Prince William and his wife, Kate, are preparing to move to their permanent home from Windsor, a 328 -year -old mansion. The royal move also led to a scandal after two families living in the adjacent boxes were forced to release the properties for the royal couple.
Royal Move will take place in the second part of this year / photo source: Getty Images
Two families were forced to leave their homes for the prince and princess of Wales to move to an eight-bedroom mansion, reveals The Mail on Sunday, quoted by Dailymail.co.uk.
William will live there even after becoming king
William, Kate and their three children are about to move later this year to Forest Lodge, a 300-year-old property, located in a picturesque corner of Windsor Great Park and ranked Grade II. This residence has been described as being “Their house forever”, where William will live even after becoming a king.
According to sources, at the beginning of summer, two families living in the houses adjacent to the mansion were asked to release the properties. The boxes, converted from the Forest Lodge stables, were rented by Crown Estate, and the tenants were “surprised“By the request for evacuation.
It seems that no official evacuation notifications were issued, and the families moved to similar or better homes in the 4,800 acres of Great Park.
“They were told to move. They were probably offered another home, but they were told to leave. They didn’t expect it. The houses are very close to the mansion, so they don’t want to have someone who is not a member of the royal family living there.”said a well -informed source, according to the publication.
Forest Lodge, with his ballroom illuminated by chandeliers, tennis court, Venetian windows and extended land, represents a considerable upgrade to Adelaide Cottage, with four bedrooms, where the couple has lived in the last three years.
Move was postponed for several years because of the tragedies that hit the royal family
Their stay at Adelaide Cottage, about four kilometers from the new home, coincided with a difficult time for the royal family. Queen Elizabeth died at Balmoral Castle a few weeks after their move, and in 2024 both King Charles and Kate were diagnosed with cancer.
Sources inside the Royal House claim that William and Kate hope for a “new beginning” at Forest Lodge and the opportunity to leave behind less happy memories.
Last week, Forest Lodge was an outbreak of activity, with new planted and workers who worked on the property. In front of the house was installed a metal fence with black protective panels for privacy.
It is a big lump to the new residence. The 328 -year -old historical palace is renovated / Photo source: AP (2001)
The Mos revealed in July that the prince and princess considered moving to a much larger home. The palace initially tried to avoid comments on this topic, suggesting that moving from Adelaide Cottage is not imminent, but the plans for Forest Lodge were already well advanced.
One of the options analyzed by the couple was Fort Belvedere, a Gothic mansion in Windsor Great Park, preferred by Edward VIII. The property, ranked grades II, was rented to the family of Canadian billionaire Galeada Weston since the 1980s. The family decided to renew their contract earlier this year, so the house was no longer available for prince and princess.
Forest Lodge was last renovated in 2001 and is just a few miles from Lambrook School, where the three children learn. It is understood that William and Kate pay the move and rent, without additional costs for taxpayers.
Image with the hall from the entrance to the new residence, under renovation / photo source: AP
Princess Kate, already involved in the aspects of the furniture of the new palace
At the beginning of summer, Kate was frequently seen in a Windsor Estate warehouse, which houses furniture and royal art objects, choosing, according to sources, a mass of 24 people for the new home.
Forest Lodge, considered “Their house forever”aroused skepticism among sources inside the royal family: “How can this permanent home be? It is not great enough for a king.”
In 2013, counselors suggested that Kensington Palace will be “their permanent house ” After the renovation of apartment 1A at the cost of 4.5 million pounds for taxpayers.
Property has reached a value of tens of millions of pounds
Forest Lodge, classified in 1972, is said to have been renovated last in 2001, at a cost of 1.5 million pounds, in preparation to be rented with 15,000 pounds per month.
The Georgian residence is estimated today at a value of up to 16 million pounds and retains remarkable era, including cornices and decorations developed from plaster, marble fireplaces, Venetian windows and a hall with half -shaped barrel, according to journalists from Theindependent.co.uk.
Kensington Palace will remain their official residence in London, and the office staff will remain there.
However, the couple moved to Adelaide Cottage in August 2022, together with George, 12 years, Charlotte, 10 years, and Louis, 7 years. Kensington Palace will remain their official residence in London, and the office staff will remain there.
Princess Kate and Prince William will also keep Anmer Hall, a ten-bedroom property in Norfolk, a wedding gift from Queen Elizabeth II.
Choosing Forest Lodge as a long -term home raises questions about the future of Buckingham Palace after William will become king. The 775 -room palace, a home of 1837 monarchs, is subjected to a ten -year renovation of 369 million pounds. It seems that William will never live here, which means it could be open to the public and used only for major royal functions. Thus, William will become the first monarch who will not live in a palace or castle after succeeding to Charles.
Who has lived in Forest Lodge and what is the 328 -year -old history
Built in the 1770s as property “Grace-and-Favour”, Forest Lodge was the house of Sir John Aird, the help of Edward VIII. In the 1990s it was used by Lord Napier, Princess Margaret’s private secretary. In 1998, two years after Prince Andrew’s divorce, it was reported that Sarah Ferguson wanted to move to Forest Lodge, but the proposal was watched by Prince Philip.
The latest tenants were Alex Fitzgibons, the head of a luxury event organization company, and his wife, the Swedish-American investor Cristina Stenbeck, who until recently was part of the Spotify Council. They have moved in the last year.
Fitzgibbons, President Fait Accompli, organized the party after William and Kate’s wedding in 2011 and coordinated receptions for 200 guests at Frogmore House after Prince Harry’s wedding in 2018 and the wedding of Pippe Middleton in 2017, with a Spitfire plane.
