Speculation surrounding Prince William and Kate Middleton’s potential move to Fort Belvedere in Windsor Great Park has been dismissed by a Royal expert. This follows claims that the Prince and Princess of Wales had “outgrown” Adelaide Cottage and were seeking somewhere “more substantial”.
Whilst the cottage is a relatively modest residence, the family are believed to desire additional space and to secure a “forever home” for all five of them – William, Kate, Princes George and Louis and Princess Charlotte.
The property they were rumoured to be considering is Fort Belvedere. The Fort is perhaps best remembered as the residence of Edward VIII, who lived there prior to becoming King and renouncing his throne to wed American socialite Wallis Simpson, reports the Scottish Daily Express.
It is also the site where he signed the documents to formalise his abdication. Nevertheless, it has been inhabited by the Royal Family’s friends, Galen and Hilary Weston.
Galen Weston was a Canadian billionaire retail tycoon who held substantial stakes in London department store Selfridges. The pair were also intimate friends with Queen Elizabeth and King Charles until Galen’s passing in 2021, though the family remain in residence following his death.
It is called The Fort owing to several cannons from the Jacobite rising being placed along its battlements.
The country estate also boasts a rose garden, walled garden, kitchen garden, large greenhouse, stables, two lakes, paddocks and three staff cottages. The gothic mansion, maintained by the Crown Estate, boasts 59 acres of land, an outdoor swimming pool and a tennis court.
However, Daily Mail columnist Ephraim Hardcastle has brushed off these rumours as “wide of the mark”, suggesting it would complicate William’s life following his campaign to “eradicate homelessness”.
Hardcastle highlighted that the Prince also owns Anmer Hall in Norfolk and a 20-bedroom flat at Kensington Palace, and will eventually inherit his father’s assets, including Buckingham Palace, Balmoral, Clarence House, Sandringham and other properties through The King’s Foundation charity, such as the Castle of Mey, Dumfries House and property in Romania.
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