The Prince and Princess of Wales and their three children are set to move into Forest Lodge in Windsor later this year.
But the 18th-century abode was once "strongly tipped" to be the home of a newly-wedded Princess Royal and her first husband, Captain Mark Phillips.
An excerpt from The Daily Telegraph in December 1975, two years after their marriage, stated that Princess Anne had considered the property.
Her first marital home with Captain Mark was Oak Grove House, a five-bedroom Georgian house, located at the Royal Military Academy Sandhurst.
But in 1976, the late Queen Elizabeth II gifted her daughter Gatcombe Park, the beloved Gloucestershire estate that Anne still calls home to this day.
© GettyAnne also has an apartment at St James's Palace in central London.
'Forever home'
The Prince and Princess of Wales are moving just a short drive from their current Windsor abode, Adelaide Cottage, to Forest Lodge, which has been dubbed their "forever home".
They are upsizing to the eight-bedroom property, situated within Windsor Great Park, with the freehold owned by the King.
© Getty ImagesAccording to The Sun newspaper, the royal couple are paying for the property and renovations themselves, avoiding any extra cost to the taxpayer.
Documents lodged with the Royal Borough of Windsor and Maidenhead show permission for minor internal and external alterations was granted earlier this month.
In 2001, Forest Lodge underwent £1.5 million restoration works and was put on the rental market for £15,000 a month.
© PA Images via Getty ImagesImages inside the home taken at the time showed the property boasted original stonework, elaborate plaster cornices and ceiling decoration, and a half-barrel vaulted hallway ceiling.
William, Kate and their three children moved from Apartment 1A at Kensington Palace in London in the summer of 2022 ahead of George, Charlotte and Louis enrolling at Lambrook School in Berkshire.
