Someone in the comments pointed out that the fuss around Prince William and Kate’s move to Forest Lodge means that it will be very difficult for them to eventually move into Royal Lodge. It’s true – they’ve been forced to justify their Forest Lodge move to such a degree that there will be a significant backlash if, one year from now, they suddenly say “actually, we would prefer to live in Royal Lodge, that’s our new forever home!” They always wanted Royal Lodge, so it’s funny that they’re never going to get it. Anyway, back to the fiasco that is the Forest Lodge move. Hello Magazine reports that Forest Lodge also includes a “self-contained flat” which has obviously been set aside for Carole and Michael Middleton.
The Prince and Princess of Wales are now one month into their new life at Forest Lodge in Windsor, along with their children, Prince George, Princess Charlotte and Prince Louis. Their eight-bedroom residence is tucked away in Great Windsor Park and provides them the perfect sanctuary for family life.
The royal couple appear to be determined to stick to their decision of having no live-in staff at this property. They made that change when they moved into Adelaide Cottage in 2022. However, Forest Lodge’s grand size and the fact that it has a “self-contained flat” as part of the accommodation means it would be possible.
Instead, it is thought that this additional accommodation could be used for guests coming to stay. Princess Kate’s parents, Carole and Michael Middleton, live under an hour away, but there’s a chance they may wish to have an overnight jaunt. Plus, any of their London-based friends could benefit from a bolthole in the countryside when they visit.
During my five years working for HELLO!, I have written about a plethora of royal and celebrity mansions, and I can say it is commonplace for them to come with some sort of guest accommodation. This just means that when they do have company, family life isn’t as disrupted, and their guests can also benefit from their own space. Prince Harry and Meghan Markle, for example, also have a private guesthouse at their Montecito home and it is believed that Meghan’s mother, Doria Ragland, uses it when she travels from her own home that’s around two hours away.
I seriously doubt Meghan is putting her mother in the guest cottage. I’m sure Doria stays in the Montecito mansion. But the point of mentioning the Sussexes was to draw the comparison: “look, William and Kate have a big house and extensive grounds now, just like Harry and Meghan!” “Look, they even have guest quarters, just like the Sussexes!” Anyway, not only does Forest Lodge contain some kind of “self-contained flat,” there are also cottages close to the manor house. We know because William and Kate evicted the lease-holders on those cottages. I imagine the Waleses’ extensive domestic and security staff will live in those cottages now. Maybe one of those cottages will be for the Middletons too. I always actually enjoy the implicit admission that Carole (especially) is constantly staying with Kate and the kids.
Photos courtesy of Avalon Red, Backgrid, Cover Images.
-
- LONDON, ENGLAND – DECEMBER 05: Princess Charlotte of Wales, Catherine, Princess of Wales, Prince George of Wales, Prince William, Prince of Wales and Prince Louis of Wales depart from the ‘Together At Christmas’ Carol Service at Westminster Abbey on December 05, 2025 in London, England. Led by The Princess and supported by The Royal Foundation, the annual event offered a chance to pause and reflect on the values of love, compassion, and the connections we share. The service also highlighted remarkable individuals from across the UK who have demonstrated extraordinary kindness, empathy, and support within their communities.,Image: 1056827994, License: Rights-managed, Restrictions: *** NO UK USE FOR 48 HRS ***, Model Release: no, Credit line: Chris Jackson/Avalon
-
- James Middleton and Alizee Thevenet (left) and Michael and Carole Middleton arrive for the Together At Christmas carol service at Westminster Abbey in London. Picture date: Friday December 5, 2025.,Image: 1056828140, License: Rights-managed, Restrictions: *** NO UK USE FOR 48 HRS ***, Model Release: no, Credit line: Aaron Chown/Avalon
-
- James Middleton and Alizee Thevenet (left) and Michael and Carole Middleton arrive for the Together At Christmas carol service at Westminster Abbey in London. Picture date: Friday December 5, 2025.,Image: 1056828140, License: Rights-managed, Restrictions: *** NO UK USE FOR 48 HRS ***, Model Release: no, Credit line: Aaron Chown/Avalon
