Long before moving into grand residences like Adelaide Cottage and Forest Lodge on the Windsor estate, the Prince and Princess of Wales began their married life in a surprisingly modest setting. Their first home together was a rented farmhouse on the Isle of Anglesey, for which they paid a remarkably humble rent.
A Humble Beginning in Rural Wales
From 2010 to 2013, Prince William and Catherine, Princess of Wales, made the Isle of Anglesey, or Ynys Môn, their home. This period coincided with William's service as a search and rescue pilot for the RAF, based near Bodorgan. The couple settled into a property on the Newborough estate, a rural area on the island's western side.
Their home was Bodorgan Hall, a four-bedroom farmhouse featuring a traditional Welsh slate roof and white-washed stone walls. The house, built between 1779 and 1782, offered stunning views of the sea and the Eryri mountains. It included two bathrooms, a living room, dining room, kitchen, and four bedrooms, set within expansive gardens and a deer park.
Life in Isolation and a Modest Rent
Reports indicate the couple paid a mere £750 per month in rent to their landlord, Sir George Meyrick, whose family owns the Bodorgan Estate, the largest on Anglesey. This cost stands in stark contrast to the value of their current royal homes.
While William was on duty, Kate maintained a low-key routine, shopping for groceries at the Waitrose in Menai Bridge and buying pet food in Llangefni. However, in a 2020 visit to Cardiff, Kate reflected on the challenges of that time, particularly after the birth of their first son. "It was so isolated, so cut off," she confessed, "I didn't have my family around me, he was doing night shifts." The area is recognised as an Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty.
A Special Place for the Growing Family
Despite the isolation, the couple have always spoken fondly of their time in Wales. Prince George is believed to have spent his first weeks there, making Bodorgan Hall his very first home. Following George's birth in London in 2013, the family returned to Anglesey for several weeks, with Kate's mother, Carole Middleton, staying to help. The Queen's former housekeeper, Antonella Fresolone, also reportedly travelled to the island to cook for them.
Prince William has publicly expressed his affection for the island, stating: "This island has been our first home together, and it will always be an immensely special place for us both... I have never in my life known somewhere as beautiful and as welcoming as Anglesey." The couple returned to their rented farmhouse after their 2011 wedding and again after George's birth, cementing its place in their personal history before their eventual move to more official royal dwellings.
