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Prince Andrew “terrified” to leave Royal Lodge amid eviction rumours

<p dir="ltr">Prince Andrew is refusing to exit his royal residence as renovations are carried out on the Windsor property, despite advice to the contrary.</p> <p dir="ltr">According to <em>The Daily Mail</em>, the 63-year-old is putting his foot down over fears that he “might never get back in”, likely in response to circulating rumours that his brother - King Charles - wants to evict Andrew from the home as part of his grand plan to scale back the monarchy. </p> <p dir="ltr">While Andrew no longer holds any official royal duty after his involvement in the Jeffrey Epstein scandal, he still maintains his claim on the mansion with his ex-wife, Sarah Ferguson.</p> <p dir="ltr">And now, that same property is set to become “virtually a building site”, with Andrew having hired builders to undertake necessary repair work on the property, tackling everything from damp to mould. </p> <p dir="ltr">As a source told <em>Page Six</em>, Andrew was reportedly advised to vacate “while work was undertaken” over the course of a few months, “but he’s refused because he’s so terrified that the property might be seized in his absence.</p> <p dir="ltr">“In the meantime, Harry and Meghan vacated Frogmore after being told they needed to leave to make way for Andrew but he is refusing to go there, even though he was given the keys.</p> <p dir="ltr">“He’s allowing Eugenie to stay there. She’s just given birth to her second child so while she recovers and gets back on her feet, she’s staying in Frogmore to be near her mum and dad.”</p> <p dir="ltr">And while some believe the temporary move would make sense for Andrew, his fears remain at the forefront. </p> <p dir="ltr">“It’s become farcical,' an insider told <em>The Daily Mail</em>.  “Andrew has roof repairs scheduled later this summer which will take several months to complete and has been advised that staying in the house during those renovations could prove problematic. But he is reluctant to leave.”</p> <p dir="ltr">Buckingham Palace has yet to comment on the rumours, but another source is adamant that the Duke of York will remain in the property, <a href="post.php?post=134779&amp;action=edit&amp;classic-editor">regardless of alleged drama and financial woes</a>. </p> <p dir="ltr">As <em>Page Six</em> noted, Andrew has been making the most of money left to him by the late Queen Elizabeth to fix up the house, with one source explaining that “he’s been quite open about where the money has come from because he doesn’t want people to think he’s come up with it through other means.</p> <p dir="ltr">“The costs are expected to reach into the hundreds of thousands of pounds.”</p> <p dir="ltr">And, as they surmised, Andrew “is adamant that he will see out the end of his [75-year] lease at Royal Lodge.”</p> <p dir="ltr"><em>Images: Getty</em></p> <p> </p>

Real Estate

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An Italian lodge jumps the Swiss border

<p dir="ltr">The borders in the European Alps have been the source of some strange happenings recently, including a border-jumping ski lodge.</p> <p dir="ltr">Refugio Cervino, a two-storey lodge built on the Italian side of Theodul Glacier, has been slowly moving towards Switzerland - and its international movement has called its ownership and national boundaries into dispute.</p> <p dir="ltr">The border between Italy and Switzerland has previously been defined at the boundary of the Theodul drainage divide, the point where melted water either flows south to Italy or north towards Switzerland.</p> <p dir="ltr">However, rising temperatures have changed the flow of water.</p> <p dir="ltr">As a result, two-thirds of the Refugio sits in Switzerland while the remaining third is in Italy, and has become a subject of diplomatic negotiations.</p> <p dir="ltr">According to Agence France Presse, a compromise to redraw the boundaries was reached last year - but that doesn’t stop the ever-increasing glacier melt.</p> <p dir="ltr">Swisstopo, which stays on top of the official boundaries of the Confédération Helvétique, will be changing the boundaries in 2023.</p> <p dir="ltr">"We agreed to split the difference," chief border official Alain Wicht told AFP.</p> <p dir="ltr">Though international surveyors have previously been brought in to determine where the boundary should sit previously, Mr Wicht says the Refugio is a sensitive issue as the Theodul Glacier is “the only place where we suddenly had a building involved”.</p> <p dir="ltr">The Swiss have taken a more neutral stance in the debate, but the Italians are unwilling to part with the building without compensation, </p> <p dir="ltr">"The refuge remains Italian because we have always been Italian," Refugio’s caretaker, 51-year-old Lucio Trucco, says.</p> <p dir="ltr">For now, the refuge will be an enclave of Italy within Switzerland until the borders are changed.</p> <p><span id="docs-internal-guid-3d7b9463-7fff-3769-cf91-d68e9a97682f"></span></p> <p dir="ltr"><em>Image: Getty Images</em></p>

