StThey are the first Hollywood stars to rent a royal residence. Michael Douglas and Catherine Zeta Jones have moved into one of the apartments in St. James’s Palace, a short walk from Buckingham Palace and Clarence House, the current London home of King Charles and his wife Camilla. And other Hollywood stars may soon follow suit.
King Charles and Catherine Zeta-Jones at a concert in Cardiff, Wales in September 2010 (Getty Images)
Are Sussex envious of King Charles?
While Harry and Meghan are forced to helplessly witness the exodus of VIP neighbors who, fed up with the chaos brought to the area by the Sussexes, have decided to see their majestic villas in Montecito and move elsewhere, to London King Charles demonstrates that there is no need to move to California to boast movie stars among one’s neighbors.
Two real stars at the court of King Charles and Queen Camilla
Other than Montecito… With Carlo’s approval, who wants to modernize the monarchy and make it more glamorous, the managers of St. James’s Palace have handed over the keys to a luxurious rented suite to Michael Douglas, 78, and Catherine Zeta Jones, 53. The two actors currently divide their time between New York , Wales (homeland of Zeta-Jones), and a villa in the Balearic sun, but recently they have decided to look for a base in London, where they intend to spend a good part of their time together with their children Dylan and Carys.
St. James’s Palace, residence of Princess Anne
Princess Anne also stayed at St. James’s Palace, but only when she was forced to stay overnight in London. AND the palace was once the home of William and Harry, who as young men occupied apartments in York House, a building set within the palace gardens. Today, however, the residence mainly houses offices and mini apartments for the Royal staff.
Catherine Zeta-Jones with husband Michael Douglas and children Dylan and Carys at Buckingham Palace in 2011 (Getty Images)
Anyone (or almost) can rent a King Charles apartment
Within the sprawling St. James’s Palace are other properties currently available to let, but Douglas and Zeta-Jones have succeeded where others have failed. Why, despite the Royal Family being willing to welcome non-blue blood tenants into the residencenot everyone manages to successfully pass the various tests that must be undergone to secure a rental contract.
The expensive rentals at St. James’s Palace
In compliance with the security measures currently in force on all Royal estates, a team at Buckingham Palace sift through the references of each potential “condominium” and carry out painstaking checks, including the verification of any criminal records. By making sure that they are above all scrooges, able to afford the long-term rent, which is rumored to exceed $7,000 a month.
St. James’s Palace on the occasion of the christening of Prince Louis, July 2018 (IPA)
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