Prince William & Kate are ‘trying to secure Royal Lodge for their family’

For about three years, we’ve heard that Prince William and Kate are desperate to move into Royal Lodge. In 2021, the speculation began when Will and Kate suddenly decided that they hated living in Kensington Palace full-time and they needed some big property in Windsor or the wider Berkshire area. My take was always that Will and Kate’s scheme to move to Windsor landed poorly with QEII and then-Prince Charles, and that’s backed up by the fact Will and Kate were not “given” one of the grander properties in Windsor. Instead, Kate and the children were shoved in Adelaide Cottage, a four-bedroom house with no staff quarters. The talking point is that William lives there too (but it’s extremely doubtful).

In 2021, Will and Kate let it be known that they would love Royal Lodge, the 30-room mansion where Prince Andrew resides. So much of the recent “Andrew should be evicted from Royal Lodge” conversation comes from William’s office. That being said, by last fall, Will and Kate seemed to finally make their peace with the fact that they wouldn’t get Royal Lodge. But over the past week, the Epstein files have been unsealed and suddenly Royal Lodge is back on the table, at least that’s what they think.

Just a few weeks ago Prince Andrew walked to church on Christmas Day with King Charles and the rest of the Royal Family marking a gradual return to the fold. However, sources state that fresh revelations outlined in New York court documents detailing sexual assault allegations against the duke have strengthened the King’s resolve that his brother must never be allowed to resume royal duties and should be forced out of Royal Lodge.

A well-placed source tells Express.co.uk that Prince William and Catherine would “welcome and support” the King’s decision to turf Andrew out of Royal Lodge as they have been eyeing up the property for quite some time.

“It’s no secret that William and Kate have been trying to secure Royal Lodge for their family. They are in desperate need of a larger property to accommodate their household,” the source said. “The wheels finally seem to be in motion to remove Andrew from the property which William and Kate welcome and support wholeheartedly.”

The source adds that plans were put in motion to evict Andrew from Royal Lodge last year when he was handed the keys to Frogmore Cottage which is in keeping with his “downgraded” royal status. However, Andrew refused to move into Prince Harry and Meghan Markle’s old home because it was said to be “too small” for his highness.

“The Palace originally wanted Andrew out of Royal Lodge so that the property could be renovated and prepared for new lodgers,” a source said last year. “However, Andrew was having none of it and is adamant that he will see out the end of his lease at Royal Lodge.”

The lease of Royal Lodge was granted to Andrew in August 2003 for a term of 75 years, and he paid a lump sum of £1million to the Crown Estate to secure it. It was revealed last year how the Duke of York was provided for in Queen Elizabeth’s will and, as a result, was able to come up with the money to make essential repairs to remain in compliance with the terms of the lease. The source adds that the duke won’t go down without a fight and is prepared to “give everything he’s got” to hold onto his home. However, Andrew will be forced to fund future security operations at his Windsor home himself and other expenses will see the costs mount which, in turn, could see him fault on the lease agreement.

[From The Daily Express]

Apparently, William still has a bug up his bum about this. He really has his heart set on Royal Lodge. Which begs the question… why doesn’t William feel similarly about any other home on the Windsor estate? There are multiple palatial homes and forts on the Royal Windsor estate, and nearly all of those other properties would be a lot more accessible. That’s always been such a question mark for me, but it makes sense if you consider that William is constantly seething with jealousy over what other people “have.” Also: I remember when William made it clear that Adelaide was just the right size for Kate and the children, all while Kate was furiously insisting that it was much too small.

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59 Responses to “Prince William & Kate are ‘trying to secure Royal Lodge for their family’”

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  1. Jais says:

    To me, this whole story makes the royals looks so bad. Briefing over real estate. Saying the wales are in desperate need of a larger property. Apparently, KP apts, Anmer hall and Adelaide are not enough for them. So yeah, please more stories about how they need a bigger property. Bc it can only help the republican movement.