-
- LONDON, ENGLAND – DECEMBER 05: Michael Middleton and Carole Middleton depart from the ‘Together At Christmas’ Carol Service at Westminster Abbey on December 05, 2025 in London, England. Led by The Princess and supported by The Royal Foundation, the annual event offered a chance to pause and reflect on the values of love, compassion, and the connections we share. The service also highlighted remarkable individuals from across the UK who have demonstrated extraordinary kindness, empathy, and support within their communities.,Image: 1056828449, License: Rights-managed, Restrictions: *** NO UK USE FOR 48 HRS ***, Model Release: no, Credit line: Chris Jackson/Avalon
-
- Berkshire, UNITED KINGDOM – Members of the Royal Family were spotted at Royal Ascot, held at Ascot Racecourse in Berkshire, UK, enjoying a day at the prestigious event. Pictured: Prince William, Carole Middleton BACKGRID USA 19 JUNE 2024 USA: +1 310 798 9111 / usasales@backgrid.com UK: +44 208 344 2007 / uksales@backgrid.com *UK Clients – Pictures Containing Children Please Pixelate Face Prior To Publication*
-
- Berkshire, UNITED KINGDOM – Members of the Royal Family were spotted at Royal Ascot, held at Ascot Racecourse in Berkshire, UK, enjoying a day at the prestigious event. Pictured: Carole Middleton BACKGRID USA 19 JUNE 2024 USA: +1 310 798 9111 / usasales@backgrid.com UK: +44 208 344 2007 / uksales@backgrid.com *UK Clients – Pictures Containing Children Please Pixelate Face Prior To Publication*
-
- Ascot, UNITED KINGDOM – Members Of The Royal Family attend day two of Royal Ascot at Ascot Racecourse in Ascot, England. Pictured: Carole Middleton BACKGRID USA 18 JUNE 2025 USA: +1 310 798 9111 / usasales@backgrid.com UK: +44 208 344 2007 / uksales@backgrid.com *UK Clients – Pictures Containing Children Please Pixelate Face Prior To Publication*
-
- London, UNITED KINGDOM Members of the royal family and VIP guests arrive at Westminster Abbey, ahead of the ‘Together At Christmas’ carol service spearheaded by The Princess of Wales. Pictured: Michael Middleton, Carole Middleton BACKGRID USA 5 DECEMBER 2025 BYLINE MUST READ: Zak Hussein / BACKGRID USA: +1 310 798 9111 / usasales@backgrid.com UK: +44 208 344 2007 / uksales@backgrid.com *UK Clients – Pictures Containing Children Please Pixelate Face Prior To Publication*
-
- London, UNITED KINGDOM Members of the royal family and VIP guests arrive at Westminster Abbey, ahead of the ‘Together At Christmas’ carol service spearheaded by The Princess of Wales. Pictured: Michael Middleton, Carole Middleton BACKGRID USA 5 DECEMBER 2025 BYLINE MUST READ: Zak Hussein / BACKGRID USA: +1 310 798 9111 / usasales@backgrid.com UK: +44 208 344 2007 / uksales@backgrid.com *UK Clients – Pictures Containing Children Please Pixelate Face Prior To Publication*
-
- Racegoers and members of the royal family on day two of Royal Ascot at Ascot Racecourse Featuring: King Charles, Carole Middleton, thomas van straubenzee Where: Ascot, United Kingdom When: 18 Jun 2025 Credit: Cover Images
-
- Racegoers and members of the royal family on day two of Royal Ascot at Ascot Racecourse Featuring: Carole Middleton Where: Ascot, United Kingdom When: 18 Jun 2025 Credit: Cover Images
-
- Racegoers and members of the royal family on day two of Royal Ascot at Ascot Racecourse Featuring: Lord Nicolas Soames, King Charles, Carole Middleton Where: Ascot, United Kingdom When: 18 Jun 2025 Credit: Cover Images
A flat for *the* Middletons?
I highly doubt they’re still together. After all, there have been rumours for years, ever since Pippa’s wedding, I think.
In any case, every family probably has their grandparents around from time to time, even if they’re not nearly as meddlesome, or trying to profit off of their kid and spouse, as the grifting Ma Middletonedeaf.
Exactly. It’s a flat for Carole. Michael Middleton hasn’t lived with his “wife” for years.
Kaiser is right: Doria stays in the main house with her daughter and son-in-law, but the mention of the Sussexes’ guest house indicates that the Waleses are still desperately trying to compete with them, in their own one-sided little way. Bless.
I too was puzzled why Hello thought it was necessary to reference Harry and Meghan who are paying for their home verses the tax funded Wales.
