Prince William and Kate Middleton may have finally found their so-called “forever home” in Windsor — but there’s a royal twist. Aides recently briefed that Forest Lodge, a sprawling $21 million property tucked inside Windsor Castle’s secure grounds, is the Wales family’s next move.
On paper, it sounds perfect. Eight bedrooms (double their current four), plenty of space for Prince George, Princess Charlotte, and Prince Louis, and close enough to Lambrook School to keep the morning drop-off manageable. But here’s the catch: when William becomes king, Buckingham Palace is still calling.
“They will have to have a London base,” royal writer Hugo Vickers explained to Page Six. “The king has to be somewhere convenient to the center of government. They can’t expect ministers to come to Windsor.” Translation? Forest Lodge may be dreamy, but it’s not exactly Downing Street adjacent.
Prince William and Kate Middleton Juggling Renovations and Reality
This isn’t the Waleses’ first game of royal real estate musical chairs. They still occupy Apartment 1A at Kensington Palace (remember the $6.5 million taxpayer-funded renovation?), as well as their Norfolk estate, Anmer Hall. Their current Windsor home, Adelaide Cottage, was supposed to be their cozy permanent nest when they moved in 2022 to be closer to Queen Elizabeth. She passed away only a month later.
Now, Forest Lodge is set to become their base later this year, though not without updates. The property is undergoing renovations — but this time, Kate and William are footing the bill themselves, including paying market-rate rent. A royal rarity.
The move comes during what William has called the “hardest” year of his life, after both Kate and King Charles revealed cancer diagnoses in 2024.
Forever home? Sure. Just don’t get too comfortable — Buckingham Palace still has the final word.
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The Queen lived in Windsor her entire life. They will have the same arrangement.