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Prince William and Kate Middleton may leave Adelaide Cottage: Here’s why
Prince William and Kate Middleton are considering a move from Adelaide Cottage to a larger home, reports suggest.
For the past three years, Prince William and Kate Middleton have lived with their kids at Adelaide Cottage, a quiet four-bedroom home on the grounds of Windsor Castle. It’s smaller by royal standards and was never meant to be their long-term house. As per sources, the couple is thinking about moving to a larger place, according to a Daily Mail report.
About Fort Belvedere
One possible new home is Fort Belvedere, a historic Gothic-style mansion tucked inside Windsor Great Park. It was built in the 1700s and became a favorite of Edward VIII, who lived there before and after his short reign. He even signed his 1936 abdication papers at the property.
Fort Belvedere sits on 59 acres and includes a pool and tennis court. Insiders say these are a big plus for Kate and Charlotte, who both enjoy tennis.
The house also has a rose garden, walled and kitchen gardens, a greenhouse, stables, two lakes, paddocks, and staff cottages. Cannons from the Jacobite rising once lined the battlements.
Also Read: Who will finally score Princess Diana’s childhood home? It's neither Prince William nor Prince Harry
Why are Prince William and Kate considering moving?
A source told the Mail, “They feel they have outgrown Adelaide Cottage and need somewhere more substantial.”
Source added, “This is the perfect new home for them. It has a swimming pool and tennis court, and Charlotte loves playing tennis.”
Even though they’re exploring their options, no move is happening yet. William and Kate, both 43, were once thought to be considering Royal Lodge, the large Windsor home where Prince Andrew lives. But Andrew has resisted pressure to move out. Another plan to move into a section of Windsor Castle also seems to be off the table.
Prince William and Princess Kate left Kensington Palace in 2022
In 2022, the royal couple left Kensington Palace and moved to Adelaide Cottage along with their children, Prince George, Princess Charlotte, and Prince Louis. The cottage is close to Windsor Castle and a short drive from Lambrook School, where their children are enrolled.
Their move came just weeks before the late Queen died at Balmoral. Adelaide Cottage also gave Kate a quiet place to recover during her cancer treatment last year.
Now, the family is entering a new phase. They're looking at senior school options for George, with Eton, where tuition tops $81000 a year, said to be the leading choice. Privacy and a rural setting are important to William and Kate, and Fort Belvedere could offer both.
Edward VIII once restored the house, which had been used as a summer tea house by Queen Victoria. He added the pool, tennis court, and a Turkish bath. After he left, it sat mostly empty until 1956, when Queen Elizabeth’s cousin, Gerald Lascelles, moved in.
The house once had 30 to 40 rooms, but it was downsized to eight bedrooms. In the 1980s, it was leased to Canadian billionaire Galen Weston and his wife Hilary.
They added a polo stud and hosted events, including a birthday party for Hilary attended by the Queen, Prince Philip, and Princess Caroline of Monaco. Weston, who died in 2021, was worth an estimated $6.7 billion. His family still lives at the property, which is owned by the Crown Estate.
