<
https://www.theguardian.com/lifeandstyle/2026/jun/10/homeless-man-porch-rutland-gate>
"When it last changed hands, in 2020, 2-8A Rutland Gate was Britain’s most
expensive house, selling for £210m. The word “house” hardly does it justice;
palace is probably more accurate. It is in Knightsbridge, one of the most
glamorous parts of London, and has 45 rooms, four lifts, an indoor pool and 116
windows, 68 of which overlook Hyde Park.
But no one is enjoying those views. This palace has been empty for years.
There may not be anyone inside, but there is someone outside – just outside –
and I’m afraid I’ve woken him up. On the porch is a makeshift tent, made mostly
from umbrellas. A bearded head emerges, a little bleary, but cheerful. The
porch is filled with stuff, which spills out along the railings: baskets, books
and newspapers, pictures, teddy bears, games, a couple of bicycles, lots of
flowers in vases, pots and bins.
Through the grand door on the porch, the 24 marble bathrooms were once
decorated with semi-precious stones. Now, Anders Fernstedt, who has lived on
this porch for three years, has to pee into a plastic bottle. “Everest base
camp problems,” he says. “One has to be clever enough so as not to get out of
the bloody tent every time.” I give him some privacy, so he can prepare to tell
me more about his life."
Cheers,
*** Xanni ***
--
mailto:xanni@xanadu.net Andrew Pam
http://xanadu.com.au/ Chief Scientist, Xanadu
https://glasswings.com.au/ Partner, Glass Wings
https://sericyb.com.au/ Manager, Serious Cybernetics
