Duchess of York’s hopes for Forest Lodge were stopped by Prince Philip
The home soon to welcome Prince William, Catherine, and their children was once the property Sarah Ferguson hoped to call her own.
In 1998, just two years after divorcing Prince Andrew, the Duchess of York reportedly expressed interest in moving into Forest Lodge, an eight-bedroom Georgian manor in Windsor Great Park. But according to the Daily Mail, her plans were vetoed by Prince Philip.
Ferguson eventually settled at Royal Lodge, where she has lived with Andrew since 2008.
Forest Lodge has attracted a series of notable tenants over the years, including Princess Margaret’s private secretary Lord Napier and, more recently, Alex Fitzgibbons with Swedish-American investor Cristina Stenbeck.
Now worth around £16 million, the 300-year-old property underwent a £1.5 million restoration in 2001. The Prince and Princess of Wales have submitted a planning application for further renovations, covering both interior and exterior work.
Kensington Palace confirmed over the weekend that the family will move in later this year. The couple are privately renting the property and funding the upgrades themselves, keeping with their choice to live without full-time staff.
