The Cambridges intend to move to Windsor this summer, but do they have a house?

April 5, 2022

For almost a year, we’ve been hearing about the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge’s desire to move. Or rather, to take on a third home. They have their place in London – Kensington Palace’s Apartment 1 – and they have their place in Norfolk, Anmer Hall. But they want a country/suburban home closer to London, which means that they’ve been trying to tempt the Queen and Prince Charles into giving them a big mansion in the Windsor estate. They apparently hate being in London because they feel “very overlooked.” They’ve spent months looking at properties and new schools, and I also imagine that William and Kate have been whining constantly to the Queen and Charles about how much they want a big new place. Well, nothing has been given to them yet, but the Keens are still hellbent on moving this summer.

Kate and Prince William ‘will move to Windsor this summer to be closer to the Queen and are even looking at schools in the area’, according to reports. The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge are reportedly looking at private homes after ruling out royal mansions, including Prince Andrew’s Royal Lodge and Fort Belvedere, the former home of King Edward VIII.
Sources claimed the couple have also considered Frogmore Cottage, located in the grounds of Windsor Castle, and Adelaide Cottage, nestled in the heart of the Home Park in Windsor, which is currently lived in. They have also been said to be looking at schools in Buckinghamshire, Windsor and Surrey having looked around Lambrook School, in Ascot.
Earlier this month it was reported that the Queen had decided to make Windsor Castle her permanent home and main residence. There were concerns this week that Prince Andrew, who has been getting close to the Queen in recent weeks, is angling for a role at the Platinum Jubilee events this summer after he escorted her at the Duke of Edinburgh’s memorial service on Tuesday.
A source told The Sun that the need for the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge to move to Windsor was growing ‘more and more’ because Andrew ‘spends a lot of time with the Queen’. They told the newspaper: ‘There is not a man, woman or child who would not say he had every right to be at Philip’s thanksgiving. But the family have been adamant there’s no way back. There are real fears that despite being banished from The Firm in January, he is using his closeness to the Queen as a springboard back into public life.’

[From The Daily Mail]

I’m not sure what William and Kate are meant to do to convince the Queen that her favorite son is a degenerate tragedy? I mean, sure, I can see how Will & Kate’s closer proximity in Windsor would be beneficial to the Queen… if you honestly believe that the Cambridges will pop over constantly. Which is doubtful. Besides, as soon as William and Kate are given a task, they get bored and find some way to get out of it. If you tell them that, actually, they do need to move to Windsor ASAP, suddenly it won’t be a priority for them.

The Sun’s coverage of this story included the leading contenders among royal properties: the much-discussed Fort Belvedere (a Gothic castle which still seems to be used by Galen Weston’s widow), Adelaide Cottage on the Windsor property (which doesn’t seem grand enough for the egotistic Cambridges), Frogmore House (very grand) and Royal Lodge (where Prince Andrew lives). Out of all of those, I could totally see them moving into Frogmore House, which is not the same as Frogmore Cottage. Frogmore House is a huge mansion, not a dilapidated servant’s quarters. The Sun also suggests that William and Kate might end up renting or buying a private property, although a local Berkshire realtor says that “There are many large properties around the area, but whatever level of the market you’re looking at, there is a severe shortage at the moment.” Ruh-roh, they might have to slum it at some 10-bedroom royal cottage for a year or two!