Catherine, Princess of Wales has shared the real reason she and Prince William moved to Adelaide Cottage.
As the future King and Queen, it’s no surprise that there aren’t many places that are truly private for Prince William and Kate, but one of these is their Adelaide Cottage home. Located on the picturesque Windsor estate, this four-bedroom home is a haven for the Wales family away from the public eye where they enjoy family time with Prince George, Charlotte and Louis. It’s hard to imagine them living anywhere else anymore - except perhaps their Anmer Hall residence in Norfolk - but they’ve only actually been at Adelaide Cottage for less than three years.
Prince William and Kate moved out Apartment 1A at Kensington Palace in 2022 and swapped London for Berkshire. At the time there was plenty of speculation about why they upped sticks to Windsor but the Princess of Wales herself recently revealed the reason on St Patrick’s Day.
She attended the Irish Guards’ parade at Wellington Barracks on 18th March as the regiment’s Colonel in Chief. Afterwards the future Queen spent time with the guards and their families and, as per People, she was reportedly asked about where she and her family lived.
"We are in Windsor at the moment," she allegedly responded. "We were in London but moved there for more green space. It’s close enough to London, not too far away."
Kate and Prince William lived full-time at Kensington Palace from 2017-2022 and when it was confirmed in a statement in August 2022 that they were moving, Prince George was 9, Princess Charlotte 7 and Prince Louis was 4. Ahead of this, a source suggested to The Times that the children were limited to a degree in what they were able to do in the capital.
"The reality is they are quite confined in what they can do in London," the friend claimed. "The kids can’t go into the park and kick a football with friends. Their plan is to be [in Windsor] for the next ten to 15 years and then move to Anmer, which is so special to them."
It’s understood that the Princess of Wales didn’t go into detail on St Patrick’s Day about the decision to leave London, but she did affirm her desire to give her children more "green space" to enjoy. The Waleses are known to love getting outdoors and enjoying sports and although London is perhaps more convenient for the Prince and Princess of Wales for their duties, as Kate said, the distance is not huge.
The couple appear to be prioritising family happiness over a shorter travel time which is entirely understandable. Being based in Berkshire also means that the Waleses live nearer to the Princess’ parents which was likely all the more comforting over the past year as Kate received treatment for cancer.
Speaking previously to Hello!, Ingrid Seward, royal expert and author of My Mother and I, suggested that Carole is "very proactive" and helped out when Prince William resumed royal duties during this challenging time.
"Looking after the three kids would have been absolutely no problem for her whatsoever and Kate would have been able to relax in the knowledge that her mother's hand was on the wheel," she alleged. "She has been both a physical and emotional support to Kate and always has been."
Living closer now is likely a lovely thing for both mother and daughter. It's possible that the Waleses will move again in the future when they become King and Queen, but until then Adelaide Cottage seems to work for them.
