Sunninghill Park
North Of Sunninghill, Lying Between Ascot &
The Southern Boundary Of Windsor Great Park
In Berkshire, England
Former Official Residence Of The Duke Of York
1990 - 2004.
What began as an indulgent parent’s magnanimous wedding gift promise to their reputed favorite son and his bride, has now been allowed to fall into disrepair and decay in less than 20 years.
Although it has experienced a fairly short history, it has always been a highly controversial one and its current sad state seems evocative of some great Shakespearean tragedy!
Where once a young and privileged family lived, experiencing the ups and downs of daily life, is now barren, desolate to the point of despair, an architectural “Miss Havisham” left to rot, all its former glory, turning to dust. A modern day Bleak House!
In 1988 , almost two years after their wedding on July 23, 1986 the wedding gift, in the form of a home for their H.R.H. The Duke & Duchess of York began to take shape. A parcel of some 660 acres with five acres of walled garden was purchased from the Crown Estate Commissioners on behalf of Queen Elizabeth II.
Her Majesty, already had connections to this site, as the estate was once to have been the original bridal home for her and H.R.H. The Duke of Edinburgh.
On the estate, the main house, called Sunninghill Park, had been bestowed upon them in 1947. However, in August 1947, three months before their nuptials, the estate burned to the ground. Over forty years later, tt now became the turn of their son to start his family life on the same land within the same grounds.
On the estate, the main house, called Sunninghill Park, had been bestowed upon them in 1947. However, in August 1947, three months before their nuptials, the estate burned to the ground. Over forty years later, tt now became the turn of their son to start his family life on the same land within the same grounds.
Construction began on the two-storey red brick house in 1989. The architect awarded the project was Sir James Dunbar-Nasmith, Balmoral Estate Architect and Professor and Head of the Department of Architecture at Heriot-Watt University. In what appears to have been a bow to a mixture of design styles inspired by the likes of Edwin Lutyens and Detmar Blow, albeit bastardized, a newly inspired Sunninghill Park rose on the site with final completion in 1990.
Once completed, the new official residence of their H.R.H. The Duke and Duchess of York was comprised of six reception rooms, twelve bedrooms, and twelve bathrooms. Fully kitted out with swimming pool, stables and tennis court, it was considered as up to date, state of the art and ideal as possible.
Comparing in size to the larger country houses built since the Second World War, Sunninghill Park was the first newly built royal home since Bagshot Park was built and completed in 1879 for H.R.H. The Duke of Connaught, third son of Queen Victoria and now current home to their H.R.H The Earl and Countess of Wessex.
At the time time of completion, the finished home was quite openly made fun of, often being compared to a “Tesco’s” Super Market. In some parts of the British tabloid press the home was referred to as 'SouthYork' a play on words for the 'Southfork' estate on the popular 1980's soap opera Dallas!
In spite of the grand house warming party in the form of a costume ball, the house and its inhabitants seemed destined for unhappiness and disappointment.
Almost immediately after taking up residence, the marriage of the young couple started to spiral out of control on the world stage. By March of 1992, six years after the announcement of their engagement, the couple decided to separate, with the divorce being declared final in 1996. These actions were the first steps towards the fall of the "House" of York.
In an homage to what many thought was a modern form of “free living” and very much against the grain of what was considered the “norm,” the divorced couple continued to live together off and on over the next several years at Sunninghill Park.
As self declared “best of friends” and in an effort to provide a united front and stable environment in which to raise their daughters Princess Beatrice and Princess Eugenie, the couple decided it made sense to stay put.
As self declared “best of friends” and in an effort to provide a united front and stable environment in which to raise their daughters Princess Beatrice and Princess Eugenie, the couple decided it made sense to stay put.
With the death of the late Queen Elizabeth the Queen Mother in 2002, the Duke of York decided that he wanted to move into Royal Lodge, Windsor, the Queen Mother’s former home. As a result, Sunninghill Park was put on the market. It had been determined that an estimated £7.5million of improvements was needed to bring the Royal Lodge into the 21st century, which the duke had hoped to pay for with the proceeds from the eventual sale of Sunninghill.
Unfortunately, although prime real estate, Sunninghill Park, generated very few committed buyers and languished on the market.
