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Kate Middleton and Prince William plan to move to Forest Lodge in the coming months, but nearby residents say the new home is less private than their current accommodations
Nearby neighbor Jean Reeve said, “They have young children after all. They deserve privacy”
Forest Lodge is said to be the Prince and Princess of Wales’ forever home and where they’ll stay even after William is king
As Kate Middleton and Prince William prepare to move to Forest Lodge in Windsor, their new neighbors are ready to welcome the family.
Those living in Cranbourne Hall Residential Park are expected to be some of the Prince and Princess of Wales’ closest neighbors after their relocation, but they revealed that Forest Lodge is less private than their current home, the nearby Adelaide Cottage.
Jean Reeve, 87, said, “I welcome them. But I hope the public allow them to live there quietly as a family,” according to the Daily Mail. “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.
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Forest Lodge, photographed in 2018
The outlet reported that some security measures were recently being put in place, including a metal fence with black mesh privacy screens around the front of the house and new shrubs being planted.
Last week, the Daily Mail reported that two households near Forest Lodge were asked to vacate earlier this summer. PEOPLE understands that there were no eviction notices, and the tenants have moved to similar or better housing within Windsor Great Park, with everyone remaining in Crown Estate properties.
The tenants “were not expecting it,” a source told the outlet. “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.”
In another move to ensure their privacy, Prince William and Princess Kate will continue not to have any live-in staff after their move to Forest Lodge, PEOPLE understands. The children’s longtime nanny, Maria Turrion Borrallo, and housekeepers will likely stay in smaller properties nearby.
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Forest Lodge and the surrounding area, photographed in 2018
Forest Lodge is located just four miles away from Adelaide Cottage, so the Prince and Princess of Wales are familiar with the area. But 16-year Crabourne resident Cynthia Sullivan, 72, pointed out that their move will bring them closer to two pubs, The Duke of Edinburgh and The Rose.
Another resident, Nicola Berry, 50, speculated that the couple will continue to frequent the Windsor Farm Shop, adding that there was another nearby shop for “a late run once the farm shop is closed.”
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Prince William, Prince George, Prince Louis, Kate Middleton and Princess Charlotte on May 5, 2025
Forest Lodge is said to be the family’s forever home, where they plan to stay even when Prince William accedes to the throne. They relocated from London to Windsor in 2022 to test if the location would work for their family, and the eight-bedroom residence is larger than the four-bedroom Adelaide Cottage.
Speaking at the Irish Guards’ St. Patrick’s Day parade on March 17, Princess Kate told soldiers, “We are in Windsor at the moment. We were in London but moved there for more green space. It’s close enough to London, not too far away.”
The move will also allow for a fresh start after a difficult few years, which included Queen Elizabeth’s death in September 2022 as well as both Princess Kate and King Charles being diagnosed with cancer in 2024.
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