If reports are to be believed, Prince William, Kate Middleton and their children may move to their new “forever home” in Windsor in a matter of weeks—leaving the cosy confines of Adelaide Cottage behind. The family are relocating to a larger property, Forest Lodge, a historic Georgian mansion in a private section of Windsor Great Park which will be their primary residence for decades to come, even when William becomes King.
Despite this exciting new venture, the couple and their children will, no doubt, be sad to say goodbye to Adelaide Cottage—which has played host to many important moments for them over the years.
Prince William and Kate Middleton previously raised their family in London, living at Apartment 1A in the grounds of Kensington Palace. At the time of their relocation to Adelaide Cottage in 2022, sources close to the couple told the Daily Mail that it was intended “to test a new location and see if it worked for them as a family.” It didn’t hurt, of course, that Windsor Great Park was just a short drive from Lambrook, where Prince George, Princess Charlotte, and Prince Louis are currently all enrolled as pupils—and indeed, they soon settled into the candy pink cottage.
Originally built for Queen Adelaide, the wife of King William IV, in 1831, the home has been used by a number of monarchs. Queen Victoria often visited the cottage for breakfast or tea, and her dog, Dash, is buried in the gardens. Peter Townsend, who famously had a love affair with Princess Margaret, was another of Adelaide Cottage’s more notable residents—the pilot moved in with his wife and family in 1945 and remained there for the best part of a decade, although he battled against the “limited amenities” of the property. Townsend described the cottage as an “ice box” in the winter, as it only had two radiators: “In the drawing-room, surrounded by French windows, it was sometimes necessary to wrap up in an overcoat and scarf,” Townsend wrote in his memoir, Time and Chance.
Since then, the house has undergone a few renovations which have made it a little more comfortable—and somewhat grander. It’s said that the works completed in 2015 included a few lavish, decorative features, including gilded dolphins and rope ornamentation on the ceiling of the master bedroom, and a Greco-Egyptian marble fireplace. The historical architecture and original porch of Adelaide Cottage were preserved, however, as were the manicured gardens surrounding the property, which have remained almost untouched for nearly 200 years.
