The Prince and Princess of Wales may have settled into Forest Lodge, but new reports suggest it won't be their "forever home" after all, with Prince William facing pressure to move to central London when he becomes King.

William and Kate took up a "short-term 20-year lease" at the eight-bedroom Forest Lodge in 2025 with their three children, Prince George, 12, Princess Charlotte, 11, and Prince Louis, eight. 

Relocating from nearby four-bedroom Adelaide Cottage to the eight-bedroom home marked a "fresh start" for the family after a difficult few years, including Kate's cancer diagnosis in 2024. 

At the time of their move, Danielle Stacey, HELLO!'s Online Royal Correspondent, explained: "The Prince and Princess of Wales clearly love living in Windsor, the children are settled at Lambrook School nearby, and they will still be close to Windsor Castle for royal functions and engagements.

"Upsizing to Forest Lodge allows the family more space and has already been viewed as their 'forever home,' rather than having the children growing up within the walls of a palace." 

While they have continued to use Apartment 1A in Kensington Palace as their London base, it is thought that they may have to abandon both their city pad and their country escape when William ascends the throne.

King Charles sets a new precedent

The MailOnline's Christopher Wilson, author of A Greater Love - Charles and Camilla, revealed that one former courtier told him "the spell is broken" over the tradition for the monarch to live at Buckingham Palace.

While Queen Elizabeth resisted moving to the palace in 1952 until encouraged by Winston Churchill, Charles revealed in June 2025 that he planned to remain at his current home, Clarence House, following an almost £370 million investment on modernising the property. The Palace will remain the monarchy’s headquarters in London, and the King will retain private rooms there.

"His Majesty retains huge affection for Buckingham Palace and a deep respect for its role in royal and public life," said a palace spokesperson. "It will be a buzzing hive of royal activity in every other way."

The news did not come as a surprise to HELLO!'s Royal Editor, Emily Nash, who penned: "He isn't turning his back on Buckingham Palace, he's redefining its purpose.

"A stone's throw across The Mall, Clarence House is much smaller and offers far more privacy, even if some of the downstairs rooms are occasionally used to host smaller receptions and events."

Prince William's potential relocation

But with King Charles recently refusing to relocate to Buckingham Palace when the modernisation project is completed in 2027, why would his son have to move?

The former courtier added that Buckingham Palace has "outgrown its appropriateness as a home", but William will still be facing pressure to be on hand nearby. 

Pointing out the practicality of being located close to "the royal engine-room", they added that it would be difficult for palace staff to drive around one hour to Forest Lodge to discuss royal matters. Even Kensington Palace may be deemed a complicated option, given it is two miles across central London.

Therefore, Prince William and Princess Kate could follow in Charles' footsteps, and swap the privacy they're awarded in Windsor for the privacy of Clarence House. Alternatively, there are apartments in St James's Palace that are in close proximity to the palace.