William and Harry's secret 'Club H' in bomb-proof shelter with drinks trolley
Prince William and Prince Harry may have been royal teenagers, but they still managed to find ways to have fun and make 'mischief' in private
Prince William and Prince Harry, during their teenage years, found a unique way to have fun within the confines of their father's Tetbury home, Highgrove. Royal author Robert Lacey revealed in his 2020 book Battle of Brothers that Charles allowed his sons to transform a bomb-proof shelter in the house's cellar into 'Club H', with a private disco and even a drinks trolley.
The secret spot boasted a well-stocked bar and a high-quality sound system, making it the perfect place for William and Harry to entertain their friends during school holidays. Lacey wrote, "Club H turned Highgrove into quite the hot spot when Dad happened to be away. In his absence, 16-year-old William - already a steady drinker - and his younger brother 'relaxed' intensively.
"Club H had been very much William's inspiration, with his older friends largely setting the social pace for Harry. If Prince Charles did happen to be at home, the two brothers and their friends could all pile out together to The Rattlebone Inn in the village of Sherston five miles away."
In his explosive memoir, Spare, Prince Harry revealed more about the secret party room he used to hide in, writing "I hid in the basement beneath Highgrove, usually with Willy. We called it Club H. Many assumed the H stood for Harry, but in fact it stood for Highgrove."
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According to The Mirror, the prince called Club H his sanctuary, saying in Spare: "Club H was the perfect hideout for a teenager, but especially this teenager. When I wanted peace, Club H provided.
"When I wanted mischief, Club H was the safest place to act out. When I wanted solitude, what better than a bomb shelter in the middle of the British countryside?"
Delving into the interiors of the brothers' underground refuge, he detailed: "It was windowless, but the brick walls, painted bone white, kept it from feeling claustrophobic.
"Also, we kitted out the space with nice pieces from various Royal residences. Persian rug, red Moroccan sofas, wooden table, electric dartboard. We also put in a huge stereo system. It didn't sound great, but it was loud. In a corner stood a drinks trolley.."
He elaborated on the journey to get to this hidden spot: "To get down to its depths you went through a heavy white ground-level door, then down a steep flight of stone stairs, then groped your way along a damp stone floor, then descended three more stairs, then past several wine cellars, wherein Camilla kept her fanciest bottles.
"On past a freezer and several storerooms full of paintings, polo gear, and absurd gifts from foreign governments and potentates. (No one wanted them, but they couldn't be regifted or donated, or thrown out, so they'd been carefully logged and sealed away.)
"Beyond that final storeroom were two green doors with little brass handles, and on the other side of those was Club H."
