PRINCE William and Kate are looking to move their family out of London – and closer to Granny.
The royal couple are said to be considering relocating to Windsor and have even been scouting potential schools for their three children, Princes George and Louis, eight and three, and Princess Charlotte, six.
They currently reside at the 20-bed residence, Apartment 1A at Kensington Palace, but they prefer spending time in the country and dislike battling the school run traffic to and from Thomas’s School, Battersea.
But their country home, Amner Hall, in Norfolk, where they like to spend school holidays and weekends, is too far away from London to work out full time.
Windsor, then, would be an ideal commute and would place them close to the Queen, who has chosen to base herself at Windsor Castle.
But where might the Cambridges live? The Queen has several properties in Windsor, but it’s been reported Wills and Kate are also considering private properties. Here, we examine the pads on their radar so far.
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The “forgotten castle”
Fort Belvedere was built in 1750-55 for the Duke of Cumberland and expanded in the Gothic Revival style in the 1820s for King George IV.
It is a Grade II listed building within Windsor Great Park and has some quirky features, like an octagonal dining room, added by George IV, and a set of 31 guns which were used to fire salutes until 1907, often for Queen Victoria.
Queen Victoria used the place as a tea house and opened it to the public in the 1860s.
There’s also a swimming pool, which was converted from the lily pond by Edward VIII, and a tennis court, which would appeal to tennis fan Kate.
There are also stables, which is good news for the three Cambridge children who are keen riders, having started taking lessons while holed up in Anmer Hall during the pandemic.
Fort Belvedere is best known for its part in one of the most famous chapters of Royal history, as it was home to Edward and Wallis Simpson.
American divorcee Wallis Simpson moved into the home after receiving threatening letters for her relationship with Edward, and it was at Fort Belvedere that he signed the Instrument of Abdication to give up the throne in 1936.
The Duke and Duchess of Windsor then moved to France, and years later, their home was used for the filming of the ITV drama, Edward and Mrs Simpson.
During World War II, the place was occupied by the Office of the Commissioners of Crown Lands, after evacuating their London offices.
Fort Belvedere then stood empty until 1956 when the Queen’s cousin, Hon. Gerald Lascelles, younger son of George V’s daughter, Mary, moved in.
He did away with a lot of Edward’s refurbishments, reducing the vast 30-40 room house to a more family-friendly place comprising six bedrooms, and five bathrooms along with three cottages for staff.
He gave up the lease in the 1970s, following his divorce, and Canadian billionaire Galen Weston moved in.
The retail magnate died last year but his wife Hilary and family continues to live there. They have extended the lake and added a polo stud to the land, which might appeal to William who was a keen player.
Gilded dolphins and a scandalous history
Adelaide Cottage is another of the Queen’s residences in Windsor, which was touted as a possible home for Prince Harry and Meghan.
It was built – and named after – Queen Adelaide, wife of William IV. More modern than Fort Belvedere, it was built in 1831.
It seems Queen Victoria liked to do the rounds in Windsor as she also enjoyed popping into this property for tea or breakfast.
The real gems of the place came during a renovation in 2015.
