Ealing History: The Duke of Kent

Hey Ealing history buffs! Back with a bit of Ealing trivia...

Did you know that back in 1801, Prince Edward, Duke of Kent, and Queen Victoria's dad, made Ealing the place to be by moving to Castle Hill Lodge on Castlebar Hill? (I’m going to be honest, it’s not the most photogenic place - this was the best I could do on a local New Year’s Day walk.)

The Duke, who was George III's fourth son, bought the house from Maria Fitzherbert who had been living there since 1795 after her marriage to his brother, the Prince of Wales (later George IV), was annulled.

But it gets juicier – the Duke shared his swanky pad with his French-Canadian mistress, Julie de Saint-Laurent. Love a bit of scandal in Ealing's history!

And... you've probably guessed it. The much celebrated pub @dukeofkentw13 , keeps the duke's vibes alive. Cheers to the OG trendsetter, making Ealing fab even in the 1800s!