The Prince and Princess of Wales, Prince William and Princess Kate, recently hosted a “thank you” party for the builders and staff who worked hard to facilitate their move into Forest Lodge sooner than originally planned. The royal couple provided drinks and nibbles at The York Club, a private pub located near Forest Lodge, on Friday. This venue is an exclusive, members-only club specifically for residents and employees of the Crown Estate. A local source shared that the couple simply wanted “to say thank you to everyone who has worked tirelessly to help” with the relocation.
The royal couple had initially targeted a move-in date around Christmas. However, the workmen pushed to complete the transition by Bonfire Night. The Waleses took advantage of the recent half-term holiday to finalize the move, allowing their children—Prince George, 12, Princess Charlotte, 10, and Prince Louis, seven—time to settle into the new eight-bedroom Georgian mansion before school resumed.
Leaving the ‘Cursed’ Adelaide Cottage
The expedited relocation to Forest Lodge was reportedly driven by Prince William’s keenness to leave their former residence, Adelaide Cottage, as quickly as possible. Insiders revealed that William views their time at Adelaide Cottage as “cursed” following a string of difficult times the family experienced while living there.
William and Kate first moved into Adelaide Cottage from Kensington Palace in August 2022, aiming to provide their children with a more protected, rural upbringing closer to the late Queen. Unfortunately, the late Queen Elizabeth II died within weeks of their arrival, marking the start of their challenges. The difficult period continued with the release of the Duke and Duchess of Sussex’s Netflix series in December 2022, followed by Prince Harry’s memoir, Spare, in January 2023.
The Princess of Wales’s subsequent cancer diagnosis and course of preventative chemotherapy was a major challenge, which Prince William described as “brutal”. Sources indicate that this experience was mentally “scarring” for the family. An insider confirmed that “Every part of Adelaide Cottage, sadly, had an unpleasant memory associated with it,” making the move to Forest Lodge, their “forever home,” a much-needed “welcome breath of fresh air” and a chance for a “fresh start”.
Forest Lodge: The ‘Forever Home’
Forest Lodge offers the family greater privacy and space, situated on a private road in a huge private chunk of Windsor Great Park. The property, which boasts marble fireplaces and a private tennis court (a feature likely appreciated by keen player Catherine), underwent £1.5 million worth of refurbishments in 2001, with additional interior and exterior renovations approved ahead of the royal move.
Significantly, Kensington Palace has stated that William and Kate intend to remain at Forest Lodge even after Prince William accedes to the throne, which marks a departure from recent tradition. The couple is financing the move and refurbishment themselves and will be paying market rent to the Crown Estate.
A Contrast with Prince Andrew’s Housing Situation
The Waleses’ financial arrangement contrasts sharply with that of Prince William’s uncle, Prince Andrew. Andrew was recently evicted from Royal Lodge, the 30-room mansion he had occupied since 2003, after being stripped of his title of Prince by King Charles.
Reports revealed that Andrew Mountbatten Windsor had paid “effectively no rent” on Royal Lodge, a Crown Estate property, despite holding a “cast-iron” 75-year lease. The leasehold agreement showed that since 2003, he had paid “one peppercorn” of rent “if demanded” per year, although he did pay £1 million for the long lease initially. Following the finalized eviction, Andrew is set to move to a private residence on the Sandringham estate in Norfolk, funded by King Charles.