Prince William’s £16m new Windsor home vs Harry’s $29m Montecito paradise
Prince William and Princess Kate have finally decided to leave their four-bedroom Adelaide Cottage for a new eight-bedroom Forest Lodge in Windsor Great Park to begin a new chapter for the royal family.
The Prince and Princess of Wales’ stunning new estate has sparked comparisons to Harry and Meghan’s Californian haven, where royal freedom meets family bliss.
From the rolling hills of Windsor to the sun-kissed hills of Montecito, the two royal couples are living vastly different lives.
Forest Lodge is nestled in the heart of the 4,800-acre Windsor Great Park. It is currently undergoing some minor renovations ahead of the family’s move, which William and Kate are said to be paying for themselves.
The family is said to be hoping for a fresh start in the 328-year-old, grade-II listed lodge. The property, which is owned by the King as part of the Crown Estate, is just four miles from their current main home at Adelaide Cottage.
The new home is thought to be worth up to £16m today, with fine period detail including elaborate plaster cornices and ceiling decoration, marble fireplaces, Venetian windows and a half-barrel vaulted hallway ceiling.
However, the property is still dwarfed by the 31-bedroom Royal Lodge, Prince Andrew’s home in Windsor Great Park and Harry’s Montecito haven.
William’s Forest Lodge underwent £1.5m restoration works and was put on the rental market for £15,000 a month in 2001.
The future king, who currently holds the title of Duke of Cornwall, benefits from the Duchy of Cornwall which mainly covers land in south-west England and is worth £1bn.
The couple reportedly receive around $30 million a year from the Duchy of Cornwall Estate.
In a recent interview, Kate spoke of the healing power of the natural world and described nature as her “sanctuary”, while opening up about her “life-changing” cancer treatment.
Harry and Meghan’s Montecito home
On the other hand, Prince Harry and Meghan Markle made their home in Montecito, worth $29 million after leaving their British residence Frogmore Cottage in 2020.
The Sussexes fell in love with the property and purchased it soon after. Since, they have made it their family home, moving in with their two children Archie and Lilibet.
The mansion has plenty of space for the children to grow, with a library, office — which Meghan revealed in the interview that she and her husband share — sauna, gym, games room and arcade, a wine cellar and a five-car garage.
The property’s outdoor features include a large pool, a tennis court, a chicken coop and rose gardens, as well as a roomy terrace with a wood-fired stove and barbecue.