Princess Diana ‘Demanded’ Kensington Palace Renovation, ‘Transformed’ It Into A Family Home

Princess Diana demanded the renovation of Kensington Palace shortly after she married Prince Charles. The late royal wanted the palace to be a family home for her growing family.

In the latest episode of “World’s Greatest Places,” chief curator of the palace Tracey Burman, said that Princess Diana wanted the palace to be more than just a royal residence. Princess Diana was credited for giving Kensington Palace its modern look and style.

Diana's style was perhaps more informal than was usual for a royal palace. She wanted it to be a practical family home as well as a royal residence… So, even though she was married to the heir to the throne she wanted a comfortable environment to raise their two young sons… You get the feeling it was very much a home, not just a palace while Diana was there,” she said.

Several years later, two members of the royal family followed in Princess Diana’s footsteps. But unlike the Princess of Wales, they weren’t praised for their move.

Prince Harry and Meghan Markle renovated Frogmore Cottage just before they welcomed their son, Archie, into the world. The couple spent millions on the renovations of the Grade-II listed building in Windsor. Frogmore Cottage features 10 bedrooms, new bathrooms, a kitchen, and a nursery.

Following the renovations, the Duke and Duchess of Sussex were branded as outrageous by the Republic campaign group spokesperson Graham Smith. While speaking with The Sun, Smith talked about the money that has been spent on all of the renovations across the different palaces.

“This year’s increases are outrageous at a time of widespread spending cuts. If even one school or hospital is facing cuts, we cannot justify spending a penny on the royals. Yet with all public services under intense financial pressure we throw £2.4m at a new house for Harry,” he said.

Mark Delaney, a builder, and decorator, said that the money that was spent in renovating Frogmore Cottage could’ve been used for other more important things.