The Wales family will move to Forest Lodge later this year

Prince William and Kate Middleton‘s new home move has been branded “significant” as it “signals independence”.

Later this year, the Prince and Princess of Wales will move from Adelaide Cottage to Forest Lodge with their three children. Both royal homes are located in Windsor, but Forest Lodge has double the number of bedrooms.

The move has been branded a “fresh start” for the family by sources, following Princess Kate’s cancer diagnosis last year.

But the move could also prove that William, 43, and Kate are “very strict about their boundaries”.

The Wales family will move into Forest Lodge last this year (Credit: Cover Images)

Prince William and Kate Middleton’s Windsor home move branded ‘new era’

The past year has been tough for the Wales family as Kate, 43, underwent treatment for cancer in 2024. In January of this year, she announced she was in remission.

Since then, she’s gradually been returning to fulltime duties while balancing royal responsibilities and her wellbeing.

One source told the BBC of the family’s big move: “Windsor has become their home. However, over the last few years while they have lived at Adelaide Cottage there have been some really difficult times.

While they take their responsibilities very seriously, they are not afraid to say no when necessary.

“Moving gives them an opportunity for a fresh start and a new chapter. It’s an opportunity to leave some of the more unhappy memories behind.”

As well as Kate’s cancer diagnosis, just months after moving into Adelaide Cottage, William’s grandmother, Queen Elizabeth II, died at the age of 96.
Forest Lodge, pictured here in 1998, is located in Windsor Great Park (Credit: Photo by David Hartley/Shutterstock)

Reason William and Kate are ‘strict with their boundaries’

Now, a source has told US Weekly of William and Kate’s new home: “The new house marks a new era for the family. The decision to move into this new home is a significant one that signals independence, though it is not entirely surprising.”

They added that the Prince and Princess of Wales are “very strict about their boundaries” when it comes to protecting their “mental health and family life”.

They added: “They have witnessed how the role of monarch can consume one’s entire being. While they take their responsibilities very seriously, they are not afraid to say no when necessary.”

Royal Insider has contacted reps for Kensington Palace for comment.
Will William modernise the monarchy when he becomes king? (Credit: Cover Images)

Prince of Wales set to ‘modernise’ the monarchy

William is currently the heir to the throne. According to reports, he may already be thinking about how he’d like to be as king.

A source previously told The Times that William will “want to do it his way” and ensure the monarchy is “fit for purpose in the modern era”.

Read more: Prince William has ‘missed’ the opportunity to undergo a hair transplant, clinic says

Royal author Tom Quinn told Harper’s Bazaar in April that William’s monarchy will be “less formal, less stiff” than it has been under Charles, adding: “What we can expect to see when William and Kate take the throne is a much more emotionally engaged couple. And it’s partly because I think they want to be a king and queen who are seen to engage much more with ordinary people in a very relaxed way.”