Prince William and Harry's 'luxurious' farmhouse Kate secretly visited 130 miles away

The Prince and Princess of Wales have always been notoriously private about their living situation, even long before their royal wedding in 2011.

Back in 2009, when William was working as a Flight Lieutenant at RAF Shawbury, he moved to Shropshire, 130 miles from Kate's family home in Bucklebury, Berkshire.

Instead of staying in the military base, the 27-year-old royal chose more luxurious quarters at a rural farmhouse which allowed some privacy with his then-girlfriend Kate.

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Harry, who moved in with his brother aged 24, had previously described the home as a "cottage", but Kate: A Future Queen reported it was much more impressive with features such as an outdoor swimming pool and stables.

"After a couple of weeks living at the base, which had far from luxurious living quarters, he moved to a nearby farmhouse on the grounds of a stately home, prompting comments that William was being given special treatment," the book stated.

"The Ministry of Defence, however, insisted that he was being treated 'like any other officer.' Very few of his fellow officers, however, were living in such luxury.

"Complete with a tennis court and an outdoor pool, the farmhouse was a more comfortable option when Kate visited, and there was a bedroom for Harry, who had just split up with Chelsy and was being posted to the same base to train with the Army Air Corps in the spring."

It continued by stating that when Kate wasn't visiting, William drove 130 miles to spend private time with her and the Middletons in Bucklebury, where the neighbours respected their privacy.

Harry's comments

In his tell-all book Spare, Prince Harry opened up about his "fun" pad in Shropshire where he lived with William for the first time since Eton.

"The cottage was cosy, charming, just up a narrow country lane and behind some thickly canopied trees. The fridge was stuffed with vacuum-packed meals sent by Pa's chefs. Creamy chicken and rice, beef curry. At the back of the house there were beautiful stables, which explained the horse smell in every room," he wrote.

At the time, they took part in a rare joint interview at RAF Shawbury, in which "Willy griped endlessly about my habits."

Recalling the jokey exchange, he reported William said: "'Harry's a slob, he said. Harry snores.' I turned and gave him a look. Was he joking?

"I cleaned up after myself and didn't snore. Besides, our rooms were separated by thick walls, so even if I did snore there was no way he heard. The reporters were having fits of giggles but I cut in: Lies! Lies! That only made them laugh harder. Willy too."

Attempted burglary

The rural location of the farmhouse ten minutes from the RAF base not only allowed the royals to have privacy but also encouraged some uninvited guests.

Two burglars tried to break into the home in August 2009, when the brothers weren't home, but the 24-hour armed guards prevented the crime from taking place.

A spokesman for West Mercia Police reportedly said: "I can confirm that two men were arrested at an unspecified address in Shropshire. They were cautioned with conspiracy to commit burglary."

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