EXCLUSIVE: As future King and Queen, the Prince and Princess of Wales could have had their pick of the royal residences. But one home prompted them into an important decision
A four-bedroom cottage in the Home Counties might seem like a rather unlikely choice for a future monarch and his wife, but Adelaide Cottage – the Prince and Princess of Wales’ primary residence – fits the bill perfectly. The two-storey house, in the grounds of 655-acre Windsor Home Park and just a 10-minute walk from Windsor Castle, has been their main home since they moved out of their palatial apartment, 1A Kensington Palace, in 2022.
Despite having a mere four bedrooms , the cottage provides ample space for the family as they have no live-in staff, with aides instead commuting to the property daily. “I think they surprised a lot of people when they moved there,” says royal expert Duncan Larcombe. “Kate’s been able to go out for walks and enjoy the fresh air, rather than be cooped up in some draughty old palace in London,” says Duncan. “She’s happy there, with her family around her.”Another considerable perk is the fact that the cottage is only a 15-minute drive from Lambrook, the children’s school, and less than an hour’s drive from the Middleton family home in Bucklebury, Berkshire. “The proximity to the school and the proximity to Kate’s parents makes it absolutely ideal,” says Duncan.
The couple’s congratulatory video message to Team GB following the Paris 2024 Olympics was also believed to have been filmed at the property – this time in the garden – against a backdrop of pretty roses and greenery. Before Kate and William moved in, the property was home to Simon Rhodes, the son of Queen Elizabeth II’s cousin, Margaret Rhodes, and also to Sir Hugh Roberts, former director of the Royal Collection.
Luckily for William and Kate, the Grade II-listed building – where the master bedroom ceiling features gilt dolphins and a rope-style decoration taken from the 19th-Century Royal George yacht – underwent a major refurbishment in 2015, meaning the couple didn’t have to overhaul the interior before moving in.
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