Kate Middleton and Prince William Will Stay at New Home When He Becomes King

Kate Middleton and Prince William are putting down roots with their upcoming move, with plans to stay in their new home even upon becoming king and queen.

The Prince and Princess of Wales, both 43, hope to move into their new home, Forest Lodge, in Windsor, before Christmas, PEOPLE confirmed over the weekend. The Sun was the first to report the story.

Royal sources say it will be the forever home for the couple and their three children, basing their lives there even when William accedes to the throne.

Buckingham Palace, located in central London about 22 miles east of Windsor, has been the main base for the British monarchy. It is currently undergoing a massive $463 million renovation program, making much of it unsuitable for use by King Charles and other members of the royal family. Charles, 76, stays in his long-term residence of Clarence House when he is in London, while his siblings, Princess Anne and Prince Edward, are based elsewhere during this time.

Referred to by insiders as “monarch HQ,” Buckingham Palace is the center for public life in the U.K. and the focus of national celebrations like the annual Trooping the Colour or this May’s VE Day commemorations. Moreover, it is usually the base for state visits and public investitures honoring the great and the good in British society.

However, with the renovations scheduled to continue until 2027, when King Charles will be 78 and Queen Camilla will be 80, it is not expected that they will move in.

Prince William and Princess Kate, with their hopes for a different kind of family life, are unlikely to base themselves there either, it’s been widely reported.

Forest Lodge, located in Windsor Great Park, is an upgrade from William and Kate’s nearby current residence, Adelaide Cottage, where they moved in September 2022. The Georgian mansion, dating back to the 1770s, features eight bedrooms, as opposed to the four at Adelaide Cottage, and is said to have six bathrooms and a tennis court.

Since they relocated from London’s Kensington Palace in 2022, William and Kate have found that Windsor is perfect for their family life. The couple likes to take the children, Prince George, 12, Princess Charlotte, 10, and Prince Louis, 7, to school, pick them up when they can and be on hand to watch sports games and other activities. It also provides them with more privacy than living in the goldfish bowl that is Kensington Palace in central London.  

“The Wales family will move house later this year,” a spokesperson at Kensington Palace confirmed to PEOPLE on Aug. 16.

In keeping with how they have been living at Adelaide Cottage, and in a bid to make their family life as normal as possible for the children, the Prince and Princess of Wales also will not have any live-in staff at Forest Lodge, PEOPLE understands. The children’s longstanding nanny, Maria Turrion Borrallo, and housekeepers will likely stay on other smaller properties on the estate.

The area has the added benefit of being only about a 30-minute drive away from Princess Kate’s parents, Carole and Michael, who are very hands-on grandparents to the royal children.

The couple, who are funding the renovations themselves, will pay rent for the property to the Crown Estate, the BBC reported. They have started to source furnishings for the property. As heir to the throne, Prince William receives around $30 million a year from the Duchy of Cornwall Estate.  

While they have settled in Windsor, their time at Adelaide Cottage has been one of the most challenging times of their lives. Princess Kate underwent grueling chemotherapy for cancer, which ended last summer, while King Charles was also diagnosed with an undisclosed cancer. He is still receiving treatment. 

Soon after they settled in Adelaide Cottage, the family also mourned the loss of Queen Elizabeth in September 2022. 

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It emerged on Aug. 19 that two families living in cottages near Forest Lodge were asked to vacate ahead of the couple’s planned move. The two cottages were previously converted from stables on the property and rented out by the Crown Estate, the Mail on Sunday reported. PEOPLE understands that there have been no eviction notices, and the tenants have since moved to similar or better housing within the Great Park, with everyone remaining in Crown Estate properties.

The Wales family also has a country home, Anmer Hall, in Norfolk and a London base, Apartment 1a at Kensington Palace.