    • Chaine says:

      Right? Every time these stories come up that they need this or that home in addition to the other grand residences they only dilly dally into once a month, I just hate them so much.

    • MoxyLady007 says:

      Everything they do is so short sighted.

      Of course Adelaide wasn’t what they wanted – but at the time it was a dig somehow at H&M’s large home.

      They wanted something much grander and the Queen said no. And Charles said no. Because in this instance – him puppeting the Queen would have backfired on him as Andrew would have made her aware of what he was doing.

      So they moved to Adelaide knowing full well it was a pit stop on the way to what they really wanted. Or it was a place to shove Kate and the kids so William could be a free man about town. Either way. It didn’t seem like it would be able to be a long term solution.

      Although the move to Adelaide did seem to really break Kate and maybe that was the point.

      The woman wore Frankenstein boots to an event mere months ago. Her hair has been an ongoing discussion and she’s very obviously been stripped of her “amenities” like a hair and makeup team or a stylist or the budget for half way decent clothing.

      Maybe the Adelaide cottage move was just about teaching Kate a lesson – perhaps for having a go at rose.

      • Digital Unicorn says:

        The move to Adelaide was about putting Kate near her family pending any separation/divorce announcements. The birthday story confirms just how much she can’t live without them, esp her mother. It also confirms how much time she is really spending with her parents at their home.

      • Roan Inish says:

        ITA @MoxiyLady007 especially with “Although the move to Adelaide did seem to really break Kate and maybe that was the point.” Kate has been in a downward slide since then although I don’t remember the Frankenstein boots. LOL

      • ML says:

        “Although the move to Adelaide did seem to really break Kate and maybe that was the point.” MoxyLady007, This was a really good point! The separation home, pit-stop-on-the-way, etc, made sense and yet, I never stood still by the fact that this home might have been acquired due to Rose and Party Pieces embarrassment.

        If KC had wanted Paedrew out, he would have cut his brother’s security by now. We know this because this is how he plans to flush PA out in the future: removing access to funds. PA will be unable to pay for upkeep, maintenance, and safety all at the same time. Considering the RF knew what was in those papers back when they showed PA and Fergie support, and KC should have implemented his austerity measures already, I’m curious to see how long the BRF remains publicly embarrassed.

        In a choice between PA and Peggington, given what I publicly know at the moment, I would have the two of them swap Windsor homes. KC is in no position to complain about how many estates PW has given the fact that he’s still maintaining about a dozen give or take himself.

    • PrincessK says:

      Of course they want Royal Lodge. This is what it has always been about. Kick out the Sussexes so Andy can get into Frogmore, and then hand the keys of Royal Lodge to Willy and his wife.
      I hope Andrew digs his heels in.

  2. Peg is always wanting more and doing less. He wants to be king now so why settle for Royal Lodge when he could have Windsor Castle. As for him and Can’t cohabitating at Royal Lodge? He would keep Can’t right where she is. If he has Royal Lodge it won’t be as noticeable when he gets in his helicopter to go places. It’s quite noticeable that he is living at Kensington and she is at Adalaide.

  3. OriginalLaLa says:

    Every day in newspapers here in Canada there are pieces about people being left homeless due to inflation or not being able to afford the necessities of life anymore, and here is our (non)Royal Family is beefing about which multiple mansions and palaces they feel entitled to??!?!?! ugh #AbolishTheMonarchy

    • Chrissy says:

      It’s even more galling when the biggest house hoarder is also the one claiming to be soooooo concerned with homelessness problem in the UK. Hypocrisy, thy name is William!!!

  4. Chloe says:

    Why the royal lodge? Seriously why? Windsor castle is right there and is definitely big enough to accommodate their family and household staff. And didn’t they move into AC initially because its small and william and kate are such “humble” people? What changed since then?

    • Jais says:

      Technically, Windsor castle is for the monarch, I think. Also, I think there’s offices there? They supposedly left KP bc there were too many eyes on them and I wonder if WC would be the same. I get the feeling that Royal Lodge is very private from Windsor but close enough to it.

