A quaint four-bedroom cottage in the surrounding counties might not be everyone’s first thought of a royal home, but Adelaide Cottage is just the thing for the future king and his wife, whose move “surprised everyone” when they made a life-changing decision to have children, says the expert.
Now the main residence of the Prince and Princess of Wales, this two-storey gem is set in the sprawling 655-acre Windsor Home Park, just a 10-minute walk from Windsor Castle.
William and Kate, both 42, have said goodbye to their stunning Apartment 1A at Kensington Palace for their new home in 2022 and are aiming for a more down-to-earth lifestyle for their young trio – the Prince, 11, George, nine Princess Charlotte, and six-year-old Prince Louis.
“They are very, very happy there. “The opportunity to live in the heart of Windsor Park, where they are unobserved and can come and go in complete privacy, makes a downsizing of Kensington Palace every bit as justified,” said royal expert and author Katie Nicholl. “There’s not a lot of space, but Adelaide Cottage fits the bill.”
Rumours are that the couple’s move is motivated by a desire to give their offspring a slice of normal life, safely hidden from the legions of onlookers at Kensington Palace. The move also brought them closer to the Queen, who sadly passed away just a week after they moved in.
Despite its modest four bedrooms – unlike the neighbouring Royal Lodge, which has seven and is home to Prince Andrew – Adelaide Cottage offers plenty of space for a family, especially because no staff live there. Instead, assistants travel to work on the estate, reports OK!.
“I think they surprised a lot of people when they moved there,” notes royal commentator Duncan Larcombe. “There are plenty of other places they could move to, but Adelaide Cottage suits their wish as parents to be a normal family where there are no servants and they don’t have 30 rooms. “William prefers to have his children close to him, in rooms next to where he sleeps.”
The cottage is known for its unique pale pink exterior and is set amongst mature trees, providing the privacy the family values.
The gardens are manicured and surrounded by perfectly trimmed hedges. This year, the cottage has become a peaceful haven for Kate as she recovers from cancer treatment.
“Kate has been able to go for walks and enjoy the fresh air rather than being cooped up in a draughty old palace in London,” adds Duncan. “She’s happy there, with her family around her.”
The cottage, which is just 15 minutes’ drive from Lambbrook, where the children go to school, and less than an hour’s drive from the Middleton family home in Bucklebury, Berkshire, is for sale. “The proximity to the school and the proximity to Kate’s parents make it absolutely perfect,” Duncan noted.
“The children spend a lot of time with their grandparents, and when William and Kate are both working, the Middletons can step in. That’s a huge advantage for any young family.”
Built in 1831 and named after King William IV’s wife, Queen Adelaide, the cottage was used as a summer residence. A classic example of an ornet cottage – a French term for “decorated cottage” – it features distinctive architectural elements such as double chimneys with stepped bases at the south entrance and a canopy to protect against the elements.
There is also an attractive veranda on the east side. In October 2022, Kate gave a glimpse inside Adelaide Cottage, sharing a video during Addiction Awareness Week featuring a scene from her living room, showing a simple cream sofa with colorful cushions, surrounded by framed family photographs and houseplants.
Prince William and Kate Middleton are believed to have filmed their congratulatory video message to Team GB after the Paris 2024 Olympics in the garden of their Adelaide Cottage residence, against a backdrop of beautiful roses and lush greenery. The couple were originally due to live at nearby Royal Lodge, where Prince Andrew has lived for two decades.
The magnificent mansion, which has around 30 bedrooms, is considerably larger than Adelaide Cottage and is said to cost £400,000 a year to maintain. However, earlier this year there were rumours that the Duke, whose ex-wife Sarah, Duchess of York, lives in a separate wing of the lodge, was refusing to move into Frogmore Cottage, previously occupied by Prince Harry and Meghan Markle.
Nevertheless, William and Kate seem happy with Adelaide Cottage, which has been popular with senior royals for years. Queen Victoria, who spent much of her reign at nearby Windsor Castle, often enjoyed breakfast or afternoon tea in Adelaide.
Her beloved King Charles spaniel Dash is buried on the grounds and a special plaque has been erected in his memory. Before the Duke and Duchess moved in, the property was home to Simon Rhodes, son of Queen Elizabeth II’s cousin Margaret Rhodes, and Sir Hugh Roberts, former Director of the Royal Collection.
Adelaide Cottage’s most famous – and scandalous – former resident was Princess Margaret’s lover, RAF Group Captain Peter Townsend. He lived there with his wife Rosemary and their descendants in the 1940s.
The marriage ended in 1952, after which Townsend proposed to the young Princess Margaret when she was just 22 years old. However, due to the Royal Marriages Act of 1772 and Townsend’s divorce, Queen Elizabeth II refused her sister permission to marry.
Unimpressed by the “grace and grace” of the residence, Townsend once disdainfully called it a “refrigerator” because of its two flimsy radiators. Moreover, the weak electricity from Windsor Castle only added to the inconvenience.
The critic even criticised the house’s Victorian wallpaper and bulky furniture, calling them “ugly and unattractive”. Fortunately for the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge, a major renovation in 2015 spared them from having to update the interiors.
Decorated with gilded dolphins and ropes from an old royal yacht on the master bedroom ceiling, the cottage has now been spruced up. Katie added: “It’s cosy, not too big and it feels like home.”
“It’s perfect for bringing up a young family – in the way that Kate and William do, with a nod to their royal status but much more of a nod to being brought up as normal and normal as possible.” ” .