• Seven-bedroom Warwick Lodge, originally the family home of Thomas Cubitt, is up for sale in London. All photos: Jackson-Stops
    Seven-bedroom Warwick Lodge, originally the family home of Thomas Cubitt, is up for sale in London. All photos: Jackson-Stops
  • A statue of Thomas Cubitt stands close to house. Cubitt is an ancestor of Camilla, Duchess of Cornwall.
    A statue of Thomas Cubitt stands close to house. Cubitt is an ancestor of Camilla, Duchess of Cornwall.
  • The ground-floor reception room. Warwick Lodge provides 7,000 sq ft of living space and 1,005 sq ft of balconies and terraces.
    The ground-floor reception room. Warwick Lodge provides 7,000 sq ft of living space and 1,005 sq ft of balconies and terraces.
  • The entrance hall of the property.
    The entrance hall of the property.
  • It has what is believed to be the largest garden in Pimlico and the West End.
    It has what is believed to be the largest garden in Pimlico and the West End.
  • A first-floor living area.
    A first-floor living area.
  • The family kitchen and breakfast room.
    The family kitchen and breakfast room.
  • The main bathroom.
    The main bathroom.
  • The principal bedroom suite, which has a walk-in wardrobe, separate dressing room and a bathroom.
    The principal bedroom suite, which has a walk-in wardrobe, separate dressing room and a bathroom.
  • The walk-in wardrobe.
    The walk-in wardrobe.
  • The property also has a fitness suite with gym, steam room, sauna and bathroom.
    The property also has a fitness suite with gym, steam room, sauna and bathroom.
  • The sauna.
    The sauna.
  • The media room.
    The media room.

Ancestral home of UK duchess Camilla with huge garden for £10m - London luxury property


  • English
  • Arabic

London is awash with spectacular properties, and The National's London luxury property series showcases the best of them. This month, the featured property is a right royal affair.

Featured property

Warwick Lodge, Pimlico, SW1 - £10 million ($12m)

The key details

Providing 7,000 sq ft of living space and 1,005 sq ft of balconies and terraces, Warwick Lodge is a seven-bedroom house on the corner of London’s Warwick Square with what is believed to be the largest garden in the Pimlico.

The property was the family home of an ancestor of Camilla, the Duchess of Cornwall, wife of the UK's Prince Charles.

It is for sale via agents Jackson-Stops and Radstock Property.

What's the story?

Warwick Lodge was one of three family homes in Warwick Square owned and inhabited by the Cubitt family, whose patriarch was master builder Thomas Cubitt (1788-1855).

Cubitt founded his building company Cubitt & Co in 1810 and is renowned for building parts of the Grosvenor Estate (Belgravia and Pimlico) and royal residences including Buckingham Palace (east front) and Osborne House. Camilla, Duchess of Cornwall, is a Cubitt through her mother Rosalind, with Thomas Cubitt her great-great-great grandfather.

Together with his nephew Andrew, Cubitt designed the lodge to be the family's preferred home. He used his close relationship with Lord Grosvenor to obtain permission for the large walled garden, where the younger members of the clan played.

The Cubitt family owned the lodge until 1919.

Now Warwick Lodge, it has been fully modernised by design house Chester Jones and offers substantial accommodation over lower ground, ground, first and second floors.

A statue of Thomas Cubitt stands near Warwick Lodge in Pimlico. Photo: Jackson-Stops
A statue of Thomas Cubitt stands near Warwick Lodge in Pimlico. Photo: Jackson-Stops

What are the design features?

Warwick Lodge is a grand white-stucco Victorian house with large bay windows opening on to a walled garden measuring 70ft by 60ft, with a patio for alfresco dining and entertaining.

The house has an entrance hall, reception room and family kitchen/breakfast room on the ground floor, all opening on to or offering views over the garden. On the first floor is a large drawing room with access on to a roof terrace, and an anteroom with a step-out balcony. On its own private level on the top floor is the first of two principal bedroom suites, with a bedroom that overlooks the garden and opens on to a balcony, walk-in dressing room and a bathroom with bath and separate shower.

On the lower ground floor, patios enable natural light to cascade into the living spaces. The second principal bedroom suite has a sizeable bedroom, walk-in wardrobe, separate dressing room and a bathroom.

There are four further bedrooms and three bathrooms, a fitness suite with gymnasium, steam room, sauna and bathroom, a TV/media room, a utility room and a self-contained studio with its own kitchen, bathroom and separate access (serving as a staff flat or seventh bedroom).

Camilla, Duchess of Cornwall, is a Cubitt through her mother Rosalind, with Thomas Cubitt her great-great-great grandfather. Getty
Camilla, Duchess of Cornwall, is a Cubitt through her mother Rosalind, with Thomas Cubitt her great-great-great grandfather. Getty

What the broker says

What makes the property stand out from the crowd?

Warwick Lodge is one of the most important houses to come on to the market in the local area for some years, yet the price is highly competitive and offers substantial value-for-money compared to an equivalent house of this size and garden in Belgravia or Mayfair. Combining period and modern features, this large house offers an abundance of bedrooms, reception and entertaining space.