    • Dutch says:

      Weren’t there stories in the first go-around of the royal real estate carousel that Windsor Castle was a no-go because Charles wanted to reserve it for various dinners and parties, especially while Buckingham Palace gets its facelift over the next four years?

      • Vik says:

        I don’t remember that, but I remember very well stories when AC was announced that WanK might move to Windsor Castle instead of Charles after Liz, because Charles’s reign would be short anyway. Then, but somehow esp now, it seems to have been a WanK campaign for Windsor Castle, no mention anymore now of them living there, but this continuing campaigning and begging for Royal Lodge instead.

        I would love for someone to finally go rogue and just unleash their knowledge of what is really going on behind the scenes. Why doesn’t a journo and paper have the guts? They’d sell copy hand over fist ffs!

      • Unblinkered says:

        Wouldnt surprise me if someone has tried to go rogue and spill the beans about what’s really going on behind the scenes, only for the UK press to be blocked from printing it.
        The scandal must be so great that it would threaten to topple them.

    • PrincessK says:

      Initially it was said that Willy and his wife were going to live in Windsor Castle, which has plenty of rooms.

  5. sam says:

    William’s take of “Let them eat cake” must be “Ending homelessness”

  6. MoxyLady007 says:

    The move to adelaide was and is confusing. And was very short sighted in that they were never going to stay there or be happy with it and they knew that moving in.

    a very large part of the move to Adelaide was in response to the Sussex’s California home – how W&K were much more down to earth and didn’t need such “large” accommodations.

    Which is “rich” considering they own multiple enormous properties that are currently sitting vacant or filled with a mister or mistress for W to play house with away from his actual family. Or – looks at Epstein notes – other things. 😒

    William and Kate don’t live together and everyone knows it.

    But royal lodge would let them “live” together and each have their own wing and never see each other but be much less suspicious about it.

    There must be another house- surely – that has this same configuration and doesn’t have the “ex’s living together” vibe that Royal lodge has. Unless William is keen for that look.

  7. Inge says:

    Wills the supposed homeless advocate complaining that his house is too small?

    Isn’t this the one with the guilded dolphins?

    Entitled twats.

  8. Digital Unicorn says:

    Pegs wants it because he hates Andrew and wants a massive bachelor pad to hide away in – Mumbles wants it as she feel entitled to it and she’s now PoW plus she wants somewhere bigger for her family to come visit in (read: for Ma to live with her permanently).

    She will not get anywhere bigger and knows it, this is just grasping as once she’s in there she ain’t leaving.

  9. Pumpkin says:

    I’ve been wondering for the last 2 years but I really don’t understand why a family with a 10 bedroom home in Norfolk, a however many bedroom home in a literal palace in Kensington and a 4 bed cottage in Windsor also want a *checks google* 7 bedroom mansion also in Windsor. Adelaide might be too “small” for them but 1) there are families who live just fine in 4 bedrooms and 2) it’s not like they have to live there full time. They can easily go to Norfolk/KP on the weekends/holidays (which I presume they do) since travel really isn’t an issue with them. I also question why they moved to Windsor in the first place but that is a discussion for another time?

  10. equality says:

    Royal Lodge comes with 98 acres, 21 of which are secluded gardens. The acreage is not part of any tours, unlike Windsor Castle. It has a 30 room mansion, a gardener’s cottage, chapel lodge, 6 lodge cottages and accommodations for security. Will could come and go as he pleased in his helicopter (if there’s not already a landing pad, I’m sure there is space to add one). He and Kate could live there in separate wings like Andrew and Fergie do. It would be perfect for his wants. I hope Andrew holds on to it till the bitter end.

    • Jenna says:

      Damn, no wonder W&K want Royal Lodge. Although it seems absolutely ridiculous for one family to live there.

