Being royal might come with jewels, high castles, and endless photo ops, but it doesn’t mean the Prince and Princess of Wales want any of that, especially with all that royal baggage. Over the past year, William and Kate have faced one of the toughest challenges of their marriage: Kate Middleton’s cancer diagnosis. For Prince George, Princess Charlotte, and little Prince Louis, seeing their mom suddenly sick was heartbreaking. Illness in a family is hard enough without the world watching, and for the Wales children, the weight of it has been especially heavy.
Thankfully, the good news rolled in just in time to give the family a much-needed break. One can endure only so much darkness. In January 2025, Kate announced she was officially in remission. Everyone felt a sense of relief. But even with that victory, William and Kate know recovery isn’t just about popping pills and staying hydrated; it is also about your closest environment. That’s precisely why the royal family is preparing to leave Adelaide Cottage, their cozy four-bedroom home in Windsor, for a bigger and more private residence: Forest Lodge, a mansion tucked away in Windsor Great Park.
A New Home in Windsor
Swapping a 4-bedroom house for an 8-bedroom one is lovely and all, but they’re not doing it for extra space. The family sees Forest Lodge as a chance to reset after a stormy period and build joyful memories in a new place. The house, which they’ll reportedly be paying for themselves along with renovations, is being described as their “forever home.” That is rare language for royals, who bounce between properties, like Sebastián Abreu bounced between FCs. But William and Kate plan to stay put, even when William becomes king, which makes this more than just another royal real estate story.
The couple has chosen to forgo a live-in staff at Forest Lodge, which is another signal that they want a more “normal” lifestyle for their kids. While “normal” is relative when you’re future monarchs, William and Kate have always emphasized raising George, Charlotte, and Louis with as much regularity as possible. Kate has even been spotted doing school drop-offs herself, and the kids have been known to attend birthday parties and after-school activities just like their classmates.
A Royal Family With Property Problems
But it’s not all smooth for the royals, as potential problems seem to be a-brewing. For starters, there are two homes with families living in them in cottages near Forest Lodge. You can’t have peasants around the princes and princesses, so they’re kindly being asked to move out. While the tenants are reportedly being offered equal or even better housing options, it’s still a bit of a pickle, especially on the PR side. Nobody likes being told to pack up and move, no matter how luxurious the replacement may be.
Why Windsor And Not Some Place Else?
In short, it’s all about history. The town has been a high-end royal hub for hundreds of years, and the legendary Windsor Castle, built by William the Conqueror, will soon celebrate its 1000-year anniversary (in about 45 years). For William and Kate, raising their kids in Windsor offers both privacy and tradition. The Great Park surrounding Forest Lodge is a sprawling green space where the children can grow up away from the constant press cameras while still being close to London when royal duties call.
George, who will one day be king, is now 12 and already taking on more public-facing roles, from walking alongside his father at royal events to occasionally addressing crowds. Having a comfy, child-friendly environment in Windsor could help him balance the expectation that will inevitably be placed on him with being a regular kid and having fun running around in the garden with his siblings and maybe even new friends. Meanwhile, Charlotte will be keeping both her brothers in check, and Louis is still young enough to enjoy the carefree days of running around royal gardens.