Are there similar homes in London?

There are other white stucco family houses built in Pimlico and Belgravia by Thomas Cubitt as part of the Grosvenor Estate, however, Warwick Lodge is unique because this was built by Thomas for his own family and the house is very unusual as it is built on a double plot and opens on to an extremely large walled garden.

Of the garden and adjoining central gardens of Warwick Square, the leafy setting is like being in the country rather than in the heart of central London. The walled garden is believed to be the largest residential garden in the Pimlico and Buckingham Palace area — only the gardens at Forbes House and Clarence House are larger.

The Band of the Coldstream Guards playing in the capacious gardens of Clarence House. AFP
The Band of the Coldstream Guards playing in the capacious gardens of Clarence House. AFP

What kind of buyer would the property most suit?

Warwick Lodge is perfect for a family and for someone wanting a London residence where they can entertain, work from home and enjoy the garden.

In recent years Pimlico and Warwick Square has captured the attention of buyers from the Gulf who had been looking at homes in adjacent Belgravia but been attracted to Pimlico because the homes and garden squares are very similar to Belgravia but better value for money.

Why is now a good time to buy in London?

With its green parks and garden squares, London remains a city which attracts buyers from around the world. As international flights have started to resume, the housing market has rebounded and prices and sales have begun to rise.

Now is the time to get on to the London housing ladder before the market becomes truly buoyant again as flights and overseas buyers return in strong numbers.

George Franks, Director at Radstock Property

How to join and use Abu Dhabi’s public libraries

• There are six libraries in Abu Dhabi emirate run by the Department of Culture and Tourism, including one in Al Ain and Al Dhafra.

• Libraries are free to visit and visitors can consult books, use online resources and study there. Most are open from 8am to 8pm on weekdays, closed on Fridays and have variable hours on Saturdays, except for Qasr Al Watan which is open from 10am to 8pm every day.

• In order to borrow books, visitors must join the service by providing a passport photograph, Emirates ID and a refundable deposit of Dh400. Members can borrow five books for three weeks, all of which are renewable up to two times online.

• If users do not wish to pay the fee, they can still use the library’s electronic resources for free by simply registering on the website. Once registered, a username and password is provided, allowing remote access.

• For more information visit the library network's website.

How to protect yourself when air quality drops

Install an air filter in your home.

Close your windows and turn on the AC.

Shower or bath after being outside.

Wear a face mask.

Stay indoors when conditions are particularly poor.

If driving, turn your engine off when stationary.

THE%20STRANGERS'%20CASE
%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EDirector%3C%2Fstrong%3E%3A%20Brandt%20Andersen%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EStarring%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3EOmar%20Sy%2C%20Jason%20Beghe%2C%20Angeliki%20Papoulia%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3ERating%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%204%2F5%3C%2Fp%3E%0A

Where to Find Me by Alba Arikha
Alma Books 

The President's Cake

Director: Hasan Hadi

Starring: Baneen Ahmad Nayyef, Waheed Thabet Khreibat, Sajad Mohamad Qasem 

Rating: 4/5

The specs: 2018 Nissan Altima


Price, base / as tested: Dh78,000 / Dh97,650

Engine: 2.5-litre in-line four-cylinder

Power: 182hp @ 6,000rpm

Torque: 244Nm @ 4,000rpm

Transmission: Continuously variable tranmission

Fuel consumption, combined: 7.6L / 100km

UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
%20Ramez%20Gab%20Min%20El%20Akher
%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3ECreator%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20Ramez%20Galal%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EStarring%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20Ramez%20Galal%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EStreaming%20on%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3EMBC%20Shahid%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3ERating%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3E2.5%2F5%3C%2Fp%3E%0A

States of Passion by Nihad Sirees,
Pushkin Press

The burning issue

The internal combustion engine is facing a watershed moment – major manufacturer Volvo is to stop producing petroleum-powered vehicles by 2021 and countries in Europe, including the UK, have vowed to ban their sale before 2040. The National takes a look at the story of one of the most successful technologies of the last 100 years and how it has impacted life in the UAE.

Part three: an affection for classic cars lives on

Read part two: how climate change drove the race for an alternative 

Read part one: how cars came to the UAE

Harry%20%26%20Meghan
%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EDirector%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3ELiz%20Garbus%26nbsp%3B%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EStars%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20Duke%20and%20Duchess%20of%20Sussex%0D%3Cbr%3E%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3ERating%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3E3%2F5%3C%2Fp%3E%0A

Mercer, the investment consulting arm of US services company Marsh & McLennan, expects its wealth division to at least double its assets under management (AUM) in the Middle East as wealth in the region continues to grow despite economic headwinds, a company official said.

Mercer Wealth, which globally has $160 billion in AUM, plans to boost its AUM in the region to $2-$3bn in the next 2-3 years from the present $1bn, said Yasir AbuShaban, a Dubai-based principal with Mercer Wealth.

