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While Mike, from MovieShotsLA, and I were out stalking two Thursdays ago, I asked him to take me by the Hancock Park-area mansion where Prince William, Duke of Cambridge, and Catherine, Duchess of Cambridge (the former Miss Kate Middleton), stayed while visiting Los Angeles last July. Mike had found the property a few months prior thanks to fave website CurbedLA, which had done extensive reporting on the Mediterranean-style pad shortly before the royal couple touched down in La La Land on July 9th, and had stalked it shortly thereafter. Not surprisingly, I had been absolutely drooling over the pictures he snapped while there and was dying to do some stalking of the place myself. So, on our way out to Franck’s wedding coordinator shop from Father of the Bride, which I blogged about last Thursday, we took a detour to the William and Kate house.

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William and Kate’s holiday homestead is known as the Erle M. Leaf House and it was designed in 1928 by Wallace Neff, the prolific Southern California architect who also designed the estate where Amanda lived in The Holiday, Villa del Sol d’Oro from Passport to Paris, and Viola’s mansion from Monster-in-Law, as well as countless other famous movie abodes. According to Zillow, the Leaf House, which sits on almost half an acre of land, measures 7 bedrooms, 7 bathrooms, and 7,247 square feet. But there seems to be a discrepancy somewhere because the Ronald Chang Architecture team, who did a recent remodel of the dwelling, states on their website that, after the latest add-on, the residence measures 10,000 square feet. Either way, the property is quite gorgeous, but far more average than I had expected it to be.

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It is amazing to me that the heir to the British throne and his new wife stayed in such a “normal” home while visiting L.A. Yes, it is a beautiful estate and quite large, but there is no gate, no wall, no tall hedges to block it from public view. Granted, the entire street and surrounding area was barricaded by police officers and private security during the Duke and Duchess’ three-day stay, but still. I would have expected a much more private and exclusive abode to have housed them. Being that the British government purchased the property in 1957 to be used as a residence for the British Consuls-General, though, I guess it makes sense. You can check out some fabulous interior photographs of the Erle M. Leaf House and its recent remodel here. As you can see, the “before” kitchen was pretty atrocious, but the new one is absolutely to-die-for.

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On a random side-note – My girl Miss Pinky Lovejoy, of the Thinking Pink blog, did some stalking of The Lucky One premiere this past Monday evening and who should she run into while there, but the love of my life, Matt Lanter (sigh!). Pinky asked Matt for a photo, to which he happily obliged (because he’s the sweetest!), and she then mentioned my rooftop encounter with him last April. Well, in an amazing twist, Matt said he REMEMBERED ME! UM, HOW IS THAT EVEN POSSIBLE???? DYING!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Pinky then reiterated how much I loved him, that he is one of my “Top Three”, that I want to bear his children (just kidding about that last part Winking smile ) and he said to tell me “Hi”! Um, HI, MATT! When Pinky texted me the news shortly thereafter I just about hyperventilated from excitement and am still pretty much glowing over the whole thing! Best. Night. Ever.

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Big THANK YOU to Mike, from MovieShotsLA, for taking me to this location! Smile

Until next time, Happy Stalking! Smile

Stalk It: The Erle M. Leaf House, aka the Residence of the Los Angeles British Consuls-General where Prince William, Duke of Cambridge, and Catherine, Duchess of Cambridge, stayed in July 2011, is located at 450 South June Street in Hancock Park.

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