When Kate Middleton and Prince William made the decision to relocate from London to Windsor back in 2022, many royal fans believed it was largely down to their children, as they wished to be nearer to Lambrook School, the private institution attended by Prince George, Princess Charlotte and Prince Louis. Yet while this may have played a part in the decision to uproot their family and move to the four bedroomed Adelaide Cottage, it was far from the only reason- as one royal expert recently revealed that the late Queen Elizabeth had also played a key role in the move.
In his new biography ‘Catherine, Princess of Wales ’, royal expert Robert Jobson revealed that William, 42, wanted to move so he could be closer to his grandmother after the heartbreaking death of her husband Prince Phillip in April 2021. Quoting an aide, Jobson writes that William “knew his time with his grandmother was precious and he is delighted they, as a couple, made that decision.”
Prince William wanted to spend more time with his grandmother the Queen, claims one expert ( Image: Getty)
He adds, “Catherine understood that for William, as a future king, it was important for him to be geographically closer to the late Queen in her final months, when he was required to support both her and his father. It made a real difference. They were in regular contact, seeing each other in person and speaking on the phone several times a week, bringing them even closer.”
Following Prince Philip’s death, a tragic loss that ended the Queen’s marriage of over 73 years, the monarch was understandably left bereft and struggled to cope – but later found a great deal of comfort in visits and phone-calls from her beloved grandson.
After moving to Adelaide Cottage, Prince William and his family were only ever a quick 30 minute walk away from the Queen’s home at Windsor Castle, or a ten minute drive if necessary. Additionally, the couple were also much closer to Kate’s own parents Carole and Michael Middleton who live a mere 45-minute drive away in Bucklebury, something which allowed a greater connectivity with the whole family.
Moving to Windsor also meant the children were closer to their school, and to Kate’s parents ( Image: Jonathan Brady – Pool/Getty Images)
The cottage was also the perfect home choice for the Wales’, as it previously underwent major renovations back in 2015, something which meant it didn’t require additional security measures or upgrades before the family could move in. Originally built back in 1831 for William IV’s wife Queen Adelaide of Saxe-Meiningen, the cottage has boasted a number of key residents over the years including Queen Victoria, and Group Captain Peter Townsend, the former lover of Princess Margaret.
Unlike other royal residences, no staff members live on-site at the property, with a handful of staff living in different accommodation nearby and travelling in everyday, such as nanny Maria Borrallo, who has been under William and Kate’s employ since Prince George was a baby.
