Kensington Palace spends £15,000 extending massive 950ft-long hedge 'to block the public from watching royals flying in and out by helicopter'
- The hedge has been planted to stop people seeing the Royals arriving
- They cost in the region of £15,000 to be delivered and take days of labour
- Laurel hedges can grow up to two-feet per year in optimal growing conditions
- It may take a while for the hedge to reach head height and to block out tourists
Kensington Palace has planted a 950-feet-long hedge in the back garden of the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge in order to prevent tourists photographing them coming and going via Royal helicopter.
The laurel hedge has been planted in recent days and is currently only three feet high. But it is hoped that it will quickly shoot up to above head height, cutting out all view of the back of Kensington Palace.
As Kate and William come under scrutiny from a growing amount of nosey tourists with cameras and iPhones at the ready to snap that all important picture of the Royals and their young family, they clearly felt they had no choice but to have the hedge planted.
Prince William and his wife and three children and many other members of the Royal family, fly in and out of the capital almost daily in the Royal helicopter, landing in the grounds of Kensington Palace on Perks Field.
The new hedge has been put in place in order for the Royal to have more privacy when coming and going from Kensington Palace
A Google Earth view which shows the length of the hedge and how much of the grounds it will cover
Kate Middleton seen catching a helicopter in 2015 between Norfolk and London
The Royals use the helicopter all year round and Kate and William were pictured leaving Kensington Palace in 2012 to attend an engagement in Buxton
Due to the vast size of Perks Field which extends far out to from the Palace to the east, the new hedge blocking public view has been extended an incredible 950 feet in length.
The trees are about 18 inches apart and number about 600. They cost in the region of £15,000 to be delivered, and take days of labour to plant.
In general the growth of a laurel hedge will depend on the soil the plant has been planted on as well as the conditions for growth.
A common laurel hedge can grow up to 2ft per year, so it may take a while before the hedge reaches head height and is tall enough to block out tourists.
The Royal family often uses the helicopter for various different engagements and the Queen had previously used it after the birth of Prince Louis
Prince Charles have Camilla have also previously arrived at Kensington Palace using the Royal helicopter
The Cambridge's are reportedly spending more time than ever at their Kensington Palace home and have now decided they no longer one members of the public to see them leaving and arriving.
In the past, tourists and photographers alike have flocked to see the distinctive maroon-coloured helicopter land.
The Queen had previously been photographed flying in to meet her great grandson Prince Louis for the first time and Harry and Meghan have also been photographed landing their after touring the UK.
Prince Charles and Camilla are also regular users, as are the Cambridge's.
Princess Anne had also previously been spotted using the helicopter en route to Dorset
The Queen spotted leaving Kensington Palace by car after arriving via helicopter after the birth of Prince Louis
But apparently, after decades of being on view, the Royals have now become rather tired of their coming and goings being on show.
Last year, it was reported how another smaller hedge was planted on the other side of the palace to screen a smaller garden from the well-heeled residents of Kensington Palace Gardens.
In 2017 it was revealed that mature trees — more than 200 — were brought in at a cost to the taxpayer of £20,000 to create a secret garden at Kensington Palace, so that the Royal children could enjoy a London playground shielded from prying eyes.
Speaking to the MailOnline a Palace spokesperson said: 'As part of the broader management of the Estate, the physical surroundings of Royal Residences are under constant review.
'From time to time, adjustments are made to the landscaping and gardens, including hedging.'
