Forest Lodge offers family life, but Buckingham Palace awaits duty
Prince William and Catherine may have found what they call their “forever home,” but it seems royal duty has other plans.
The couple is preparing to move with their children George, Charlotte, and Louis into Forest Lodge, a sprawling $21 million estate tucked within the secure grounds of Windsor Castle. With eight bedrooms, it offers a far more spacious setting than their current four-bedroom Adelaide Cottage, and is seen as the family’s long-term base.
Yet once William becomes king, their time at Forest Lodge will be limited. Royal author Hugo Vickers explained that monarchs must remain close to government. “The king has to be somewhere convenient to the centre of government. They can’t expect ministers to come to Windsor. I am sure William and Catherine will have to use Buckingham Palace as their London base and also for ceremonial duties,” he told Page Six.
He pointed to Queen Elizabeth’s example in 2019, when she had to shuttle between Windsor and London to formally handle the change of prime minister from Theresa May to Boris Johnson.
For now, Forest Lodge represents a fresh chapter. Sources told The Sun the couple is personally covering the renovation costs and rent — without taxpayer funding. After what William has described as the “hardest” year of his life, the move is seen as a chance for stability and renewal, even if the pull of Buckingham Palace will eventually call them back.
