Kate Middleton and Prince William Want to “Start Afresh” in New Home, Sources Say

Prince William and Kate Middleton are looking forward to starting “a new chapter” when they move out of Adelaide Cottage and into Forest Lodge. Sources close to the couple say they want to leave the difficult memories of the past three years behind and “start afresh” when they move into the stunning eight-bedroom, six-bathroom home with a “ballroom” and tennis court, in Windsor Great Park later this year.

It is the family’s third move in as many years. In 2022, William, Kate and their three children, George, Charlotte and Louis, left London for Windsor, trading Kensington Palace for Adelaide Cottage. The four-bedroom house is too small for the family, and friends say the couple wants a change after a turbulent three years.

Shortly after moving into Adelaide Cottage, Queen Elizabeth died, and in 2024 Princess Kate and King Charles were both diagnosed with cancer.

Sources close to the family say William and Catherine, who is in remission, are mapping out a long-term plan to stay in Windsor, where their three children are enrolled in school. Although the palace has not confirmed where Prince George will attend secondary school, William’s alma mater Eton College is on their short list and an easy commute from Forest Lodge.

Princess Charlotte and Prince Louis will stay at nearby prep school Lambrook School until they are eleven.

Sources have told Vanity Fair that there will be no other changes to the couple’s living arrangements and that they will keep their Kensington Palace apartment as their official London residence as well as Anmer Hall in Norfolk, which was gifted to them by the late Queen as a wedding present.

William and Kate are said to be “future planning” for when they are King and Queen and will divide their lives between Windsor, Norfolk and London.

Apartment 1A, their grand 20-room apartment at Kensington Palace, is rarely used by the family, who do not like the fact that the residence is located in a public park.

According to sources, it is unlikely that William and Kate will ever live full-time in London. Forest Lodge will be their “forever home,” they say, adding that they may not want to move when they become King and Queen. While Windsor Castle, the late Queen Elizabeth’s favorite royal residence, would be an obvious place for the family to live when William is monarch, friends of the couple say they want a more “low-key” residence.

“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,” adds one insider.

King Charles has chosen not to live at Buckingham Palace and stays at Clarence House when he is in London. He has also retained Highgrove, his Gloucestershire home and spends a period of time, including the summer at Birkhall and Balmoral.

During his reign, King Charles has pledged to open more palaces to the public, including Balmoral, which opened for internal tours for the first time last summer.