A country pub once beloved by Princes William and Harry – and other members of the royal family – has finally re-opened in the Cotswolds after being boarded up for more than five years.
The remote 18th century Tunnel House Inn, tucked away in rural farmland just 15 minutes from the King’s Highgrove estate, was a firm favourite with the young Prince of Wales and Duke of Sussex before their high-profile falling out.
The off-the-beaten track pub often saw the brothers sharing a pint while staying at their father’s Cotswolds retreat…but the popular inn was left in need of major restoration after its previous owners called time on running it due to a rental disagreement.
At one time, speculation suggested that the pub might have been the venue for Prince Harry losing his virginity in 2001 – but the Duke of Sussex clarified in his memoir Spare that the encounter had actually taken place at The Vine Tree Inn, in the Wiltshire village of Norton.
Cotswold beauty: Just 15 minutes’ drive from Highgrove, The Tunnel Inn is tucked away in rural countryside and was a firm favourite of the royal family before closing in 2020
Boarded up: The pretty boozer once frequented by Princes William and Harry before their estrangement has been boarded up for five years – but re-opens today
The centuries-old pub, popular with walkers and close to the small West Country village of Coates, first shut its doors – and boarded up the windows – during the pandemic in 2020.
Local publican Peter Austen, who also runs The Bell in nearby Sapperton, will re-open the historic pub after extensively renovating it.
The landlord told the BBC that the reaction to The Tunnel House re-opening has been hugely positive, saying: ‘We’ve had an outpouring of support from people on social media when they’ve heard it’s going to be reopening because their grandparents have known it, their parents have known it.’
In happier times, Princes William and Harry were regularly spotted at the Cotswolds pub (Pictured with the Duchess of Sussex, far left, and the Princess of Wales, far right)
Posting on Instagram, he added: ‘After months of planning, restoring, rebuilding and carefully bringing this old pub back to life, seeing the name back on the building and the completed interior lettering makes everything feel very real.’
The property is thought to have three rooms available for overnight stays but will re-open just the bar initially.
The Tunnel House dates back to the late 18th century and was originally built as a property to house workers helping to erect the Sapperton Canal Tunnel.
Such were the tight working conditions, the employees would have to ‘leg’ their way through the tunnel – essentially lying on their backs and using their feet to ‘walk’ along the ceiling to propel themselves forward.
The Cotswolds pubs where you’re most likely to bump into a star
THE FOX, ODDINGTON
The Fox in Oddington is a firm favourite with a Spice Girl and her ex-F1 husband
Owned by Daylesford Organic creator Carole Bamford, wife of billionaire Tory donor and JCB chairman Lord Bamford, The Fox is a character-filled pub with six trendy suites for guests who want to stay a little longer.
Who might you spy perched at the oak bar, by the large inglenook fireplace, or sinking into the chocolate-coloured armchairs in the Tack Room? Geri Horner and Christian Horner are frequently spotted here, thefoxatoddington.com
The Swan Inn, Swinbrook
Right next to St Mary’s church, where many of the Mitford family are buried, sits The Swan Inn at Swinbrook. This down-to-earth rural pub on the River Windrush has likely heard a few tales, with former Prime Minister, now Lord David Cameron of Chipping Norton, a regular. Other politicians have also been known to thrash out the country’s future while dining on a classic pub dinner, theswanswinbrook.co.uk.
The Falkland Arms, Great Tew
If Beyoncé and Jay-Z do seal the deal on those 58 acres, The Falkland Arms in Great Tew is likely to be the region’s newest A-list residents’ local boozer.
The pub has pedigree when it comes to famous people supping there; indeed millionaire television producer John Lloyd came up with the idea of long-running quiz show QI while at the bar.
Ellen DeGeneres and Portia de Rossi have all been spied dining here, as have Benedict Cumberbatch and Phoebe Waller-Bridge, falklandarms.co.uk
The Woolpack Inn, Slad
Overlooking the Gloucestershire valley that was made famous by Laurie Lee in Cider With Rosie, the Woolpack Inn is an unpretentious Cotswolds pub that knows how to host a sing-a-long – with the pub piano often the focal point.
You Magazine’s Food Critic Tom Parker-Bowles, Queen Camilla’s son, is a regular thanks to this cosy boozer’s ‘really excellent food’. Lily Allen’s dad Keith Allen used to work behind the bar too, thewoolpackinn-slad.com.
The Wild Rabbit, Kingham
The bar at The Wild Rabbit, described as a ‘modern interpretation of a traditional country inn’
When it opened in 2013, The Wild Rabbit, also from Lady Bamford, the undisputed Queen of Cotswolds cool, it was dubbed the ‘poshest pub in Britain’.
Who might you find tucking into the highly-rated menu? David and Victoria Beckham have been seen enjoying family meals here, while Kate Moss is also a fan.
In November, Pete Tong will host a Day of the Dead DJ set, thewildrabbit.co.uk.
The Killingworth Castle, Wootton
When Winston Churchill stayed at Blenheim Palace in the 1930s, he would occasionally slip away for a spot of lunch at The Killingworth Castle.
Opened in 1637 by Thomas Killingworth, this centuries-old public house is still enjoying the attentions of the rich and famous, and particularly those with a passion for speed – F1 stars Jenson Button and George Russell, and Geri and Christian Horner have all been spotted enjoying a pint or two, thekillingworthcastle.com.
Fancy a pint? Beyonce and Jay-Z are believed to have received planning permission to build their ‘spectacular rural estate’
The Bull, Charlbury
The Great British Bake Off’s Prue Leith is a fan of this 16th-century foodie pub with rooms on Sheep Street in Charlbury. The grub is now so sophisticated, The Bull ranked 11th on the Estrella Damm’s Gastropub list this year.
Those who’ve been chowing down? Robbie Williams, Ellen DeGeneres, Princesses Eugenie and Beatrice and Jeremy Clarkson, thebullcharlbury.com
The Bell at Charlbury
Just one letter separates this pub from its also popular peer The Bull in the gorgeous market town of Charlbury.
This 17th-century coaching inn is also part of the Daylesford empire and attracts a similar clientele to The Wild Rabbit and The Fox – well-heeled, basically.
Who might you share the bar with? Queen Camilla has been known to lunch here, thebellatcharlbury.com.
