The Prince and Princess of Wales Don’t Want to Move to Windsor Castle, Royal Expert Says

When Prince William, Kate Middleton, and their three children Prince George, Princess Charlotte, and Prince Louis moved into Adelaide Cottage in Windsor the first weekend of September, they were still known as “the Cambridge five” (a nod to William and Kate’s Duke and Duchess of Cambridge titles, which they’d held since their 2011 wedding day) and had no idea that, within a week, their entire universe would be turned upside down. Within a week of their move, William and Kate became the Prince and Princess of Wales following the death of the Queen on September 8—the same day that George, Charlotte, and Louis started school at Lambrook—and the expectation was that they would leave the relatively modest, four-bedroom Adelaide Cottage for nearby Windsor Castle sooner rather than later.

It has now been nearly six months since their move—and Her late Majesty’s passing—and, The Daily Express reports, there are no plans for “the Wales five” (as they’re now known) to uproot for the more palatial castle down the road. The outlet reports that the family are happy where they are and “don’t want to move to Windsor Castle,” where the Queen spent the later years of her life, alongside husband Prince Philip.

Royal expert Camilla Tominey appeared on This Morning, where she spoke about royal properties and how they work. “The Waleses don’t want to move into Windsor Castle because they’re actually quite happy in Adelaide Cottage, which, by comparison, is modest accommodation,” she says. “Not by comparison to us, but by comparison to royal accommodation.”

Inside the cottage, “Kate and William’s sofa is traditional with clean lines, which lends it a regal look,” says Deepa Mehta-Sagar, an interior designer and decorator who founded and runs Area Décor LLC. “The whole space comes alive with a splash of red, and floral tossed cushions, which add warmth. It’s formal yet inviting and makes the perfect spot from which the couple can air interviews.”

Mehta-Sagar says Adelaide Cottage works well with William and Kate’s hope to give their three children as normal of an upbringing as possible, and offers a sense of privacy, as opposed to Kensington Palace in the heart of London, where the family lived previously.

“The estate holds on to the original porch,” Mehta-Sagar says. “The manicured gardens also appear to have maintained the same character for nearly 200 years. Other features added to the exterior include a gravel driveway, a red-brick outbuilding, and a gatehouse, which is a rather inconspicuous security detail, in line with the royals’ desire for privacy and normalcy.”

Inside, “the four-bedroom residence reportedly holds onto the traditional furnishings such as a nautical-inspired theme in the main bedroom, recycled from a 19th-century royal yacht, and, in this, the décor is almost iconic,” she continues. “The home also reportedly has a neutral color scheme, with royal blue and deep red with hints of gold for a touch of elegance. This creates a calming effect, which is perfect for a family with young children.”

Of the apartment at Kensington Palace—which the family retained and uses primarily for official duties—and their country home, Anmer Hall, on the Sandringham Estate, Adelaide Cottage “is smaller in comparison with the family’s other two homes and yet again represents a desire to bring up the children in an ordinary manner, while still ensuring they remain rooted in the royal history,” Mehta-Sagar says.

To add to the perks, Adelaide Cottage is not far from Bagshot Park, where Prince Edward and Sophie, Countess of Wessex live, and “Sophie and Kate share a close relationship, and perhaps the proximity is appreciated by the women,” Mehta-Sagar says.

If the Waleses are happy, we’re happy!