One of Britain's most affluent streets is reportedly up in arms over Burberry taking over Prince William and Kate's back garden. Affluent neighbours of the area – which is dubbed billionaire's row – are said to be concerned that a Burberry fashion show taking place Perks Field which is part of the Prince and Princess of Wales's private garden at Kensington Palace. The Burberry show is set to take place during London Fashion Week later this month and the Daily Mail reports that residents are unhappy with the the prospective show going ahead.
Beyond concerns, it appears some residents have filed objections to the show with the Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea. According to the reports the local residents' association and the High Commissioner of India are among the complainants and are concerned that the high-profile event will bring see traffic, noise pollution and litter in the affluent area. However, Burberry maintains that it has consulted the Royal Household, Crown Estate and local residents for the show.
It's not the first time the English-born label has used the otherwise private fields to host their London Fashion Week shows. In 2015, the brand hosted Samuel L. Jackson, Chiwetel Ejiofor, Tinie Tempah and a host of British rockers and models in a glass greenhouse theatre, built specially for the show, at Perks Field.
As well as this, Perks Field has also been repurposed for emergency helicopters. Though the fields are usually used by residents of the palace and as a landing site for the royal family's helicopters, special exceptions to this rule have been made. During the coronavirus pandemic, the Prince of Wales gave permission for air ambulances to use a private lawn at Kensington Palace for refuelling, saving helicopters 45-mile round trips to the nearest fuelling base in Watford.
The LAAC has become close to the Prince's heart over the years, having worked as an air ambulance pilot for the East Anglian Air Ambulance for over two years. In a statement announcing his new patronage, Kensington Palace said: "His Royal Highness has seen first-hand the impact these first responders have upon the lives of patients with critical injuries. As Patron of the London's Air Ambulance Charity, the Duke will continue to champion those working on the frontline, and highlight the charity's vital work in supporting the London's Air Ambulance's rapid response to incidents, and its provision of life-saving medical treatment."
The late Queen also permitted the fields to host the country’s biggest interior design festival, Decorex, which saw more 11,000 visitors across Perks Field and the orangery. That same year, the fields were also hired to the Russian Olympic Committee for the 2012 Games.