Inside Prince William and Kate Middleton’s New $21M Family Home—and Why They’re Keeping It Staff-Free

Prince William and Kate Middleton are preparing for a big change. Kensington Palace confirmed that the Prince and Princess of Wales, along with their three children—Prince George, Princess Charlotte, and Prince Louis—will move into Forest Lodge, a Grade II listed property once known as Holly Grove, later this year.

The Wales family has called Adelaide Cottage—a cozy four-bedroom home tucked inside Windsor Park—home since August 2022. But as the kids get older and their royal responsibilities continue to grow, William and Kate are ready for more space. The solution? A move just down the road to the much larger Forest Lodge, an eight-bedroom estate that offers room to stretch out without straying too far from the life they’ve built.

Despite the home’s impressive size and $21 million value, the couple is sticking to their signature hands-on parenting style—and that means no live-in staff.

Why Prince William and Kate Middleton Don’t Want Live-In Staff

Royal biographer Robert Hardman explained the couple’s decision in his book “New King, New Court,” writing per The Mirror: “The couple did not seek to boost the staff numbers at Adelaide Cottage, not least because there would be little room to do so. Reports that the Prince was hiring a valet were knocked back.”

While they employ a small support team—including longtime nanny Teresa Turrion Borrallo, a gardener, and a housekeeper—William and Kate prefer a low-key environment. A source previously told the Daily Mail, “I think it would surprise people to see how ordinary things are at home. The children help with laying the table, clearing their plates when they’ve finished eating and helping with tidying up. There’s no preferential treatment.”

The Future Monarch’s Home Life Is Rooted in Normalcy

For the future King, maintaining a sense of normalcy is critical. “As far as we are concerned within our family unit, we are a normal family,” William said in 2016. “I love my children in the same way any father does and I hope George loves me the same way any son does his father.”

Royal expert Katie Nicholl has echoed that sentiment, telling The Mirror that the children are expected to do household chores in exchange for pocket money. “They absolutely do menial tasks,” she said. “It’s about them wanting to have a normal, happy, ordinary family home and lifestyle which, at Adelaide Cottage, they are really achieving.”

Inside Prince William and Kate Middleton’s New Home

Forest Lodge comes with three stables, two semi-detached guest houses, additional cottages, a tennis court, and sprawling gardens. The home, built 328 years ago, was previously rented for £15,000 per month in 2001 and is now undergoing renovations to suit the Wales family’s needs.

Still, their commitment to an approachable home life remains. Author Valentine Low revealed in “Courtiers: The Hidden Power Behind the Crown” that even staff are discouraged from dressing too formally while working with the family.

“The kids run around the office, and he [William] does not want it to be stuffy. If we have important meetings or are going to Buckingham Palace, then, of course, we [dress up],” the source told The Sun.