King Charles has reportedly acquired a £3 million country estate in Wiltshire, a move believed to be aimed at preserving Queen Camilla’s privacy at her cherished Ray Mill House.
According to The Mail on Sunday, the king privately purchased the adjacent property, The Old Mill, which sits along the River Avon and has historical ties dating back to the Norman Conquest.
The publication cites a source who revealed that plans to sell The Old Mill and convert it into a wedding venue had caused Camilla “great anxiety.”
The insider explained, “Think of it – dozens of wedding guests carousing every weekend just the other side of her fence.”
They further added, “The new arrangement is a pragmatic solution, being both a sound financial investment and a way of maintaining Her Majesty’s privacy, protection and continued enjoyment of her much-loved home, without any public funds being used.
“I know how grateful and relieved she is, not least given all the additional stresses and anxieties of the past year.”
Queen Camilla originally purchased Ray Mill House in the mid-1990s for £850,000 following her divorce from Andrew Parker Bowles. It served as her main residence from 1996 to 2003, and she now uses it as a private retreat away from the demands of royal life.
The estate offers seclusion and features amenities such as an outdoor swimming pool, stables, and sprawling gardens. Camilla has turned to Ray Mill House during significant personal moments, including following the passing of Queen Elizabeth II in September 2022. The property has also been the setting for her 75th birthday portraits and her daughter Laura Lopes’ wedding reception in 2006.
The acquisition of The Old Mill suggests King Charles is making efforts to further safeguard Camilla’s privacy, ensuring she has a secure and peaceful escape near his own estate, Highgrove House.
While Ray Mill House remains Camilla’s sanctuary, King Charles has long favored Highgrove House in Gloucestershire, which he purchased in 1980.
Royal author Robert Hardman described the secluded estate as Charles’ “sanctuary” in his book Charles III. He wrote, “In good times and bad, as both the Prince of Wales and now as king, he likes to retreat to his ‘sanctuary’, his tiny chapel in the grounds of Highgrove, to gather his thoughts.”
Charles himself has acknowledged the importance of having a truly private refuge. Speaking in 2008, he stated, “The great thing is that it is somewhere where nobody can get me. Anywhere in the house, there is always a telephone, or somebody can always come. It is very important to have somewhere just to allow a moment.”
Buckingham Palace has not officially confirmed King Charles’ purchase of The Old Mill. However, the move is widely seen as a deliberate effort to ensure Camilla retains her much-valued privacy.
Royal Insider has reached out to Buckingham Palace for comment.
