Celebrity interior designer Laurence Llewelyn-Bowen has criticised Buckingham Palace and shared his views on Meghan Markle, the Prince Harry and Royal Family rift, and his life in the Cotswolds
Laurence Llewelyn-Bowen has delivered a scathing assessment of one of Britain’s most iconic buildings — while also sharing his views on Meghan Markle’s experience of life within the Royal Family.
The former Changing Rooms star, 61, has never been one to shy away from expressing his opinions and has revealed that he recently paid a visit to Buckingham Palace, suggesting the legendary royal residence could benefit from one of his signature makeovers.
“I was at Buckingham Palace recently and it looks like Fawlty Towers. Once a grand, lovely space, it now has a feeling of a shuffy old golf hotel, which smells of cabbage and sticky carpets,” he told Heat.
The interior designer, who presents the True Royalty podcast, also reflected on the Duchess of Sussex’s time within the Royal Family, claiming: “I think she felt that she was in The Princess Diaries and mistook joining the British royal family for Genovia.”
Addressing the ongoing rift between Harry and the Royal Family, he said: “I might live quite close to the King, but he keeps very close counsel on that. I’m sure it’s a source of great sadness that he doesn’t have easy access to Harry and his grandchildren. As a grandfather myself, it would break my heart not to see my silly, foolish, flighty grandchildren every day,” reports the Express.
Turning away from royal matters, Laurence also opened up about his home life with his wife Jackie, whom he has been wed to for 37 years, having first met as teenagers. “We’ve done everything together. Me being on telly and everything I’ve achieved has been with her motivating it and calling the shots. We are such incredible friends and have this great life with more than enough gin, because that is the secret to a happy life,” he said.
He jested that Jackie has now barred him from participating in any further reality television following his terrifying ordeal on Celebrity Bear Hunt, where he required rescuing after losing consciousness beneath a capsized raft during a task with Bear Grylls in Costa Rica.
“I loved it! Despite the whole dying thing,” he said, before adding: “It was an extraordinary experience. In my head, I was James Bond, but in reality, I was Grandpa Pig.”
He also remarked: “Mrs Llewelyn-Bowen has forbidden me from doing anything. I can’t even do Bake Off because the cherry falls off the top of the cake and hits me in the eye.”
The television personality is now relishing what he describes as a “reinvention” as an artist and recently pondered the life he has established in the Cotswolds.
Laurence and his family relocated to a 17th-century Grade II-listed manor house in Siddington, a village just outside Cirencester, in 2007. Laurence has previously spoken warmly of the nearby town of Cirencester, describing it as “a wonderful place” owing to its flourishing independent businesses.
He has also remarked that he and his family reside in the “slumming end” of the area, alongside the King, Princess Anne and the late Jilly Cooper, rather than the celebrity hotspot associated with the likes of David Beckham, Jeremy Clarkson and David Cameron.
“It’s all about start-ups,” he said. “It’s all about people who’ve got a real passion for what they do, be that furnishing accessories, be that fashion, be that coffee, be that restaurants. We’ve got some incredible restaurants in Cirencester now as well.”
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