Later this year, the Prince and Princess of Wales will be moving their family to a new residence in Windsor.
The couple and their three children, Prince George, Princess Charlotte, and Prince Louis, will be moving from their current, four-bedroom home in Adelaide Cottage to the much larger Forest Lodge, which boasts eight bedrooms and six bathrooms, as well as a ballroom and tennis court.
As impressive as the Wales family’s new home in Windsor Great Park is, however, the part of the news that got royal fans buzzing the most was word from royal insiders that Prince William and Kate Middleton see Forest Lodge as their “forever home”—one they reportedly plan to continue to use as their primary residence even after William eventually becomes King.
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Vanity Fair reports that sources say the couple will maintain their other royal residences—Amner Hall in Norfolk, which the late Queen Elizabeth II gifted the couple as a wedding gift and their apartment at Kensington Palace, which Vanity Fair‘s sources say the couple plans to keep as their official London residence. Will and Kate’s decision to keep Kensington Palace as their official London residence supports the idea that Forest Lodge will truly be their “forever home,” and that they don’t intend to follow royal tradition and make Buckingham Palace their primary residence after Will takes the throne.
According to Vanity Fair, the royal couple are “future planning” for when they are King and Queen and that plan is to divide their lives between Windsor, Norfolk and London. Sources close to the future monarch say William has a few reasons for wanting to forgo living in Buckingham Palace.
“It’s all in keeping with William not wanting to be a drain on the public purse and living as ordinary a life as he can, even when he is King,” one royal insider told the publication.
Another royal source recently told Us Weekly that Will and Kate’s decision to reject Buckingham Palace as their future residence is a sign of the independent approach they’ll take to being King and Queen.
“The new house marks a new era for the family,” the Us Weekly source said. “The decision to move into this new home is a significant one that signals independence, though it is not entirely surprising.”
The reason it’s not surprising is because Will and Kate have always made it clear that their children are their first priority. Vanity Fair ‘s sources cited the Wales children as being central to Will and Kate’s decision to put down permanent roots in Windsor, which is close enough for an easy commute to Eton College, William’s alma mater, where it’s predicted George will likely attend secondary school, and Lambrook School, the prep school Charlotte and Louis will both continue to attend until they’re eleven.
As the Us Weekly source explained, the couple “are very strict about their boundaries” related to protecting “their mental health and family life,” so if they’ve determined that life in Windsor is the best way to achieve those goals, it’s unlikely they’ll be swayed to change course—even if it means breaking a royal tradition.
“They have witnessed how the role of monarch can consume one’s entire being,” the source added. “While they take their responsibilities very seriously, they are not afraid to say no when necessary.”
