Queen Camilla passes on her 'best therapy' as Charles expands neighbourhood

Queen Camilla has quietly passed on her cherished Ray Mill House in Wiltshire to her family, ending a chapter at the property she has called home for decades. 

The Queen, who purchased the estate in 1996 for £850,000 following her divorce from Andrew Parker Bowles, has officially registered ownership under her children’s representatives Harry Lopes and financier Jake Irwin, acting for Laura Lopes and Tom Parker Bowles.

Ray Mill House has long held a special place in Camilla’s heart. She lived there for seven years after her divorce, and it has been the backdrop for family milestones. 

In 2025, the Queen revealed her green-thumbed side at the Sandringham Flower Show, calling gardening at Ray Mill House “the best therapy in the world” and joking about the unexpected challenge of endless watering.

Meanwhile, King Charles has been expanding the royal footprint in the area, purchasing a neighboring property for £3 million last year, which shares a private lane with Ray Mill House. He reportedly used private funds for the acquisition.

The Queen hasn’t just been tending to plants; she’s also navigating local bureaucracy.

Recently, she applied to Wiltshire Council for permission to remove a cypress tree from the grounds.