International Travel

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Te Ariki Nui: A luxury lodge in the remote wilderness of New Zealand’s Wanaka

<p><em>Justine Tyerman comes across a 'talking landscape' on the outskirts of Wanaka in the South Island of New Zealand </em></p> <p>I’ve made the pilgrimage to Wanaka hundreds of times since the days of my youth and we’ve always stayed within sight of the lake.</p> <p>The panorama of Lake Wanaka is without doubt magnificent but it’s a busy, bossy view which demands to be looked at all the time – jet boats, para-gliders, water skiers, kayakers, rowers and swimmers. The lake is seldom quiet and even when it is, it exerts a magnetic force that compels one to watch it. Hours can be lost just gazing at its changing moods from satin smooth to grey and stormy.</p> <p>But on this occasion, we needed a quiet hideaway to prepare for a family wedding, a place far enough away from the lake and the township to ensure privacy and deter well-meaning friends from ‘just popping in’. </p> <p>On the outskirts of town, we found Te Ariki Nui, an idyllic, peaceful rural retreat surrounded by the wild and rugged Central Otago landscape I’ve loved since my childhood days. Mountain ranges gouged by ancient glaciers, tussocks flattened by the wind and the snow, sweet-smelling pastel-hued lupins growing wild along the roadsides, sun-ripened sweet apricots and tart green gooseberries, lizards basking on the warm schist rocks, the shimmering dry heat of the Central Otago sun,  pink sunrises and golden sunsets, the long dark shadows cast by the late afternoon sun . . .</p> <p style="text-align: center;"><img width="500" height="NaN" src="https://travelmemo-wpengine.netdna-ssl.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/03/Te-ariki-nui-wanaka-landscape.jpg" alt="Te Ariki Nui Wanaka New Zealand" class="size-full wp-image-14499 no-display appear lazyloaded"/></p> <p style="text-align: center;"><em>Te Ariki Nui sits light and low on the landscape, recessed into a shallow gully.</em></p> <p>We were only 10 minutes from Wanaka but Te Ariki Nui felt like a luxury lodge in a remote wilderness. Apart from invited guests, we saw no other human beings. Our only neighbours were the sociable alpacas in the paddock next door and a large family of bobtail rabbits. </p> <p style="text-align: center;"><img width="500" height="NaN" src="https://travelmemo-wpengine.netdna-ssl.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/03/wanaka-alpacas.jpg" alt="Alpacas in Wanaka New Zealand" class="size-full wp-image-14502 no-display appear lazyloaded"/></p> <p style="text-align: center;"><em>The alpacas feeling the chill after a mid-summer snow storm.</em></p> <p>Te Ariki Nui exceeded all our expectations. Designed by award-winning architect Paul Clarke and runner-up in the 2005 New Zealand Home &amp; Entertaining Home of the Year Award,it is the Wanaka home of New Zealand fashion icon Robyn Hall.</p> <p style="text-align: center;"><img width="500" height="NaN" src="https://travelmemo-wpengine.netdna-ssl.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/03/Te-ariki-nui-wanaka-hollow.jpg" alt="Te Ariki Nui Wanaka New Zealand, photo by Simon Darby" class="size-full wp-image-14498 no-display appear lazyloaded"/></p> <p style="text-align: center;"><em>Te Ariki Nui is nestled in a hollow surrounded by 4 hectares of land on the outskirts of Wanaka.</em><br /><em> Image credit: <span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong><a href="http://www.wanakaphotography.co.nz/" target="_blank">Simon Darby Photography</a></strong></span></em></p> <p>The long, low concrete, glass and timber house sits quietly in its surroundings, allowing the landscape to take centre stage.</p> <p>I loved the simple, clean lines of the house – the dull sheen of the natural polished concrete floors, the warm glow of the tall beech doors and cabinetry against a predominantly white palette, the floor-to-ceiling glass walls, and the minimal adornment.