      At least the Queen was much kinder to “the spare” than Charles ever will be. I mean, Andrew is a horrible human being, but his mother did give him that house for 75 years. Of course, Charles doesn’t give a rat’s ass about what his mother did or gave to people. He is undoing her work piece by piece. I think he is a total shit for taking away Frogmore Cottage. I hope they all end up live in 2 bedroom council homes. Not that the royals care about any of that.

      I mean, really, what purpose do they serve? I just don’t understand it.

      • Ariel Sussex says:

        Omg all that yess finger to nose, hold out to the very bitter end lol watch your back tho

  11. Berkeleyfarm says:

    Yeah, part of it is Will is always jealous of what someone else has, part of it is I think that it is big enough for one of them to have their own “wing” so they can live in the same house but not really together. Windsor is probably a lot more private for him to conduct his affairs, as well. As someone else had said, he might keep Kate right where she is, but nobody would know because Windsor.

    A genuine four bedroom house for them is pretty small. I mean, Kate needs a couple of rooms just for her coat collection. And of course the staff need a place to live.

    • Chrissy says:

      LOL! Kate must have a warehouse somewhere close for her mountain of coat dresses and various wiglets!

    • Square2 says:

      When it was rumor that the Queen would gift Adelaide to H&M as wedding gift, RR said it was a GRAND house. The “4 BEDroom” is very ambiguous, isn’t it? No mention of how big/small these rooms really are?
      From the public photos, Adelaide Cottage is not small. It also has a servant’s cottage just a stone’s throw away. So the nanny & other staff might not live WITH them, they could live just a howler away. Anyway Mrs. Wails can also use that staff cottage to store all her wigs, clothes, etc.

  12. Chantal1 says:

    If Andy thinks that 5 bedroom FC is too small for him (and his ex-wife), then 4 bedroom Adelaide would definitely be too small for him. Yet somehow its big enough for Special K, and 3 kids who are actually the future of the monarchy. Which makes no sense!

    This “family sounds even more ridiculous with these public appeals for upgraded publicly funded housing masquerading as “news articles”. Here’s an idea for W & A – take your unearned and stolen wealth and BUY your next home. Bc C-Rex is definitely looking for a way to break A’s lease. As for Andy, I’d give him a choice between Nott Cott and Adelaide if he wants to live in a royal property for free. Better yet, Fergie lived with him for all these years, and she’s now a property owner so they both could move to that property.

  13. Lau says:

    Honestly I struggle to understand how anybody would want to live in a house that has been Andrew’s for so many years. There must be some wild things around that place.

    • QuiteContrary says:

      I would need that place to be fumigated thoroughly.

    • Jenna says:

      I’m pretty sure they would gut and renovate Royal Lodge to remove any trace of Andrew’s stain. I’m also sure they wouldn’t pay for it themselves….

      • Ariel Sussex says:

        Most definitely not lol but I was thinking now that W has access to the Dutchy he would have a figuratively endless supply of money. I do wonder if K gets a piece of the pie for her wing?

    • Deering24 says:

      Ugh–yeah, that would be like buying the Playboy Mansion right after Hefner died.

  14. Brassy Rebel says:

    It’s very clear that William doesn’t give a damn that his uncle is a rapist pedo. He just wants the pervy uncle’s fancy digs. This is your future king, Britain. It’s what you have to look forward to.

  15. Amy Bee says:

    It’s interesting that Frogmore is now too small but when Harry and Meghan lived there it was a lavish mansion. That’s all I’ve got. I think William and Kate moved to Windsor with the hope that they would be allowed to live at Windsor Castle and when that was rejected they turned to Royal Lodge.

  16. Mary Pester says:

    Of course the little chocolate medal wearing pratt wants Royal Lodge, Harry has a big mansion, with a pool and SEPERATE accommodation for his security staff and another bigger house for Megan’s mom and Harry has beautiful grounds. So Billy the brat screams his incandescent scream that he is “, the Heir”, and royal Lodge must be his.
    Whilst everyone knows its because Royal Lodge has SEPERATE wings, so bully can masquerade as a family man by useing the same front door as the button wearing bimbo

  17. B says:

    I find these leases so interesting. They are binding when it comes to Andrew but not when it comes to Harry.

