Prince William and Kate Middleton, the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge, are to move their family into a four-bedroomed home on the Windsor estate this summer, according to reports. The family has long been reported to be looking for a new home outside their London apartment in Kensington.
The move to Windsor will be better for school for their three children and will allow them to be closer to the Queen. the family is reported to be moving to Adelaide Cottage in Berkshire, according to The Mail.
The cottage built in 1831 is on the Windsor estate and is a short walk from Windsor Castle. It is Grade II listed.
Ingrid Seward, editor-in-chief of Majesty Magazine, said: "The Queen needs more people like William around her. She is very often on her own apart from staff and so will be delighted William, Kate and her three great-grandchildren will be ten minutes away. The family were very restricted in what they could do during the week at Kensington Palace."
George, eight, Charlotte, seven and Louis, four are expected to start school near their new home in September. One source told the Sun: "Kate and William were very keen for a modest home to start their new lives in Windsor. Adelaide Cottage fits the bill because it is a four-bedroom home and they do not need any more as they have no live-in staff.
"They had no other demands than a pleasant family home close to schools and the Queen. They were adamant they didn't want anything too showy or anything that needed renovating or extra security so as not to be a burden on the taxpayer."
The cottage underwent major renovations in 2015 and has seven gated entrances to Windsor Castle. It was built as a retreat for William IV's wife Queen Adelaide of Saxe-Meiningen and was used by Queen Victoria. It was also home to Group Captain Peter Townsend.
Kensington Palace declined to comment.
It is also understood that the Cambridges have hired a new communications secretary, Lee Thompson, who is currently vice-president of global communications and strategic partnerships at NBC Universal.
Earlier this year it was reported that William is keen to do things “the Cambridge way”, following his Caribbean tour with Kate, which saw the couple heavily criticised for images that smacked of “colonialism”.
