Catherine Zeta-Jones And Michael Douglas Reportedly Pay A Hefty Price To Be King Charles' Neighbor
Catherine Zeta-Jones and Michael Douglas have reportedly moved into an apartment in St. James' Palace. This is the oldest royal palace in London to be standing and is the residence of the Prince of Wales, Princess Royal, as well as Princess Alexandra. The palace was commissioned by Henry VIII and built where the old Hospital of St. James once stood, which is where it received its name (via Royal UK).
The power couple is known for their adoration and love of the royal family and openly speaks to the media and public about their interest in the monarchy. The Mirror noted that Zeta-Jones once said, "I'm a massive royalist. In our family we'll dress up on royal occasions. My son will wear a top hat and tails, and we'll have scones." And, according to Daily Mail, the couple has reportedly rented the apartment to function as their base for when they travel to London, England.
The cost of living at St. James' Palace isn't small
Apartment rentals at St. James' Palace became available in 2015, however, there is a hefty price tag to pay if you're looking to live among the royals. A one-bedroom apartment at the palace is currently up for rent for just under 4,000 pounds a month. Apartment rentals in St. James' Palace are rare and can be extremely pricey, depending on what you're in the market for. According to Daily Mail, a four-bedroom maisonette that was listed in 2015 cost 20,000 pounds a month for rent, or close to 250,000 pounds a year.
At the time that rentals were made available, a source told Daily Mail, "In theory, anyone can apply but all prospective tenants will be subject to security and background checks." Several important royal events have taken place at St. James' Palace, including the christenings of the Prince and Princess of Wales's sons, Prince George and Prince Louis, as well as King Charles' formal proclamation.
Living at St. James' Palace means living among the royals
The palace is steeped in history and is the place to live if you're looking to gain royals as your neighbors and don't mind the price tag. When it came to Michael Douglas and Catherine Zeta-Jones, an insider told Daily Mail, "It's just perfect for their requirements when they're visiting the capital." The actors own several properties throughout the world where they split their time with their two children; including homes in Bermuda, Majorca, Colorado, Wales, and two apartments in New York (via TopTenRealEstateDeals).
While it may seem like the pair has a variety of homes to live in, Zeta-Jones' adoration for the royal family is suspected to be a driving factor in the choice to move to the palace. The Daily Mail noted that she once said: "I had a wonderful lunch with Camilla and Lady Astor in New York years ago, before they were even married, and I loved her. What you see is what you get with Camilla."