Prince William is preparing to relocate his family to Forest Lodge on the Windsor estate, a move royal experts say reflects his determination to build a life rooted in privacy and stability rather than rigid tradition.
Royal commentator Jennie Bond told The Mirror that the Prince of Wales is focused on raising his children—Prince George, Princess Charlotte, and Prince Louis—in a setting that feels more grounded than the palaces and castles associated with the monarchy.
“William is focused on creating a stable and private family life: the kind he never had when he was growing up. And so he wants to keep his family firmly rooted,” Bond explained.
The Prince and Princess of Wales are expected to leave Adelaide Cottage later this year and make Forest Lodge their permanent residence. Bond suggested the decision fits William’s vision of what he has called “royalty with a small R.”
“He’s already defined the way he wants to do things: he calls it royalty with a small R. And I think a ‘forever’ home at Forest Lodge is in keeping with that philosophy,” she said. Unlike past heirs to the throne, William appears unbothered by the idea of breaking certain royal traditions.
According to Bond, the prince has no interest in living within the formal grandeur of a palace. “I don’t think William is going to bat an eyelid about breaking certain royal traditions,” she said. “He doesn’t want to live in a palace or a castle, and he has made up his mind to do things differently.”
Forest Lodge, while still a sizable home, offers a less formal environment for his children to grow up in. Bond believes that the environment will benefit them in the long run.
“Living in a house – albeit a pretty big house as Forest Lodge is – will give his family a much more normal life, and that, I’m sure, is going to stand them in good stead,” she added.
William’s decision reflects his broader approach to kingship—an effort to balance royal duty with the desire to give his family a sense of normality. By choosing Forest Lodge, he signals that his priority is not grandeur but family life, a foundation he hopes will shape the next generation of the monarchy.