Will probably wants the very grand Bagshot Park with it’s 120 rooms rather than a mere 30 rooms on offer with Royal Lodge. After all why should FK and FQ slum it? Don’t they deserve the absolute very best for themselves and their young family after ALL they do for the nation?
Hey, why slum it with 120 rooms when Buck House has 770 rooms?
Well of course it has a flat for the Middletons. I still believe it’s a house for Can’t and she will want her parents with her so a deal was made for Forest Lodge. I also believe that they took the 150 acres for their privacy so no peeping eyes can see who is there at any given time.
This is so hilarious to me. It’s like no one has ever heard of a spare/guest bedroom for visitors? It’s just a bigger-property equivalent of that, with its own bathroom facilities and a kitchen bit etc.. Do these people even hear themselves? Talk about a non-story. I’m clearly doing something wrong, having to actually work for my income as opposed to earning money for writing this pointless nonsense that is the equivalent of less than a passing thought.
Yes, I love that the Waleses land grab is being made more difficult by the bad PR. It’s what they deserve.
The things that they write as if no one else has ever heard of it, will always amuse me. What I find interesting is not necessarily that there is a space for Kate’s parents, that’s a given, it’s how much time she implicitly spends with them. And it’s not because it’s odd that a retired grandmother would spend time with her grandchildren, but she has four other grandchildren. You never hear about her spending this much time with Pippa and her three kids, or even James and his one.
And don’t they all relatively live close together? I feel like with how they’re always trying to frame her as basically grandmother supreme, if she was shuttling from house to house to see all her grandkids all the time and barely spent any time at home they would absolutely release that. Why does Kate’s kids need so much attention and for their grandmother to constantly be present when they are the product of a two parent household like their other maternal cousins?
It’s Kate that needs the attention, not the kids. If Kate didn’t have her mother she wouldn’t have any other adult to talk with.
Carole’s not only there to see the grandkids! She’s mostly there to be the emotional support/ nanny/ rainmaker/ fashion advisor and grifting collaborator for Kate. I think she’s always been the brains behind “Operation Bag a Prince/ Heir to the Throne” and as Cannot gets closer to the throne (and shrinking/ fading before our eyes), Carole is needed on site more than ever to keep Kate focused on the ultimate prize and sweet talk Willnot as needed. What I don’t understand is why Michael Middleton does nothing while his daughter has become a walking skeleton!
I’m so glad that Meg and Harry are far from these sleazy people. Mooching off of the tax payers to have KKKaties parents live a lavish life. Harry as a single man didn’t even live the high life the way the Middletons do. Shameful.
Makes sense. Carol created this monster herself, so she has to babysit it.
The staff lives near the properties. Keen is not going to scrub out kitchens and vacuum and do the cooking and cleaning. And scooter won’t do the moving of
Furniture
Yep, staff lives near the properties. The whole oooh they don’t live with staff to me is eye-rolling. Bc of course they have staff and who cares. Rich people usually do. Stop pretending to be regular smegular when 150 acres of public parkland was just land grabbed.
Exactly.
YES,, much like downton abby many of the staff live ON the ESTATE properties, not IN the manor itself. so they’re just choosing not to have LIVE IN the manor.
Say what you will but it’s nice they’re being accommodated in the family’s future. It’s good to take care of family.
Of course it has a flat for the Middletons. i’m sure that was one of the big reasons for needing a bigger house – so that Carole had somewhere to stay. So either the in law suite or whatever is hers, or one of the cottages is. And yes, the staff are living in the other cottages. no way are W&K living without full time staff nearby at all times.
Having an inlaw suite or a guest room isnt that unusual – I live in a small rancher and we have a guest room for crying out loud – and these large country houses were designed to accommodate guests.
But its funny that they’re making a point of telling us that there is one for Carole.
The Sussexes are still used to compare an ocean away. Imagine if they were still there and working royals.
And if only H&M could change rent for all the people who have the living in their head rent free.
There was absolutely no reason to mention Harry and Meghan in this piece and as Kaiser said Doria is not staying the guesthouse. I think Hello just confirmed that the real reason for William and Kate moving to Forest Lodge is because they didn’t like that Harry and Meghan’s house was bigger than Adelaide Cottage.
I mean its clear they always wanted a bigger house and were forced to settle for Adelaide for some reason. They knew H&M’s house was bigger than AC when they moved in.