The Prince and Princess of Wales prepare to settle into Forest Lodge in Windsor
The Prince and Princess of Wales are preparing to make Forest Lodge in Windsor Great Park their family’s permanent home later this year. But the 18th-century residence, soon to be William and Catherine’s “forever home,” was once considered for another royal couple.
Back in the mid-1970s, Princess Anne and her then-husband, Captain Mark Phillips, were “strongly tipped” to move into the property after their 1973 wedding. A Daily Telegraph report from December 1975 revealed that the pair had looked at Forest Lodge as a possible home before deciding on Oak Grove House near Sandhurst. The following year, Queen Elizabeth II gifted Anne Gatcombe Park in Gloucestershire, which remains her much-loved residence to this day.
Nearly fifty years on, Forest Lodge will finally welcome royal occupants. William and Catherine are expected to relocate from Adelaide Cottage, their current four-bedroom home, into the eight-bedroom lodge that sits within Windsor Great Park. Insiders have already described the move as the couple’s long-term plan, calling the house their “forever home.”
The property, whose freehold is held by the King, is being privately financed by the couple. According to The Sun, William and Catherine are covering both the purchase and renovations themselves, avoiding any taxpayer expense. Planning documents recently approved by the Royal Borough of Windsor and Maidenhead confirm that minor internal and external changes are already underway.
Forest Lodge itself has seen major transformations before. In 2001, it underwent a £1.5 million restoration and was later rented for £15,000 a month. Now, it is set to become the long-term base for the future King and Queen and their three children.
