Princess of Wales) in 2011.
READ MORE KATE & WILLS
When Edward, also known as Ed, married Sophie at St Columba’s Church in Knightsbridge in 2007, his godfather Charles attended.
Edward is believed to have worked as a Client Relationship Director at Wren Investment Office.
MEDIEVAL MANOR
The Grade I-listed Helmingham Hall has been in the Tollemache family for hundreds of years and certainly would be fit for royalty.
The medieval manor house, which dates back to 1480, comes with a 60ft-wide moat and is reached by two working drawbridges.
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It was originally built by major landowner and estate manager John Tollemache, and it’s had several royal ties over the years, aside from Prince George and Ralph being friends.
The website states: “Helmingham has been privileged to receive Her Majesty The Queen Elizabeth II and other members of the Royal Family on many occasions over the last few years.”
Inside King Charles’ vast home with a 35-acre garden and marble pillars that he’s never lived in
After Her Majesty passed away, Lord Tollemache said it had been a "great honour" to host the Queen and Prince Philip on private visits.
He previously said: "It was there [at Helmingham] where they could kick off their shoes and relax in front of the fire, particularly in bad times such as the one she described... as her annus horribilis following, among other things, the fire at Windsor Castle earlier that very week."
DEER PARK ESTATE
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Although the house is off limits for the public, the gardens and deer park are open from May to September, with tickets costing £9 for adults and £4.50 for kids.
It was there [at Helmingham] where they could kick off their shoes and relax in front of the fire, particularly in bad times such as the one she described... as her annus horribilis following, among other things, the fire at Windsor Castle earlier that very week
Lord Tollemache
Guests can wander around the breathtaking grounds, including seeing the rose garden, orchard and their Apple Tree Walk.
Helmingham Hall has also featured on several TV shows, including BBC One's Antiques Roadshow and the 2019 BBC documentary Danny Dyer's Right Royal Family.
WILLS & KATE'S HOME
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Despite his grandfather being king, Prince George lives in a slightly less grand home than his friend.
The Prince and Princess of Wales left behind their swanky 20-room Kensington flat - nicknamed a ‘‘a prison for children” - for an idyllic life in the more peaceful Adelaide Cottage in Windsor.
Prince William and Kate Middleton, both 41, uprooted Prince George, 10, Princess Charlotte, eight, and Prince Louis, five, during the summer of 2022 for a more rural life.
They reportedly spent around a year hunting for a home in Windsor, which would be close to a school that they could all attend together.
They settled on Adelaide Cottage, as first revealed by The Sun because they believed it needed no major renovations.
With its candyfloss pink exterior and rolling grounds, the royal pad looks straight from a fairytale.
The children are also asked to help to pack their school bags the night before and hang their new uniforms out, before an early night's sleep
Royal Source
It’s also perfect for the school run, as it’s a nine-mile drive to Ascot where the kids attend the £7,000-a-term Lambrook School.
William and Kate’s charming Adelaide Cottage couldn't be further from their four-storey apartment in Kensington, which they still use when they need to be in London.
It has just four bedrooms - one bedroom for each of the children and the royal couple.
Built in 1831, it featured parts of the Prince Regent's Royal Lodge at the time, which was partly demolished and re-used for Princess Adelaide's cottage.
The Grade II listed property underwent major renovations in 2015 and has been a grace-and-favour property since 1945.
This means it is owned by the monarch and can be given rent-free as part of an employment package or as a gift.
NO LIVE-IN STAFF
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It's understood the family have no live-in staff, with any aides commuting to Windsor instead.
This includes the couple's former live-in nanny, Maria Borrallo, who has resided with the couple since George was a baby.
Kate is said to help her kids be independent with getting ready for school, without relying on staff.
A royal source said: “The children are also asked to help to pack their school bags the night before and hang their new uniforms out, before an early night's sleep.
“The number one piece of advice Carole imparted to her eldest was the value of discipline and routine from the start.”
Sources said the couple dreamt of having a "modest" home with a garden so the children could play outside together - and they seem to have achieved that goal.
Inside The 'Low Key' Interior Of Adelaide Cottage
William and Kate’s Windsor life is slightly more modest in comparison to their swanky London adobe.
The couple could have chosen to move into the extravagant Windsor Castle, but instead “downgraded” to the Grade II-listed cottage.
The property may have been renovated eight years ago, but there are still nods back to the 19th Century inside.
It is said to retain golden dolphins and ceiling rope decorations in the master bedroom, recycled from a 19th-century royal yacht.
It boasts a marble Greco-Egyptian fireplace but is largely relatively modest and low-key.
Adelaide Cottage is nestled in the heart of the 655-acre Windsor estate so there is plenty of room for the kids to run around and walk the family’s dog, Orla.
It comes after William enjoyed a “low-key” pub visit with mum-in-law Carole Middleton at the weekend.
The Prince of Wales was reportedly seen popping into a pub in Norfolk during the family’s Easter break at Anmer Hall.
The number one piece of advice Carole imparted to her eldest was the value of discipline and routine from the start
Royal Source
It comes after Princess Kate revealed her cancer announcement in a touching video message last month.
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The royal mum-of-three, 42, shared the "huge shock" but vowed she is "getting stronger every day" and chose to delay releasing the information to protect her children.
Prince George, Princess Charlotte, eight, and Prince Louis, five, had already broken up from school and were with their parents when the video was posted.
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