Prince William and Kate Middleton haven’t even moved into Forest Lodge, but it sounds like half of the neighborhood doesn’t want them around.
It’s no secret that the Prince and Princess of Wales desire privacy, not only for themselves after Kate’s cancer battle, but also for their three children: Prince George, 12, Princess Charlotte, 10, and Prince Louis, 7. In William’s interview with Eugene Levy for the Apple TV+ series, The Reluctant Traveler, the future monarch spoke about the press’ “insatiable” appetite for tea about the royal family, especially when Princess Diana was alive.
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“They wanted every bit of detail they could absorb, and they were in everything, literally everywhere. They would know things, they’d be everywhere,” he explained. “And if you let that creep in, the damage it can do to your family life is something that I vowed would never happen to my family.”
Prince William, Kate Middleton
Getty Images.
That’s why Kate and William moved their kids out of London to Adelaide Cottage in 2022. Now, they are seeking more space with their new home at Forest Lodge, a move they expect to make ahead of the holidays. But that significant change comes at a cost to the neighbors at Windsor Great Park. According to The Guardian, the area has been “closed off by a 2.3-mile perimeter no-go zone” in anticipation of the Wales’ move.
One neighbor criticized the royal family for their lack of consideration. “To the people who lose it, it’s a big loss. There are so many houses they could have chosen, why choose one where the public has to lose such a big chunk of the park for their private benefit,” a woman named Tina told the media outlet. “I am very upset. I do think it’s outrageous, the way it was done. I think it’s a selfish act.”
According to The Sun, safety measures are already being added, “CCTV cameras, massive fencing and landscaping” to keep trespassers away from the area. Another angry resident told the media outlet, “Many of us have been walking our dogs here for 20 years, so to be told we can’t anymore is a kick in the teeth.”
Kate and William’s relocation to Forest Lodge also required two different families to move from their rented homes because it was too close to the royals. The tenants were reportedly “surprised” by the request, but they complied and were relocated.
“They were told to move out. I guess they were given somewhere else, but they were told they had to move,” a source told The Mail on Sunday in August. “They were not expecting it. Those houses are very close to the lodge, so they’re not going to want any Tom, Dick, or Harry living in those houses if there are going to be royals there.”
The controversy is likely to continue ahead of Kate and William’s move, but a spokesperson for Windsor Great Park downplayed the neighborhood inconvenience to The Guardian.
“A security boundary is being introduced by the Home Office and Thames Valley police in a small area of Windsor Great Park to support enhanced protective measures,” they said. “This does not affect the vast majority of public access to the park, and efforts have been made to reduce the impact on users of the park as far as possible.”
It sounds like the residents are out of luck when it comes to access to that area of the park.
Before you go, click here all the biggest royal scandals in the past 50 years.
