King Charles Purchases £3 Million Property to Protect Queen Camilla's Cherished Wiltshire Retreat
In a move that combines strategic security planning with marital devotion, King Charles has purchased a £3 million property adjacent to Queen Camilla's beloved country home, Ray Mill House in Wiltshire, to prevent it from being developed into a wedding venue that could have compromised her privacy and security.
The property, known as The Old Mill, stands just 30 feet from Raymill, the sanctuary Camilla has maintained for over 30 years since purchasing it following her 1995 divorce from Andrew Parker Bowles. Sources close to the royal couple reveal that Camilla was experiencing "great anxiety" over plans to convert the neighboring property into a commercial venue that would have brought crowds of wedding guests to her doorstep every weekend.
"Think of it – dozens of wedding guests carousing every weekend just the other side of her fence," one source familiar with the situation explained.
Ray Mill House has served as Camilla's personal retreat away from royal duties and public scrutiny, becoming increasingly important during recent challenging times. It was where she sought solace following Queen Elizabeth II's funeral in 2022 and has provided essential respite during the King's cancer treatment over the past year.
"She has her horses, she walks her dogs and she loves spending time with her family," a friend of the Queen disclosed. "This business with her neighbour was frankly the last thing she needed."
The property developer, Phil Clayton, had purchased The Old Mill seven years ago for £675,000 and immediately began extensive renovations that created tension with Camilla and other neighbors. Most controversially, Clayton converted a former garage on the grounds into a £160-per-night holiday apartment, marketed on Airbnb, situated just 200 feet from Camilla's front door.
This rental arrangement allowed tourists from around the world to potentially glimpse the Queen and use the private access road she shared with Clayton's property. According to royal insiders, the situation had become "intolerable" when plans emerged to sell the property to a developer with intentions to establish a wedding venue.
Last month, with mounting concerns over potential risks to Camilla's safety and privacy, the King stepped in at the eleventh hour, using private funds to purchase The Old Mill. The property will now have a "security-vetted tenant" to ensure it is used appropriately.
A royal source described the acquisition as "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."
Ray Mill House, built around 1860 in the Italianate style, boasts 12 acres of gardens and orchards alongside a secluded, walled swimming pool reportedly cherished by Camilla's grandchildren. The property has remained central to family life, hosting her daughter Laura Lopes' wedding reception in 2006 and being expanded in 2009 to create more space for her grandchildren.
This isn't the first time Camilla has faced issues with neighboring properties. She previously had problems with The Old Mill's former owner, Ralph Adams, who died in 2017, including a dispute over an overgrown hedge and objections when she sought planning permission for security staff buildings.
Beyond providing immediate relief to current security concerns, the King's purchase has strategic long-term implications. It secures control of the 400-yard private road leading to both properties, which previously belonged to The Old Mill's owners despite Camilla having legal right to use it. This effectively prevented her from restricting public access to her property.
Perhaps most significantly, the arrangement helps safeguard Camilla's future security. Sources suggest that if she outlives the King, she is likely to permanently retreat to Ray Mill House rather than reside in a royal palace.
"I know how grateful and relieved she is," the royal source added, "not least given all the additional stresses and anxieties of the past year."
Buckingham Palace has declined to comment on the private purchase.
