The Prince and Princess of Wales are getting settled in their new home, Forest Lodge, after it was confirmed on 1 November that the couple, along with their three children, Prince George, Princess Charlotte, and Prince Louis, had moved in. The Wales family was able to move in early, after it was reported that they set themselves the goal of moving in by 5 November 2025, meaning they could complete the upheaval during their children's half-term break from Lambrook School. It seems the family is grateful for completing the move in that time, as the Daily Mail reported on 3 November that William and Kate, both 43, hosted a 'thank you' party for the builders and staff who worked tirelessly to get them into their new abode early.
According to the report, the royal couple hosted drinks and nibbles at The York Club, a private pub near their new pad on the Windsor Great Park estate, on 31 October. The venue is a members-only space for residents and employees of the Crown Estate, which manages many of the properties on the surrounding estate. It comes as the family waved goodbye to Adelaide Cottage, the four-bedroom property on the same Windsor estate which they had lived in since 2022.
© Getty ImagesA new chapter
The move to Forest Lodge marks a new chapter for the family of five who experienced a series of challenges while living at Adelaide Cottage. They lost Prince William's grandmother, the late Queen, in September 2022 before the release of the Duke and Duchess of Sussex's tell-all Netflix show, Harry & Meghan, in December 2022. Prince Harry went on to release Spare, his explosive memoir, in January 2023, and the Princess of Wales then announced that she was being treated for cancer in March 2024.
© Kensington PalaceTheir new abode signals a fresh start – and the home is a significant upgrade from Adelaide Cottage. "The Prince and Princess of Wales clearly love living in Windsor, the children are settled at Lambrook School nearby, and they will still be close to Windsor Castle for royal functions and engagements," Danielle Stacey, HELLO!'s Online Royal Correspondent, said in August 2025 of the Wales family's move. "Upsizing to Forest Lodge allows the family more space and has already been viewed as their 'forever home,' rather than having the children growing up within the walls of a palace."
Forest Lodge's renovations
The home had already undergone a host of renovations prior to the Waleses' move. In 2001, £1.5 million was spent on the property in order to maintain period details, including the original stonework, plaster cornices and ceiling decoration, marble fireplaces, Venetian windows and a half-barrel vaulted hallway ceiling.
© Getty, ShutterstockThen, planning applications were submitted to the local council in June 2025, with William seeking consent for minor and internal and external alterations to the property. It has been reported that the prince has paid for all the new renovations himself.