After two possible sales fell through the duke was advised to drop the then £10million asking price by £1.5million but he was reluctant because he needed to achieve the full amount. Having fully committed himself to taking on Royal Lodge, Windsor Great Park, he had already bought the property from the Crown Estate for an undisclosed sum.
With the house still not sold in 2004, the Duke of York, moved into Royal Lodge, Windsor, following what eventually became an £8.5 million refurbishment, paid for by the Queen. The cash- strapped duke had been forced to borrow money from his mother to pay for the repairs and at one point even had to take out a mortgage on his old home to meet the shortfall in his finances.
Finally, after five years on the market, it was announced in 2007 that Sunninghill Park had been sold for a reported £15million to an Eastern European.
Upon review, HM Land Registry records show that the house was sold for £15M - £3M over the asking price - to an offshore trust in the British Virgin Islands. Kenes Rakishev, a 29-year- old Kazakhstan businessman who called himself a 'friend' of Prince Andrew, admitted negotiating the deal with the help of his father-in-law Imangali Tasmagambetov, the Mayor of Astana; but insists that neither of them are the current owner of Sunninghill Park. Presently, the British tabloid press speculates that the most likely owner is Rakishev’s business partner, Timur Kulibayev, the billionaire son-in-law of the Kazakh president, Nursultan Nazarbayev.
The property deal, which was made by a trust acting on behalf of the duke was overseen by Sir Alan Reid, the Keeper of the Privy Purse, the Queen's chief accountant, and a representative from Farrers, the Queen's lawyers.
At the time of the deal in September 2007, there was speculation that it was as a special favor to the Duke of York because of his close relationship with the Eastern European region.
It is a fact that the Duke of York is a regular visitor to Kazakhstan, as part of his role as UK Special Representative for Trade and Investment. At the same time, he has made a number of private trips, and gone goose-hunting with President Nazarbayev.
While Buckingham Palace strenuously denies any impropriety, over the sale of the property, the sale still continues to raise eyebrows. The palace has stated “We cannot be clearer that there is absolutely no impropriety and to suggest that the Duke of York has personally benefited from his public work in Kazakhstan incorrect and as a result any speculation is utterly untrue!” “Yes, the duke was extremely fortunate to get such a good price, but there had been recent serious interest in the property shortly before and he apparently benefited from that.”
A source close to the duke added: 'The house was sold before the current market crash to a wealthy international buyer who was desperate for something in the area.”
Since the purchase, Sunninghill Park has now become a crumbling ruin, worth a fraction of the £15million it was sold for just over two years ago. Speculation as to the “whys?” and “wherefores?” of this entire situation are only reinforced by the fact that no one has moved in and the property has gone to rack and ruin, without the slightest attempts at maintenance or preservation.
If one did not know any better, they would think Sunninghill Park reminiscent of Daphne du Maurier’s introduction to “Rebecca” in which she describes Manderley.
In a similar derelict state as Manderley, now at Sunninghill, the gates which used to protect the exalted family on the 660-acre estate are open for anyone to wander in. On the drive, several trees lie where they fell from heavy winds and a stable block has fallen into complete disrepair. The swimming pools are covered in slime and weeds, doors hang off their hinges and the wind whistles through shattered windows. The garden has been left to run wild and many areas of the grounds are strewn with empty beer cans and vodka bottles.
Like the rotting bones of a giant carcass, human carrion pick at the very heart of the house. Over the past year burglars have been getting into the vacant house through a broken side door. Neighbors in Windsor Great Park have repeatedly seen criminals park their cars outside, walk through the unlocked gate and leave with bags of loot, their calls to alert the security firm meant to be looking after the estate go unanswered.
Incredibly, thieves have stolen the Berkshire estate's valuable York stone paving slabs, iron gates and slate roof tiles and even its copper hot water pipes, leaving much of the house flooded.
In the words of a local resident: “There is literally nothing at all of any value at all left in there, not even any taps. It's a shell. They have taken everything!”
Hopefully, and before it is too late, Sunninghill Park will return to “life!” Without a family, a house, no longer a home, is without a soul! Until then, Sunninghill remains in ruinous decline!
Sunninghill Park ~ Then
Under Construction
Aerial View
Sunninghill Park ~ Now
NR
© 2010 The Esoteric Curiosa