Prince William and Princess Kate will be moving out of Adelaide Cottage and to their new ‘forever home’ of Forest Lodge sooner than the couple initially planned
For just over two years, Prince William and Princess Kate have called Adelaide Cottage home, but the couple and their three children – Prince George, 12, Princess Charlotte, 10, and Prince Louis, seven – will shortly be upgrading to a lavish mansion close by: Forest Lodge.
The Wales family initially planned to move to Forest Lodge by the festive season, but instead, they will be packing their bags and settling into their new home earlier than anticipated, new reports have claimed.
While the family has faced a series of personal challenges in the last couple of years, they hope to remain in Forest Lodge for good, even when the time eventually comes for Prince William to take the throne – eschewing the traditional residences of the monarch like Buckingham Palace and Windsor Castle.
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Their current home, Adelaide Cottage, is, by royal standards at least, a relatively modest four-bedroom property that the couple decided to take on back in 2022. They made the swap from their palatial apartment in London to the cottage in Windsor Great Park so that they could be closer to the late Queen Elizabeth, and offer their children more privacy than their home in Kensington Palace was able to provide.
However, after a challenging few years, the family is reportedly keen to move to pastures new and create some happier memories – away from the place that has seen them go through some of their greatest struggles.
Just weeks after they moved to the Berkshire countryside, Queen Elizabeth died, plunging the Royal Family and the nation into mourning for the popular head of state.
Shortly afterward, more personal difficulties would come, with the release of Harry and Meghan’s self-titled Netflix documentary series, which detailed the Sussexes’ love story and the troubles that led them to leave life inside the monarchy. The series, and Harry’s memoir Spare – released in early 2023 – put the House of Windsor, and the alleged dysfunction inside it, back under a renewed spotlight.
The bombshells levied at the other royals, including the allegation that Prince William had physically attacked Harry during an argument about Meghan in 2019, generated unavoidable controversy as King Charles settled into his new reign, and William to the position of Prince of Wales.
Then came the news that both King Charles and Princess Kate were undergoing cancer treatment, and the future Queen was forced to step back from public life as she focussed on her recovery, and her young family.
Kate later announced that she is in remission, and has gradually eased back into more regular public engagements, but has been open about the fact that her health difficulties have brought her a new “perspective” on life, and William has repeatedly been candid about the tumultuous period.
He recently admitted he felt deeply “overwhelmed” during his that period, previously calling it a “brutal year” and one that was the most difficult of his life.
The couple’s new home of Forest Lodge, aims to be a new chapter for the family, leaving behind those memories and starting fresh, reports have claimed.
A source speaking to the Mail reveals that after initially planning to move there by Christmas the couple mysteriously change their plans and have had a team of renovators and builders working “flat out” to help get the family in sooner, with the planned move date now Bonfire Night – 5 November.
Kate and William are paying for all the renovations and other work on the property themselves and will reportedly be paying the Crown Estate, which owns the mansion, a market rate for it.
“It is hoped they will be in the new home in time for Bonfire Night,” the insider told the outlet. “That will make a fun start for the children.”
Another source said, “The builders have been working flat out, week-in, week-out, so that the family could move in as soon as possible. Christmas was always the deadline but it’s great that it’s going to happen much earlier.”
Revealing why the family is so keen to get out of Adelaide Cottage as soon as possible, despite initial plans to live there for many years, an insider explained: “Adelaide Cottage really does have some difficult memories associated with it, sadly. They have experienced some of their most challenging times there… The family are really happy about this [move] and excited for a fresh start.”
Keeping with their current situation, the family does not plan to have any live-in staff at Forest Lodge, with employees instead moving into properties close to the “forever home” so they can be on hand, whilst the Waleses maintain their much-desired privacy.
A 150-acre exclusion zone has been designated around the property to ensure the family’s security and privacy, blocking access to woodland and countryside previously beloved by local dogwalkers.
The family reportedly plans to live in the Grade II listed property, which is over 300 years old, even when William becomes King, swerving the traditional residences of the monarch.
To this end, Kate is reported to have thrown herself into decorating the Lodge and making it their own, creating their dream home.
“I think it’s been quite a fun process for her,” a source told the Mail. ‘She loves interior design and is a big champion of the British textiles industry. After all, this will be their forever home. They are ready as a family to move forwards.”
