Why Prince William, Princess Kate couldn't move into Fort Belvedere

Prince William and Princess Kate recently announced that they’re moving out of Adelaide Cottage to the much larger Forest Lodge later this year.

But for months before Kensington Palace officially confirmed the news, the Prince and Princess of Wales were largely reported to be eyeing Fort Belvedere — a Gothic Revival mansion occupying nearly 60 acres of the Windsor Great Park grounds.

Once beloved by King Edward VIII and Wallis Simpson, the Grade II-listed property has been leased by the family of late Canadian billionaire Galen Weston since the 1980s. And according to GB News, the family quietly renewed their contract earlier this year, meaning the option was never on the table to begin with.

Instead, William and Kate are preparing to relocate to Forest Lodge, a 300-year-old home, also in Windsor Great Park, described as their “forever home.”

With a ballroom adorned with chandeliers, Venetian windows, a tennis court and sprawling grounds, it’s a striking upgrade from the modest four-bedroom Adelaide Cottage, where they’ve lived since 2022.

The home, last renovated in 2001, is just a short drive from Lambrook School, attended by Wales children: Prince George, 12, Princess Charlotte, 10, and Prince Louis, 7.

The move and ongoing renovations will reportedly be privately funded by the future king and queen.