Prince William and Kate, the Prince and Princess of Wales, have begun a programme of security and privacy upgrades at their new Windsor Great Park home, planting trees and hedgerows and erecting fences to shield the property from public view, British media reported.
According to the Mirror and other outlets, painters and interior designers have been working inside the eight‑bedroom house, scaffolding was seen on the estate and redacted planning applications submitted to the Royal Borough of Windsor and Maidenhead were approved for modest internal and external works.
The planning applications, submitted in June and granted permission in July, reportedly allow for new windows and doors and renovations to ceilings and floors. The couple are understood to be funding the refurbishment themselves and will pay market rent for the property, which has been reported in tabloid coverage to be worth about $21 million. Page Six said it had contacted Kensington Palace for comment but received no immediate response.
Middleton was seen furniture shopping for the residence in recent weeks, the Mirror reported, and the family — which includes Prince George, 12; Princess Charlotte, 10; and Prince Louis, 7 — is expected to move into the house by December. The work appears aimed at creating greater seclusion after the move attracted attention from local residents and the tabloid press.
Neighbours expressed a mix of welcome and concern after reports of the relocation. "I welcome them. But I hope the public allows them to live there quietly as a family," Jean Reeve, who said she has lived in the area for 40 years, told the Daily Mail. Some residents of a nearby residential park had raised privacy worries after the move became public.
The reported relocation followed earlier coverage that William and Catherine had grown out of Adelaide Cottage, their previous home on the Windsor estate. Media reports have also linked the move to Catherine’s health: she was diagnosed with cancer in March 2024 and has since said she finished treatment and is in remission. A source quoted by the Sun said the couple wanted a "fresh start" and to leave "unhappy memories" behind.
The wider duties of the couple were noted by royal commentators as another factor shaping their accommodation. Hugo Vickers, a biographer and friend of the family, told Page Six in August that when William becomes king he and Catherine will not be able to live full time at the Windsor house because the sovereign must be based near the government; he said Buckingham Palace would remain their London base for ceremonial and official work.
The exact security measures beyond landscaping and fencing have not been detailed publicly. The Mirror reported that some planning documents were redacted, and privacy around royal security arrangements is typically tightly controlled. The couple’s decision to meet renovation costs privately and to pay market rent for the residence has been framed in tabloid coverage as an effort to avoid additional expense for taxpayers.
Kensington Palace has not issued a full public statement about the works. The reported changes come as the royal household balances private family life with public duties and media scrutiny, while neighbours and local authorities manage the practicalities of a high‑profile family moving into a residential area of the royal estate.