</p> <p>“The landscape does the talking,” as Hall says.</p> <p style="text-align: center;"><img width="500" height="NaN" src="https://travelmemo-wpengine.netdna-ssl.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/03/te-ariki-nui-interior.jpg" alt="Te Ariki Nui Wanaka New Zealand" class="size-full wp-image-14489 no-display lazyloaded appear"/></p> <p style="text-align: center;"><em>The interior has minimal adornment allowing “the landscape to do the talking”, as the owner says.</em></p> <p>Four bedrooms and three bathrooms including a lovely detached, self-contained studio provided ample private space for eight of us while the large open-plan kitchen, dining and living area was perfect for family dinners and socialising.</p> <p>The kitchen was equipped with every imaginable high-end appliance and utensil along with a generous array of pantry essentials.</p> <p>The massive floor-to-ceiling glass walls on both sides of the house slid aside to unite inside and outside living areas. Double-glazing, underfloor heating and a raised gas fireplace in the lounge would make Te Ariki Nui super-cosy in winter.</p> <p style="text-align: center;"><img width="500" height="NaN" src="https://travelmemo-wpengine.netdna-ssl.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/03/te-ariki-nui-living-area.jpg" alt="Te Ariki Nui Wanaka New Zealand" class="size-full wp-image-14491 no-display lazyloaded appear"/></p> <p style="text-align: center;"><em>The massive floor-to-ceiling glass walls allow the ultimate in inside-outside living. Image credit:  Simon Darby Photography</em></p> <p>The luxurious master bedroom at the far end of the house had an Agape tear-shaped bath by the window where you could bathe while communing with nature.</p> <p><em style="text-align: center;"> </em><img width="500" height="NaN" src="https://travelmemo-wpengine.netdna-ssl.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/03/te-ariki-nui-bathroom.jpg" alt="Te Ariki Nui Wanaka New Zealand" class="size-full wp-image-14487 no-display appear lazyloaded" style="text-align: center;"/></p> <p style="text-align: center;"><em>The Agape tear-shaped bath by the floor-to-ceiling windows in the master bedroom. Image credit: Simon Darby Photography</em></p> <p>The bathrooms in the main part of the house featured glass-walled showers and unencumbered views of the landscape through full-height windows.</p> <p>An impressive gabion wall made with stones smoothed by the nearby Cardrona River provided a visual shield between the entrance pathway and the house. Rectangular steel inserts in the wall allowed light to filter into the hall and master bedroom without sacrificing privacy. </p> <p>A Jacuzzi in a sheltered courtyard offered hydro-therapy to soothe the nerves. It was quite surreal to soak in the pool surrounded by mid-summer snow on the peaks and ranges, the aftermath of an unseasonal ‘weather bomb’.</p> <p>Nearby, a table and chairs with a large shady umbrella was an ideal spot for alfresco dining.</p> <p>I liked to sit on the swing suspended from the terrace roof at the front of the house and watch the antics of the alpacas in the paddock next door. Hand-feeding the quizzical creatures provided a welcome distraction from wedding preparations.</p> <p style="text-align: center;"><img width="500" height="NaN" src="https://travelmemo-wpengine.netdna-ssl.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/03/wanaka-new-zealand-alpaca.jpg" alt="Alpacas in Wanaka New Zealand" class="size-full wp-image-14503 no-display appear lazyloaded"/></p> <p style="text-align: center;"><em>Is it feeding time?</em></p> <p>I also loved exploring the stunning collection of sculpture Hall, an enthusiastic supporter of New Zealand art, had scattered around her 4-hectare property. Large sculptures were cleverly placed outside to catch the eye while smaller pieces quietly adorned the interior but did not challenge the dominant feature, the landscape . . . art framed by the windows.