When Prince William and Princess Kate left Kensington Palace and moved to Windsor in 2022, their new home, Adelaide Cottage, came as a shock to many. The modest property, situated close to Windsor Castle, has only four bedrooms and not even enough space for live-in staff—a far cry from their 20-room, four-story "apartment" at the palace. But after a hellish two years filled with health battles, Queen Elizabeth's death and family scandals, the Wales family is starting over in a new home—and raising a glass to those who helped them pull off their big move in record time.
On Monday, November 3, Prince William arrived in Brazil to kick off the events leading up to his annual Earthshot Prize ceremony. But before he left, the prince made sure to thank the builders and staff who helped his family move into their new house, Forest Lodge. According to the Daily Mail, the Prince and Princess of Wales held a party at The York Club, a private pub on the Crown Estate, on Friday.
"The couple very sweetly just wanted to say thank you to everyone who has worked tirelessly to help," a source told the outlet. The couple's original plan was to be settled into Forest Lodge before Christmas, but according to the Daily Mail, "builders have been working round the clock to complete the move by Bonfire Night" on November 5.
William and Kate, seen during a recent visit to Northern Ireland, have already moved into their new home.
As for their reasons to move as soon as possible, a royal source told the paper, "Every part of Adelaide Cottage, sadly, had an unpleasant memory associated with it. It's a lovely house and they started with such high hopes, but in the end they have experienced some of their most challenging times there as a family."
Queen Elizabeth died months after the family moved to Adelaide Cottage, and in 2024, both Princess Kate and King Charles were diagnosed with cancer. Adding William's ongoing feud with Prince Harry and Prince Andrew's latest scandal, as the insider noted, it's "little wonder that William feels like it was cursed."
Forest Lodge is located in Windsor Great Park, but a bit further away from the castle, just under a 15-minute drive from Adelaide Cottage. However, the Georgian mansion comes with one downside, as it's only about a mile from Royal Lodge, where the former Prince Andrew is living until he moves to the Sandringham estate.
"Catherine shudders at the thought of living so close to Royal Lodge while Prince Andrew is still in it," a royal source recently told the Mail on Sunday.
The party was held at a private pub near Forest Lodge (pictured), the new home of the Wales family.
However, the Wales family won't have to live with Andrew as a neighbor for long. He's currently in the process of relocating to Sandringham—a move that the locals aren't exactly thrilled about, either.
"I think if he had any real sense of propriety he would maybe just keep himself to himself," one neighbor told the Telegraph, adding, "If he had any level of respect for the public. But then, I don’t think he has any humility."
