Prince William and Princess Kate’s new home has pushed Windsor residents into a one-mile detour to buy their Christmas trees in the latest example of tensions caused by the couple relocating.
The Prince and Princess of Wales only moved into their former home Adelaide Cottage in 2022 and already they have moved on to Forest Lodge, a bigger house, also in Windsor.
However, the shift appears to have caused some disruption to local resident due to the security buffer zone around the home, which most recently has forced Christmas tree shoppers onto an awkward one mile detour, the Daily Mail reported.
Why It Matters
Any suggestion ordinary people’s lives are being turned upside down so William and Kate can move to a bigger house in the same area, in Windsor, risks framing the couple as part an out of touch elite.
What to Know
Graham Smith, chief executive of anti-Monarchy campaign group Republic, told Newsweek: “The Christmas trees issue might seem silly, but the point is this is all public property and William should not have been able to close those roads and close access to that land. It’s not his to do what he wants with.”
The British Government passed legislation via an amendment to the Serious Organized Crime and Police Act to make trespassing in a buffer zone around Forest Lodge a criminal offense under U.K. law. Trespass is usually a civil offense only. The act said this was needed “in anticipation of the relocation of a protected principal.” This is understood to mean William, as well as Kate and their three children Prince George, Princess Charlotte and Prince Louis.
This exclusion zone covers around 150 acres around the mansion, in Windsor Great Park, and the legislation states that it sits on Crown Estate land. The Crown Estate is not run directly by the Monarchy and is widely regarded as a public asset. It’s profits go to the British Government which then gives 25 percent to the palace as its public funding.
Forest Lodge is an eight-bedroom house with a tennis court and a ballroom and is significantly more lavish than Adelaide Cottage, their previous home.
Smith pointed to other examples of the security zone causing problems, including over the summer when The Mail on Sunday reported two families had been forced to move out of their homes because they were considered too close to Forest Lodge. They were reportedly found alternative accommodation.
What People Are Saying
Graham Smith, chief executive of Republic, told Newsweek: “He’s also forced two people, two families to move out of their homes.
“They were relocated to other places on the park but this is just another example of William just basically sticking two fingers up to local people and then just grabbing land that isn’t his just so that he can move from one house to another. So it’s just an abuse of power and privilege for me.”
Ingrid Seward, author of Prince Philip Revealed, told Newsweek their original Windsor home was small at the point they first moved their in 2022: “Adelaide Cottage is small so they don’t need staff there, and they won’t have room for many so they won’t have any live-in staff.
“I think it’s for the children but it’s worked out well because Windsor is so convenient for everywhere. It just takes ages to get to Anmer Hall [country residence in Norfolk], that’s the problem. They are also going to be near the queen and it’s nice for the queen to have her family around her.”
What Happens Next
William and Kate have already moved into Forest Lodge and are preparing for their first Christmas in their new home.
Do you have a question about King Charles III and Queen Camilla, Prince William and Princess Kate, Meghan Markle and Prince Harry, or their family that you would like our experienced royal correspondents to answer? Email royals@newsweek.com. We’d love to hear from you.