Princess Anne's secret extension at Gatcombe Park's private lodge

Princess Anne and Sir Timothy Laurence are lucky to have an enormous property sitting on more than 700 acres of land to call their home.

The Princess Royal and her husband of 32 years have lived at Gatcombe Park in Gloucestershire as a pair ever since they wed in 1992, but Anne has known it as home since her mother, the late Queen, gifted the royal residence to her in the 1970s.

Princess Anne, 74, is clearly devoted to her home as she's made sure it's remained in stellar condition, including upgrading building work and overseeing renovations.

© Samir Hussein/WireImage

In 2018, around the time her daughter Zara Tindall, who also lives on the Gatcombe estate, welcomed her second child, Anne sought planning permission to refresh and extend a private lodge on the estate.

It was reported at the time that Stroud District Council had granted permission for the renovations to go ahead. 

According to documents seen by the Daily Mail, the extension was being undertaken on a lodge located between Anne and Zara's properties on the estate and consisted of increasing the floor space from 115.5 square metres to 135.5 square metres.

The ground floor of the lodge was given a revamp thanks to a wall from the kitchen into the dining room being knocked through to create a larger space.

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Elsewhere, the lodge was extended to accommodate a ground-floor toilet and utility area, and the lean-to conservatory was replaced with a new and improved structure.

Upstairs, the lodge received a new bedroom thanks to the extension, and the original small bedroom was converted into a master room with an en suite bathroom.

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The private lodge's usage has not been made public, the official documents state it is classed as a "single-use dwelling". 

Anne and Timothy live at Gatcombe's main building, while Zara and Mike reside at Aston Farm just a short walk away, so it's possible the lodge is used to house either security or other staff members.

© Tim Graham, Getty

Princess Anne's incredible estate she calls home

Anne's manor is reported to have five bedrooms, four secondary bedrooms, four reception rooms, a grand library, a billiard room and a conservatory.

The estate has a working farm with livestock that Anne has tended to and overseen for years.

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The main house on the Gatcombe estate is not the only property to have undergone renovations. 

Zara and Mike's home, Aston Farmhouse, has also had work done.

In 2018, they submitted plans to add a conservatory to the home as part of a two-storey extension. The expansion allowed for an open-plan kitchen and dining room, and a new ground-floor toilet and utility area.

The family also have access to a 'party barn' on site, which they use for hosting functions and gatherings.