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Daily Mirror
Daily Mirror
Jennifer Newton

Inside William and Kate's 'cramped' cottage - scandalous past and huge change for Louis

The Prince and Princess of Wales have lived in their new Windsor home for just under a year - and it seems there will be no more house moves for the foreseeable future.

The couple and their three children have been living in Adelaide Cottage since last year - b ut rumours have swirled they are being lined up to take Prince Andrew's current abode Royal Lodge.

It has been reported that King Charles is keen for Andrew to move out of the 30-room Royal Lodge and into something smaller - but the Duke of York is said to be adamant he wants to stay put.

So this means that William and Kate will also have to stay at Adelaide Cottage - despite a source saying they find the cottage too small.

The Prince and Princess of Wales (AP)

The insider told OK! : "William and Kate love the cottage but it’s just too small for them.

"There are four bedrooms which just about fit them all in but there are other things that need to be considered. Staff and other elements need to be factored in.

"They were looking for a larger home but have now resigned themselves to the fact that they will be stuck in the cottage due to other properties not opening up for them."

But what does the cottage look like inside and who previously lived there? Here we take a look....

Where is Adelaide Cottage?

Adelaide Cottage is nestled in the heart of the 655-acre Windsor estate and is extremely close to Windsor Caste.

This means the Waleses can pretty much pop in to see King Charles when he is in residence with relative ease.

Adelaide Cottage on the Windsor estate (REX/Shutterstock)

The cottage was built in 1831 as a retreat for William IV’s wife Queen Adelaide, which the property is named after.

It was also known to be a favourite home of Queen Victoria as she frequently enjoyed taking her breakfast there.

What does Adelaide Cottage look like inside?

Adelaide Cottage underwent major renovations in 2015 - and it is said that is why William and Kate are keen on the property as it doesn't require much work.

And despite being seemingly modest by royal standards, it's interior is said to boast some seriously impressive features, including a marble Graeco-Egyptian fireplace.

Meanwhile, the master bedroom is thought to be a work of art as it has a coved ceiling that features gilded dolphins and special rope decoration made for material from the Royal Yacht Royal George.

William and Kate on the school run with George, Charlotte and Louis (Getty Images)

However, there are only four-bedrooms in the cottage, one for the couple and one each for their three children.

And The Sun reports that the family will have no live-in staff - a big change for Prince George, Princess Charlotte and Prince Louis, whose nanny Maria Borallo used to live with them at Kensington Palace and Anmer Hall.

Meanwhile, according to MailOnline, the property is also relatively private thanks to its seven gated entrances and exits to Windsor Castle.

Who has lived there before?

In recent years, Adelaide Cottage has been used as a grace-and-favour home for royal staff and family friends.

Princess Margaret with Group Captain Peter Townsend in 1952 (Popperfoto via Getty Images)

But it is also famous for facilitating one of the most scandalous royal love stories of all time.

One of the most famous former residents was Princess Margaret's love interest, Group Captain Peter Townsend.

Townsend was a dashing RAF pilot and later an equerry to King George VI as well as a married father-of-two.

His relationship with Margaret raised eyebrows due to their 16-year age gap and the fact he was a divorced man.

The news of their closeness came about when a journalist noticed her pick a piece of lint off of Townsend’s jacket at the Queen's coronation in 1953.

The pair became engaged in April 1953 but their romance was doomed by the Royal Marriage Act 1772.

This is because at the time, no member of the Royal Family was allowed to marry a divorced person while their former spouse was still living.

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