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The Prince and Princess of Wales are expected to continue living at the property after William becomes king<\/p>\n
TIMES PHOTOGRAPHER RICHARD POHLE<\/p>\n
The 328-year-old lodge, which sits in a quiet part of the 4,800-acre park, offers views over Berkshire and London. Renovations at the grade II listed house have begun and will be funded by the couple. As at Adelaide Cottage, the Waleses will not have any live-in staff at Forest Lodge. <\/p>\n
The family first moved to Windsor from Kensington Palace in September 2022 and initially settled in the four-bedroom cottage, which is four miles from their new home, to try out the location.<\/p>\n
Kate<\/a> began her recovery at Adelaide Cottage and has spoken of the benefits of being in the countryside. Insiders say the move to Windsor has allowed William and Kate to be \u201cas hands-on as possible\u201d with their children, while balancing their royal commitments and engagements.<\/p>\n \u2022 Kate says \u2018nature has been my sanctuary\u2019 in new video series<\/b><\/a><\/p>\n It also gave the children more privacy and brought the family closer to the late Queen<\/a>, although she died only weeks later.<\/p>\n George<\/a>, 12, Charlotte<\/a>, ten, and Louis<\/a>, seven, are said to be happy at the independent Lambrook School near by in the Berkshire countryside.<\/p>\n Louis, William, Kate, Charlotte and George in Norfolk last year<\/p>\n WILL WARR\/KENSINGTON PALACE\/AFP\/GETTY IMAGES<\/p>\n The move, which was first reported by The Sun, reflects how the future king has been shaped by a tough 18 months and how he wishes the royal family to evolve during his reign.<\/p>\n William, who turned 43 in June<\/a>, has said that he found the previous year \u201cbrutal\u201d and \u201cthe hardest in my life\u201d as he navigated his father and his wife both being diagnosed with cancer. His annus horribilis last year cemented his approach, in which family came first and the school run was prioritised.<\/p>\n \u2022 How Prince William will change the monarchy, by those close to him<\/b><\/a><\/p>\n Friends say he used the time to think and to plan how he will reshape the institution he will one day lead, especially how to make sure it remains relevant and \u201cfit for purpose in the modern era\u201d. <\/p>\n William particularly wants to look at the structure of the royal household at Buckingham Palace, which is expected to remain the effective headquarters of the monarchy even though it is now assumed that William will never live there. Since becoming King, Charles<\/a>, 76, has chosen to keep his London residence at Clarence House.<\/p>\n The royal family watched a flypast from the balcony of Buckingham Palace to mark the King\u2019s birthday in June<\/p>\n TIMES PHOTOGRAPHER RICHARD POHLE<\/p>\n A Palace source told the Times last year that William and Kate wanted to lead the type of monarchy where the King might be seen on the school run. \u201cHe\u2019ll be asking, \u2018If [the children] are still young when I take on the big job, how do I maintain that privacy?\u2019\u201d the source said. \u201cI\u2019m pretty sure that they won\u2019t move into [Buckingham Palace]. You can\u2019t imagine him saying, \u2018Great, let\u2019s move back to central London\u2019.\u201d<\/p>\n Buckingham Palace, which has been home to monarchs since 1837, is undergoing a \u00a3369 million refurbishment, which means that all state visits will take place at Windsor Castle until 2027. <\/p>\n William and Kate will foot the bill for their move and the renovations of Forest Lodge, enabling them to avoid the sort of criticism that was directed at the Duke and Duchess of Sussex, who initially spent \u00a32.5 million of taxpayer money revamping Frogmore Cottage. Harry and Meghan<\/a> later paid back the money before they were evicted by Charles when they stopped being working royals. <\/p>\n Planning application for the work was lodged with the council in June. Documents show the property requires new doors and windows, the removal of some internal walls, refurbished ceilings and new flooring.<\/p>\n The entrance hall and exterior, below, of Forest Lodge during previous restoration work in 2001<\/p>\n JOHN STILWELL\/PA<\/p>\n William receives an income through the Duchy of Cornwall<\/a>, a portfolio of land, property and assets that has provided an income for the heir to the throne for centuries and is valued at more than \u00a31 billion. <\/p>\n Last year an investigation by The Sunday Times and Channel 4\u2019s Dispatches found that William\u2019s private estate was making millions from public bodies including the NHS, schools and the armed forces<\/a>. <\/p>\n Forest Lodge was last refurbished 24 years ago at a cost of \u00a31.5 million. The property was valued at \u00a35.5 million at the time but is now estimated to be worth about \u00a316 million. <\/p>\n![\"The](\"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/08\/\/00408f4e-aba3-48e2-9fa1-1da2e093b7ed.jpg\")
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