Prince William and Princess Kate will be moving into a new home before the year is out, and locals in the couple’s new area have opened up about the prospect of having royal neighbours
After spending three years living in pretty modest accommodation, for royal standards, Prince William and Princess Kate are upgrading. The future King and Queen will be moving with their three children, Prince George, 12, Princess Charlotte, 10, and Prince Louis, seven, to Forest Lodge – a lavish £16 million mansion in Windsor Great Park.
Their current four-bedroom home of Adelaide Cottage, has been the setting to some of the Wales family’s most difficult times, including the loss of the late Queen Elizabeth – who they originally moved to Windsor to be closer with – and Kate’s cancer diagnosis and treatment.
The family reportedly hopes that the eight-bedroom Forest Lodge, once called Holly Grove, will be their “forever home” where they can focus on making some happier memories.
Locals have opened up about how they feel about having some high-profile new neighbours – and one particular worry they have about the change.
READ MORE: ‘I knew Prince William, Kate and Harry – we have to accept brutal truth about rift’READ MORE: King Charles and Queen Camilla searching for jobseeker with eye for ‘complex’ issues
Cranborne Residential Park is the nearest neighbourhood to Forest Lodge, which is only four miles away from the Wales family’s current home.
Whilst the locals are generally thrilled about welcoming Kate, William, and the kids to their local area, and full of recommendations of the first places the family should try out, one resident remarked that she had one major worry about their move.
“I’m happy for them,” said Jean Reeve, 87, “I welcome them. But I hope the public allow them to live there quietly as a family.
“It’s a less private spot than their previous home – from what I know about the location. So I’d hate for people to always be going past and saying, ‘Oh, that’s where they live.’
“They have young children after all. They deserve privacy,” she added.
Jean, who has called the area home for over four decades, was full of praise for the “lovely” couple, who she noted were two of her favourite royals.
“I think they are going to be good for the country,” she said. “I was a teenager when the Queen was crowned, and she did a lot for this country.
“But now, young blood is a good idea. And William and Kate are lovely. They’re young. They’re family-orientated. They’re always with their children.
“It’s a new style of monarchy. They’d like to be treated as normal people.”
Jean also hopes that she may cross paths with them at the local newsagents, which will likely be their closest shop. “I wonder if they’ll use the shop? It will be their nearest now,” she remarked.
The 87-year-old isn’t the only local resident who wholeheartedly approves of the couple, with Steven Scorgie, 57, saying he would be keen to have them round for a nice cup of tea: “I’m happy to hear they’re moving this way. It’ll be nice to have some nice neighbours.
“I hope they say the same about me! I’ll invite them in for a cuppa if they want.”
He added, “I’m a fan of the royals. They bring a lot of trade into this country. And my father served the Queen. So I was brought up that way.”
When it came to recommendations for their new area, Steven advises the couple “should go to the Fifield Inn. That’s my favourite pub.”
Rose Noyce, 85, said, “I’m really happy about it. They’re my favourite royals. I think they’re wonderful people and will make a great King and Queen.
“I just hope they don’t mind living near us,” she joked.
Another resident pointed out that the area was generally speaking pretty pro-monarchy. “I’ve never heard anyone around here say anything anti-royalist,” explained Cynthia Sullivan, 72, a primary school teacher.
“I think most people tend to like them around here. The children do too. When the Queen died, we set up a memorial – and all the children wrote their own notes. It was sweet.”
She also said that it was “exciting to hear” the couple were moving to the area. “I think they’re a lovely family. I wish them the best.
“It’s only a short move for them so I’m sure they know the area well. But they will be nearer two pubs – The Duke of Edinburgh and The Rose – so they’ll be good to visit.
“I think Harry and Meghan used to go there,” she added.
One neighbour, Nicola Berry, 50, was pretty taken aback to learn just how close the couple’s new home is to her neighbourhood of Cranbourne Residential Park.
She explained: “I heard they were moving, but I didn’t realise they’d be so close. Welcome, I suppose!
“It’s funny because usually when people move to the area I recommend walks in Windsor Great Park – but that’s their back garden!
“So I suppose I’d say avoid Legoland and give The Rose a go.”
Nicola added that it would be “hilarious” to bump into them in the shop. saying: “I suppose they’ll probably use the Windsor Farm Shop, as they’ve been seen there before.
“But it would be hilarious if they came to the shop here. Maybe for a late run once the farm shop is closed!”
READ MORE: First-time fake tanners ‘completely converted’ by ‘summer glow’ in a bottle