Kate Middleton and Prince William always seem to be trying to modernize the Royal Family and do things their way. They are hands-on parents who don't employ a full-time nanny. They bucked tradition when choosing baby George's godparents. And when they renovated Kensington Palace in anticipation of George's birth, some were up in arms about the amount of money they spent, but the results of the revamp received, for the most part, universal praise. Many words have been used over the years to describe the duo and their efforts: refreshing, beautiful, thoughtful, extravagant.
But "vulgar"? Whoa, who would call the couple and their choices -- which always seem to be spot-on -- the ugly "V" word? Turns out, quite a few people, actually. And here's why.
Not long ago, the Queen gave Kate and Will her insanely swanky 1800s mansion called Anmer Hall, which is located in eastern England on her Sandringham Estate. It sounds like your typical country house (wink, wink), one with 10 bedrooms, a swimming pool, and a tennis court. Kate and Will decided to renovate the classic digs, which seems to be a hobby for Kate because, seriously, I can't imagine the place actually needed a new coat of paint or an even more amazing Persian rug.
Well, you can bet neighbors were casually taking many an unnecessary trip to get milk just so they could sneak a peek at the family's project. And -- surprise, surprise -- the fuddy-duddys didn't like what they saw.
It seems Kate and Will had the nerve to replace the mansion's roof with ... with ... red tiles. Oh, the horror!
According to residents, the house isn't a complete disaster, but it looks totally different. And different isn't desirable in their neck of the woods. In fact, some neighbors are comparing their house to a "Barratt" home, which is the British equivalent of poking fun at someone for wanting a white picket fence.
In a way, I can understand why older folks may be uncomfortable with Kate and Will's decision to update the historical facade of their mansion, but you have to give them -- and especially Kate -- credit where it's due.
While renovating Apartment 1A in Kensington Palace, the Duchess retained the home's crown moldings and the garden that Will and Harry grew up playing in. It sounds like she toned down the colors to give it a more earthy feel and added interesting, cool details like Corinthian lamps and faux-fur rugs. Not what you'd call Kardashian-ing up the place, you know?
Kate and Will's neighbors need to calm down and give them a chance. These two are lightyears away from having "vulgar" taste and, so far, everything they've touched has turned to gold. I have no doubt Anmer Hall will be a beauty once renovations are complete.
Do you think Kate and Will went too far by renovating the Queen's mansion and changing the character of the village?
Image via Sandringham Estate