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Daily Record
Daily Record
Entertainment
Dorothy Reddin & Nicola Croal

William and Kate moved to new 4-bed 'downgraded' home to give young royals a 'normal life'

The Prince and Princess of Wales have recently uprooted their family from London and chosen to settle down in Windsor instead.

William, who turns 41 today, and Kate, also 41, made the move last summer and are now raising their three kids Prince George, nine, Princess Charlotte, eight and Prince Louis, five, at Adelaide Cottage on the Windsor Estate.

Adelaide Cottage is a four-bedroom property which was previously home to Captain Peter Townsend, who was the ex-boyfriend of Queen Elizabeth II's sister Princess Margaret.

Interior design specialist Sophie Smith, from Zhoosh Paints, has revealed what the home looks like on the inside, the Express reports.

Kate and William downsized to a 4-bedroom property in the hope they can provide their children with a 'normal family life' (Jonathan Brady - Pool/Getty Images)

She explained: "Adelaide Cottage is a charming home on the grounds of Windsor Castle and will no doubt provide a lovely base for the family.

"While it may seem small after living in Kensington Palace, the home is still a good size and surrounded by parkland and greenery, so the children will all have immediate access to nature, which is great for overall wellbeing.

"Regardless of whether this is a temporary or permanent move, it could be easy to make the transition from London, by trying to replicate some of the grandeur of the larger palaces.

"Having been used by several royals over the years, Adelaide Cottage has featured some quite opulent decor - including gilded dolphins on a ceiling!

"But I always think it is best to be sympathetic to the style of the building. This cottage was built in 1831 and has often been described as a relaxing retreat.

"By adding contemporary touches and using calming, earthy colours throughout, the family will be able to honour the heritage of the building while making it a comfortable and practical family home, one that feels like a retreat from busy royal duties and gives years of pleasure.”

Kate Duckworth, a trends and interior expert at Swift Direct Blinds, also spoke exclusively to Express.co.uk about how the family will have adjusted to their 'downgraded' four bedroom home.

The Prince and Princess of Wales are trying to raise their three children George, Charlotte and Louis with as normal an upbringing as possible (Chris Jackson/Getty Images)

She claimed: "Yes, the four-bedroomed residence, Adelaide Cottage, may seem like a downgrade from the 20-room apartment 1A at Kensington Palace.

"Nevertheless, the cottage will allow for greater privacy and independence compared to life in central London, whilst also remaining merely 25 miles away from the English capital.

"How the children will feel about the move is difficult to determine, however, the move to the smaller abode will allow for the family to have a 'normal' family life away from the tourism brought by Kensington Palace.

"It is also likely the children will enjoy the opportunity to play on the grounds without the watching eye of the public, which is something they were unable to do at Kensington Palace, whilst also being near to the vast grounds of Windsor Castle."

Speaking about if Adelaide Cottage will be a long term home before the Wales family eventually move into Windsor Castle or Royal lodge, the expert said: "Whether Adelaide Cottage will be a temporary home for the Waleses is unclear.

"However, the family do intend on keeping their Kensington Palace residence, as well as their home in Norfolk, Anmer Hall.

"Therefore, we can assume that they do still intend on staying at their other homes when work or life needs them to.

"Perhaps they will experience the 'normal' private life they anticipate from Adelaide Cottage and then decide they prefer the busy city or larger residences."

The move is likely to be particularly strange for Prince William who was raised in grand palaces (Tim Graham Photo Library via Getty Images)

Ms Duckworth also noted that living in Adelaide Cottage may be particularly strange for Prince William as he was raised in magnificent homes such as Kensington Palace, Clarence House and Highgrove House.

The trends and interior expert suggested: "The Prince of Wales has lived the majority of his life in the public eye, taking residence at various homes that were widely attended by the public and heavily staffed.

"It is likely that William will appreciate the chance to live closely with his family, with more privacy from onlookers than he would’ve had at Kensington Palace.

"Adelaide cottage remains a grand home, despite its smaller size - the master bedroom once boasted a decorative ceiling of gilded dolphins.

"The Prince has lived at Kensington Palace since he was a young boy, moving now and again but always finding himself back in its residence, therefore it is possible that he will once again embrace the move from this central destination within the capital."

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