    With Frogmore Cottage all Charles had to do was notify Harry and he was evicted. The fact that they paid for several years in advance and had a lease didn’t matter. But SOMEHOW Andrew’s 75 year lease can’t be broken. (insert eyeroll) Everything with that family is performative especially these Andrew punishments.

    William trying to “secure” anything is also just for show. He eventually inherits it all.

  18. Becks1 says:

    so I think two things are going on here:

    1) William is not happy with even the image of living at AC (neither is Kate) and both want some place bigger and grander. They’ve been angling for someplace bigger since before they got AC and now they see their opening. It’s not about punishing Andrew, its about taking what they think they are “owed.”

    2) William and Kate want royal lodge where Andrew lived happily enough with Fergie for years and years…..divorced, separate wings…….maybe Will is tired of taking the helicopter back to KP every night and thinks royal lodge with separate wings would just be easier. Or maybe the press just really really wants people to make that comparison between the two couples.

    • Digital Unicorn says:

      ITA with point 1, not so sure about point 2 – Peggy does not want her and the kids in his big fancy shag pad but then again there was that odd story the other day that announced how sad Kate was that William won out on George going to Eton (it was in the Fail) so maybe he wants to ship them all off to boarding school as part of his divorce roll out plan. Kate in her little cottage while the kids are off at school – possibly living with dad in the bigger house during holidays etc.. Either that or the plan is to ship Kate back off to her parents and the kids stay with him in Royal Lodge.

      • Becks1 says:

        yeah, Fergie and Andrew (for all their crimes and grossness) at least get along well enough and it seems they always have.

        But even if William has no intention of moving to RL with Kate, I think the press is trying to force the connection in peoples’ minds – “they could live there and be separated but under one roof with their children………much like Andrew and Fergie…..” like its just more breadcrumbs from the press, you know? Royal Lodge is perfect for divorced couples who want to stay together for the kids! oh wait, no, thats not what we meant……..

        I think at this point Kate is stuck in Adelaide. I don’t know where William is – at KP every night? And maybe he’s willing to do that as a temporary measure until all the kids are boarding.

  19. Mirage says:

    There are many other palatial properties on the Windsor estate, but nothing compares to Royal Lodge. It’s truly special, with its dreamy garden, hidden corners and sheer size.
    I do think it would be better suited to a family. It’s time that Andrew & Sarah continue their retirement elsewhere.

    • WaterDragon says:

      Don’t forget it was the home of the “Beloved” Queen Mother before she finally shuffled off this mortal coil. That alone probably give it dome panache.

  20. February pisces says:

    Why would they even want to live there? No amount of saging is going to cleanse that house of andrews pedo energy.

  21. Saucy&Sassy says:

    I think this is the best pictures I’ve found of Adelaide Cottage and Adelaide Lodge. “An enclosed brick-walled courtyard joins the cottage to the red brick lodge, while a further extension is believed to have been added to the rear of the cottage at a later date.” This is not a ‘small’ property.

    https://scenetherapy.com/adelaide-cottage-in-windsor-home-park/

    • ArtFossil says:

      Thank you! Drives me nuts when Adelaide is described as a four bedroom house. It’s much much much more than that.

      • Saucy&Sassy says:

        ArtFossil, when you get time, read the article. It’s very interesting. It’s definitely bigger than a 4-bedroom house. I wonder how many bedrooms are in Adelaide Lodge? It certainly appears to me that there is more than enough room for a family of 5.