Within the next two to three years, we are looking at reaching $2 to $3 billion as a conservative estimate and we do see an opportunity to do so,” said Mr AbuShaban.

Mercer does not directly make investments, but allocates clients’ money they have discretion to, to professional asset managers. They also provide advice to clients.

“We have buying power. We can negotiate on their (client’s) behalf with asset managers to provide them lower fees than they otherwise would have to get on their own,” he added.

Mercer Wealth’s clients include sovereign wealth funds, family offices, and insurance companies among others.

From its office in Dubai, Mercer also looks after Africa, India and Turkey, where they also see opportunity for growth.

Wealth creation in Middle East and Africa (MEA) grew 8.5 per cent to $8.1 trillion last year from $7.5tn in 2015, higher than last year’s global average of 6 per cent and the second-highest growth in a region after Asia-Pacific which grew 9.9 per cent, according to consultancy Boston Consulting Group (BCG). In the region, where wealth grew just 1.9 per cent in 2015 compared with 2014, a pickup in oil prices has helped in wealth generation.

BCG is forecasting MEA wealth will rise to $12tn by 2021, growing at an annual average of 8 per cent.

Drivers of wealth generation in the region will be split evenly between new wealth creation and growth of performance of existing assets, according to BCG.

Another general trend in the region is clients’ looking for a comprehensive approach to investing, according to Mr AbuShaban.

“Institutional investors or some of the families are seeing a slowdown in the available capital they have to invest and in that sense they are looking at optimizing the way they manage their portfolios and making sure they are not investing haphazardly and different parts of their investment are working together,” said Mr AbuShaban.

Some clients also have a higher appetite for risk, given the low interest-rate environment that does not provide enough yield for some institutional investors. These clients are keen to invest in illiquid assets, such as private equity and infrastructure.

“What we have seen is a desire for higher returns in what has been a low-return environment specifically in various fixed income or bonds,” he said.

“In this environment, we have seen a de facto increase in the risk that clients are taking in things like illiquid investments, private equity investments, infrastructure and private debt, those kind of investments were higher illiquidity results in incrementally higher returns.”

The Abu Dhabi Investment Authority, one of the largest sovereign wealth funds, said in its 2016 report that has gradually increased its exposure in direct private equity and private credit transactions, mainly in Asian markets and especially in China and India. The authority’s private equity department focused on structured equities owing to “their defensive characteristics.”

FFP EXPLAINED

What is Financial Fair Play?
Introduced in 2011 by Uefa, European football’s governing body, it demands that clubs live within their means. Chiefly, spend within their income and not make substantial losses.

What the rules dictate?
The second phase of its implementation limits losses to €30 million (Dh136m) over three seasons. Extra expenditure is permitted for investment in sustainable areas (youth academies, stadium development, etc). Money provided by owners is not viewed as income. Revenue from “related parties” to those owners is assessed by Uefa's “financial control body” to be sure it is a fair value, or in line with market prices.

What are the penalties?
There are a number of punishments, including fines, a loss of prize money or having to reduce squad size for European competition – as happened to PSG in 2014. There is even the threat of a competition ban, which could in theory lead to PSG’s suspension from the Uefa Champions League.

South Africa World Cup squad

South Africa: Faf du Plessis (c), Hashim Amla, Quinton de Kock (w), JP Duminy, Imran Tahir, Aiden Markram, David Miller, Lungi Ngidi, Anrich Nortje, Andile Phehlukwayo, Dwaine Pretorius, Kagiso Rabada, Tabraiz Shamsi, Dale Steyn, Rassie van der Dussen.

The specs

Price: From Dh529,000

Engine: 5-litre V8

Transmission: Eight-speed auto

Power: 520hp

Torque: 625Nm

Fuel economy, combined: 12.8L/100km

COMPANY%20PROFILE%20
%3Cp%3EName%3A%20DarDoc%3Cbr%3EBased%3A%20Abu%20Dhabi%3Cbr%3EFounders%3A%20Samer%20Masri%2C%20Keswin%20Suresh%3Cbr%3ESector%3A%20HealthTech%3Cbr%3ETotal%20funding%3A%20%24800%2C000%3Cbr%3EInvestors%3A%20Flat6Labs%2C%20angel%20investors%20%2B%20Incubated%20by%20Hub71%2C%20Abu%20Dhabi's%20Department%20of%20Health%3Cbr%3ENumber%20of%20employees%3A%2010%3C%2Fp%3E%0A
Star%20Wars%3A%20Episode%20I%20%E2%80%93%20The%20Phantom%20Menace
%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EDeveloper%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20Big%20Ape%20Productions%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EPublisher%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20LucasArts%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EConsoles%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20PC%2C%20PlayStation%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3ERating%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%202%2F5%3C%2Fp%3E%0A
MATCH INFO

Uefa Champions League semi-final, first leg

Tottenham 0-1 Ajax, Tuesday

Second leg

Ajax v Tottenham, Wednesday, May 8, 11pm

Game is on BeIN Sports

UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
Updated: July 21, 2022, 6:12 AM