King Charles III is backing Prince William and Princess Kate's plan to relocate their family to Forest Lodge in Windsor, a move seen as part of a broader effort to give the Prince and Princess of Wales more autonomy and stability after a tumultuous year marked by personal loss and health challenges.
The couple intends to move into the newly renovated Forest Lodge by the end of 2025, sources familiar with the matter said. The property, part of the Crown Estate since 1829, features eight bedrooms across three floors, six bathrooms, and a long gallery. It underwent £1.5 million in renovations in 2001 and is viewed as a significant upgrade from their current four-bedroom Adelaide Cottage residence.
Royal insiders say the decision to move was made after Princess Kate underwent preventative chemotherapy treatment in 2024, a period that insiders describe as one of the most difficult of Prince William's life. "The Prince of Wales has had a universally sh***y time of late... he lost his beloved grandmother, his brother, and has faced terrible heartache with his father and his wife," a source told the Mail.
King Charles is said to fully support the move. "If prioritising his family helps make him [William] a better king, it's got to be a good investment," one insider said. Another royal source added that the goal of giving the Prince of Wales a separate household with its own funding is to allow him "space and autonomy to try things in a different way. Sometimes they get things right, sometimes wrong. But even their failures make them a better king when they get there."
The monarch himself is spending more time at Windsor Castle, reportedly to be closer to his son and grandchildren, Prince George, Princess Charlotte, and Prince Louis.
The Waleses' 2022 move from Kensington Palace to Adelaide Cottage was considered a trial run to see if Windsor suited their family. The success of that transition encouraged them to commit to the larger Forest Lodge, where they will pay market rent, though the amount will not be disclosed for commercial reasons.