</p> <p style="text-align: center;"><img width="500" height="NaN" src="https://travelmemo-wpengine.netdna-ssl.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/03/sculpture-axeman-hannah-kidd.jpg" alt="Axeman Sculpture by Hannah Kidd" class="size-full wp-image-14484 no-display appear lazyloaded"/></p> <p style="text-align: center;"><em>The axeman in the orchard at Te Ariki Nui never quite managed to fell the tree. The sculpture is by New Zealander Hannah Kidd</em></p> <p>To the right of the house, Hall has planted an impressive orchard of fruit and nut trees including hazelnuts, plums, peaches, pears, nectarines, redcurrants, cherries, apricots and gooseberries. The trees have to struggle to survive so Central Otago fruit has an intensity of flavour like no other region.</p> <p>And beyond the artworks, orchard and alpacas, a spectacular 360-degree necklace of majestic mountains - Black Peak, the Buchanan Mountains, Mt Maude, Mt Iron, Mt Barker, the Cardrona Mt Pisa Ranges - encircled the house.</p> <p>We seldom ventured into town, which was hectic with mid-summer madness, but spent our time rebonding as a family after too long apart, entertaining guests who had travelled from afar and buzzing to and from the lakeside venue with checklists of things to be done for the marquee wedding. It was like constructing a small village in a bare paddock from scratch, bringing all the infrastructure onsite.</p> <p style="text-align: center;"><img width="500" height="NaN" src="https://travelmemo-wpengine.netdna-ssl.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/03/wanaka-wedding-venue.jpg" alt="The Olive Grove wedding venue Lake Wanaka" class="size-full wp-image-14504 no-display appear lazyloaded"/></p> <p style="text-align: center;"><em>The Olive Grove wedding venue overlooking Lake Wanaka</em></p> <p>That’s when our friends at JUCY Rentals came to the party, literally. The vehicle rental agency had offered us a generous bulk deal so JUCYs were out in force, ferrying people and equipment to the venue. Our eight-seater JUCY wagon was invaluable as a people, drinks and flowers-mover.</p> <p>And at the end of a busy day, soaking in the spa pool under the stars at Te Ariki Nui, was a magical way to unwind. Lounging amid the bubbles with a glass of bubbles was sheer bliss.</p> <p>Te Ariki Nui certainly lived up to its name – translated from the Maori language, it means “Above all others”.</p> <p>FACTBOX</p> <p>*Te Ariki Nui is an ideal base for pre- and post-wedding events and holidays at any time of the year. <span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong><a href="http://www.tearikinui.nz/" target="_blank">www.tearikinui.nz/</a></strong></span></p> <p>*Pick up a JUCY Rental at Queenstown Airport and drive to Wanaka - 60 minutes over the Crown Range or 90 minutes via the Kawarau Gorge, both magnificent scenic experiences. The convenience of being able to pick up a vehicle at Queenstown Airport and drop it off in Christchurch, Wellington or Auckland makes JUCY a super-convenient choice for travellers arriving from overseas. <span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong><a href="http://www.jucy.co.nz/" target="_blank">www.jucy.co.nz</a></strong></span></p> <p>* Air New Zealand flies daily to Queenstown from Auckland, Wellington and Christchurch with connections available across the domestic network. <span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong><a href="http://www.airnewzealand.co.nz/" target="_blank">www.airnewzealand.co.nz</a></strong></span></p> <p><em>Written by Justine Tyerman. Republished with the permission of <span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong><a href="http://travelmemo.com/" target="_blank">Travelmemo.com</a></strong></span></em></p>

Domestic Travel

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