Prince William and Kate Middleton have more properties than they know what to do with. Like, literally, they just added a new one to their list. On top of a mansion masquerading as an apartment in London, a country home, another country home, and a “lodge” that’s twice the size of their former “cottage,” there’s a new castle that they’re (maybe) eyeing. Casual!
Now that the Waleses have officially left Adelaide Cottage for Forest Lodge, let’s take a tour of their many, many properties, shall we? Time to be nosy and go inside!
Kensington Palace: Apartment 1A
This is William and Kate’s “official residence,” aka the place where they conduct all their royal business. And for a while, it’s where they lived full-time with their kids! This home is technically an “apartment” in Kensington Palace, but it’s really more of a mansion—complete with 20 rooms, four stories, several “reception rooms” and “drawing rooms,” a fleet of staff bedrooms, a gym, an elevator, and a walled garden. Here’s a glimpse inside the home from when the Obamas visited:
So, why aren’t William and Kate still living at Apartment 1A full-time? Basically, they wanted their kids to have a more normal upbringing.
“This is very much a decision that two parents have made to give their children the 'most normal' start possible,” a source previously told The Mirror. “KP can be a little bit of a fishbowl. They wanted to be able to give George, Charlotte, and Louis a bit more freedom than they have living in central London. It’s very much a decision that’s been led by the kids.”
Anmer Hall
Kate and William’s country home is actually a hall (aka a giant mansion) that they were gifted by the late Queen Elizabeth as a wedding present. Because truly, who didn’t get a hall for their wedding? Normal gift!
Anmer Hall is located on the Sandringham estate in Norfolk, where the royals spend their holidays. And it’s huge. The two-story Georgian home was built in the 18th century and used to be the Duke and Duchess of Kent’s country house before King Charles’s buddy Hugh van Cutsem started using it. Before Kate and Will moved in, the hall got a £1.5 million renovation, including a brand-new kitchen. The couple spent the height of the COVID-19 pandemic there, and the front of the building is where this photo was taken:
We’ve also seen the inside of the house thanks to Will and Kate’s mid-pandemic Zooms. Here is their living room:
Forest Lodge
After three years in Adelaide Cottage, the Waleses have recently taken up residence in their “forever home,” called Forest Lodge, which is apparently twice the size of their old place. Located on Great Windsor Park, the 328-year-old Georgian mansion has eight bedrooms, a ballroom, a tennis court, and several cottages where security and nanny live.
Here’s a little aerial view of the property, below.
Forest Lodge was built in the 1770s as a “grace-and-favour property” (meaning the royals let friends stay there for free) and was initially home to one of Edward VIII's equerries. Princess Margaret’s private secretary then lived there in the 1990s, and the most recent tenants were Alex Fitzgibbons and his wife, Cristina Stenbeck, who planned wedding receptions for both the Waleses and the Sussexes.
A source previously told The Sun that “over the last few years while they have lived at Adelaide Cottage there have been some really difficult times. Moving gives them an opportunity for a fresh start and a new chapter; an opportunity to leave some of the more unhappy memories behind. This is a move for the long-term. They see it as their forever home.”
Tam-Na-Ghar
Tam-Na-Ghar is William and Kate’s home on the Balmoral estate (no pics of this one, sry!), which was gifted to William by his great-grandmother the Queen Mother back in 2002. According to The Express, it’s located near King Charles’s Balmoral home, Birkhall, and it has three bedrooms.
Highgrove
So, Highgrove is technically King Charles’s country home, but it’s owned by the Duchy of Cornwall and Prince William has officially inherited the Duke of Cornwall title from his father. Which means Highgrove is William’s, and Charles has to pay him £700,000 a year in rent.
Fort Belvedere (Potentially)
It was first rumored over the summer that William and Kate had their eye on this castle because it has a pool and tennis court. Plus, it’s also in Windsor so moving wouldn’t be a huge deal. However, King Charles is reportedly “fuming” about their plans...so stay tuned.
