Kate and William’s neighbour Rose Hanbury gets go-ahead for stunning woodland spa offering a perfect pampering escape next door to Prince and Princess of Wales’ Norfolk home
Prince William and Kate Middleton’s neighbors have received planning permission to build a stunning woodland spa next door to the Prince and Princess of Wales’ home in Norfolk.
Houghton Manor, which borders Will and Kate’s Anmer Hall at Sandringham, is the stately home of David Cholmondeley, Marquess and Marchioness of Cholmondeley, and his wife Rose Hanbury.
The couple were given the green light by King’s Lynn and West Norfolk Council to build a ‘nature-focused retreat’ on their land, including saunas, outdoor plunge pools and copper baths.
Rose and David are known to be good friends with their royal neighbours; Kate was previously photographed at a garden party held at the 1,000-acre Houghton Hall Estate.
Rose Hanbury, 42, is a former model who also previously worked for former Tory MP Michael Gove.
Her husband, David Cholmondeley, 65, became Marquess of Cholmondeley on the death of his father in March 1990. He is a direct descendant of England’s first prime minister, Robert Walpole.
They married in 2009 and have three children together: twin boys Alexander, Earl of Rocksavage and Lord Oliver Cholmondeley, and their younger daughter, Lady Iris, aged seven.
Located just a mile and a half from Kate and William’s country home, Wyld Cabins will feature 45 tranquil log cabins nestled in the woods where guests can escape the hustle and bustle of daily life.
The Princess of Wales attends an event at Houghton Hall with Rose Hanbury, Marquess of Cholmondeley
A mock-up of what the cabins will look like on the site. Nestled within the forest, the 45 tranquil log cabins will feature open-air copper baths designed to offer guests the chance to ‘unwind, digitally detox and reconnect with nature’.
It will also feature panoramic woodland views, private outdoor bathing areas with copper tubs, wood-burning stoves and blackout curtains, allowing guests to switch off and relax.
The 50-acre site will also feature three dedicated wellness capsules offering contrast therapy, hot saunas inside as well as icy outdoor plunge pools and hot tubs on the deck.
The experience claims to offer guests the chance to ‘unwind, digitally detox and reconnect with nature’.
The planning statement says: ‘Guests are encouraged to experience their natural surroundings, slow down, relax, enjoy and enjoy the tranquility of the surroundings.’
The Marquess and Marquess of Cholmondeley are known to host lavish parties on the estate, including a music festival known as the Houghton Festival.
Billed as Britain’s only 24-hour music festival, it is the brainchild of DJ Craig Richards, who launched the event in 2017.
More than 200 artists performed on 13 stages from last Thursday through Sunday, with music always playing on the Houghton Estate’s site. In 2023, more than 12,000 people joined in the fun.
Houghton Hall in Norfolk is the seat of the Marquess and Marchioness of Cholmondeley. The stately home is located just a mile and a half from Kate and William’s home at Anmer Hall.
Picture: The 50-acre forest area where the cabins will be located. There will be more than 40 cabins, as well as three dedicated wellness pods offering contrast therapy, hot saunas inside, icy outdoor plunge pools and hot tubs on the deck.
In a photo from the event, the Princess appears deep in conversation with the Marchioness, a drink in hand.
The mother-of-three was dining at Houghton Hall with the Marquess and Marchioness of Cholmondeley and a friend persuaded Princess Kate to attend, a source told the Daily Mail at the time.
‘After dinner, one of the guests suggested Catherine go to the festival,’ the source said.
‘Catherine was nervous about the idea, but after a long discussion with the guards, she left with a large number of guards. William wasn’t there.’
