Party Like A Princess… at Cliveden House

Party Like A Princess… at Cliveden House

We can think of hundreds of five-star reasons why Meghan Markle might have chosen Cliveden House to stay in as her last night as a non-Royal. This Grade 1-listed hotel is located only 10 miles from her wedding venue Windsor Castle, but so are plenty of other palatial hotels.

Perhaps it was down to the acres of National Trust gardens, the John Singer Sargent and Gainsborough portraits on the walls, or the newly renovated spa where Markle might have enjoyed some stress-relieving yoga with mum Doria.

We might never find out, but perhaps the reason was simply that sophisticated Americans have had a long association with this most stately of stately homes.

Cliveden was once the country retreat of Anglo-American Nancy Langhorne Astor, the Virginia-raised first female Member of Parliament. Astor and her husband, the New York-born Waldorf Astor (and there’s a name to make you think of bank vaults), were given Cliveden by Waldorf’s father, the 1st Viscount Astor, in 1906 and it remained their home for over half a century.

Sir Winston Churchill was a regular guest, and his mother, Lady Randolph Churchill (nee Jennie Jerome) was American born. Henry Ford and President Roosevelt are two other famous US visitors.

We think Meghan and Harry will be back, perhaps to celebrate their first year anniversary in May 2019. Thomson & Scott will be waiting for them! Thomson & Scott Prosecco is already being served in the bar, and the Sparkler Rosé is waiting in the wings (and here it is overlooking the Italianate gardens from one of Cliveden’s many roof terraces).