      • aftershocks says:

        I linked to the above article awhile ago in a previous thread here on this endless topic. The interesting part is that both Adelaide Cottage and Royal Lodge were originally small lodges for Great Park rangers. It was George IV who (when he was still Prince Regent) began adding on to Royal Lodge. He became obsessed with continually building extensions to the point where he died before his ongoing additions to RL were completed. His brother, William IV, decided to pull down the unfinished additions to RL and use it as scrap material to build Adelaide Cottage for his wife (Queen Adelaide), adjacent to the ranger’s lodge near Windsor Castle.

        Royal Lodge underwent a number of renovations and refurbishments, particularly in the early 1930s after George V granted the property to his second son and his wife (the former Duke & Duchess of York: Bertie & Elizabeth). The York family of four used it as their country retreat, once wings were added.

        The lodge at AC stands alone, albeit there’s a connecting passageway to the larger house. The entire property is referred to as Adelaide Cottage. In the lead-up to H&M’s wedding, AC was often erroneously tipped to be a Windsor residence that might be given to H&M. It was rota speculation only, and of course, did not pan out.

        Meanwhile, the older Frogmore Cottage, was exclusively built by Queen Charlotte as a getaway garden retreat near her mansion, Frogmore House. In fact, Frogmore Cottage is slightly larger than Adelaide Cottage. Plus, Frogmore Cottage has more architectural and historical significance/ provenance than Adelaide Cottage.

      • Saucy&Sassy says:

        aftershocks, thank you for explaining. What it tells us is that this is not a small house. I’m sure the four bedrooms could easily become 5.
        adelaide Lodge undoubtedly has more than enough room for their housekeeper, cook, nanny(ies), etc. The article says there is a gate house for security.

        If they really want more room, couldn’t they do a renovation to attached the two buildings and reconfigure Adelaide Lodge?

  22. Khadi says:

    Speaking for myself, I wouldn’t want Moldy Royal Lodge. Gross.
    Why can’t Will and Kate have Windsor Castle? Charles should give them that. Kate’s family is close by, right?
    If Kate is alone, why don’t those two divorce?
    Totally a never ending soap opera. I am so blessed not to have a life like those people. Thank you, Lord.

    • PrincessK says:

      Well it was originally said that Willy and his wife would live in the Castle but l suppose it is not very suitable for relaxed family life, which is probably way the royal family over many generations built more family oriented lodges on the Windsor estate.
      The Queen probably gave Andy RL because it was a place she lived in as a child.

    • Carolind says:

      Why should Charles give them Windsor Castle? It is a residence only for the monarch. Would you like your VP or a member of the cabinet living in the White House?

      • Princessk says:

        Charles isn’t giving the Windsor Castle because it does not belong to him, but as heir to the throne William is entitled to an apartment within the Castle but it is not probably suitable for modern family living.

  23. JaneS says:

    Slimmed down Monarchy?
    Think not.
    How many huge homes are their being used by the BRF, extended family, the grace and favor cottages given to long term staff? Tax payer money.
    Then let’s count the castles, palaces, estates, manor homes, country piles, etc.

    I’ve lost count of how they count all the assorted homes.
    Camilla certainly has her own huge house.

    So, Team Chuck & Cam = Buckingham Palace, if you please, sir. It is where the majority of tourists expect to find a King in residence.
    Also, move Andrew/Fergie in at the other wing. Make it easy on PP to keep an eye on them.
    Apartments for the old rellies, Prince Michael of Kent/old bat of a wife and her blackamoor jewelry.
    Assorted rooms for the corgis, etc.
    Then W&K, bug 3 stay where they are, kids in school. Charles in one spot, Will in a different spot. Protect the FKW and FFK George.

    Oh heck, I give up. I can’t and don’t care. Stinking wealth hoarding, do nothing bunch of grifters.
    Not the big 3, still kids + Corgis are cute, they get a pass too.

  24. BW says:

    Every time I read “Royal Lodge” my mind thinks, “Oh, no dear, not Purvis Lodge! The attics there are dreadful!”

  25. Anonymous says:

    I’m surprised these house hoarders are not trying to get at castles in other countries, too, presently inhabited by extended cousins.