Prince William and Catherine, Princess of Wales, have introduced new privacy measures at Forest Lodge as they prepare to make the Georgian mansion their permanent home later this year.
Workers have been planting trees and shrubs around the estate and installing a new perimeter fence intended to shield the property from public view, people familiar with the work said. Gardeners and decorators have been seen at the house in recent days as several rooms undergo refurbishment. The couple are funding the renovations themselves and will pay rent to the Crown Estate through William’s Duchy of Cornwall.
Redacted planning applications for both internal and external works were lodged with the Royal Borough of Windsor and Maidenhead Council in June and were granted the following month, according to council records. The precise move-in date has not been confirmed publicly, but the family is said to be expected to call Forest Lodge home by the end of the year.
Forest Lodge, a property that dates to the 1770s, features eight bedrooms, six bathrooms and a tennis court. It sits near Windsor Great Park and has been reported to carry an approximate price tag of $21 million. The Waleses began their current residence at Adelaide Cottage in 2022 and have been searching for larger grounds, more internal space and increased seclusion for family life.
Sources close to the family say William and Catherine intend to maintain a relatively normal household for their three children and do not plan to have live-in staff at the estate. The children's longtime nanny, Maria Turrion Borrallo, is expected to move into a smaller property on the grounds to continue providing care. The new house is roughly a 30-minute drive from the family home of Catherine’s parents, Carole and Michael Middleton, who have played a significant role in childcare.
Before selecting Forest Lodge, the couple reportedly considered other nearby properties, including Fort Belvedere, a gothic-revival mansion near Windsor Great Park, and Royal Lodge, the larger Windsor estate currently associated with other members of the royal family.
Palace officials were contacted for comment. The steps to increase screening and privacy at Forest Lodge follow broader efforts by the family to balance public duties with private family life as William prepares for the responsibilities that will accompany his future role as king. The Duchy of Cornwall, which supplies income and property arrangements linked to William’s title, became part of his holdings after the accession of his father to the throne in September 2022.