Queen Elizabeth's 'Forgotten Castle' May Soon Welcome Prince William & Kate Middleton As New Residents

Jan 24, 2022 by apost team

The royal family are known for their beautiful estates, living in extremely lavish and beautiful homes all across the United Kingdom. Queen Elizabeth II has access to a number of properties across the nation, but spends the majority of her time in Windsor. She even spent the holiday season in 2021 at Windsor Castle. There is a residence at the Windsor estate that the Queen herself has never occupied, but now has the potential to be the new home for some royal family members.

Prince William and Kate Middleton currently live at Kensington Palace with their three adorable children: Prince George, Princess Charlotte and Prince Louis. According to Woman and Home, William and Kate live in Apartment 1A at Kensington Palace. They first moved there in 2013 and moved out for a short while after their eldest was born. However, the couple later returned, and have been living there ever since.

The palace is filled with beautiful rooms, gardens and plenty of other amenities fit for a royal family. The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge are the most notable people who live on the grounds, and have maintained their residency for quite some time, raising their children there together.

In August 2021, there were talks of the Cambridge family potentially moving to the Windsor estate to be closer to the Queen. It now seems like that possibility is coming closer to turning into reality, as William and Kate have recently been eyeing the residence that was set aside for them at the Queen’s Windsor estate.

According to the Scottish Daily Express, there is a very high chance that William and Kate will be moving to the Windsor estate sometime in the near future. The Queen has a residence there that she herself has never occupied, as it was reportedly set aside for her grandson and his family.

The residence at the Windsor estate is referred to as Fort Belvedere located in Windsor Great Park. It was built between the years of 1750 and 1755 for Prince William Augustus according to the Scottish Daily Express. Many members of the royal family refer to the castle as the fort.

The Sun reported that the fort is owned by the Crown Estate and has been leased to the Weston family, who are close friends of the royal family. Since the Queen has never actually lived in the estate herself, many royal family fans have considered the fort to be known as the “forgotten castle.”

The home has definitely undergone some changes since it was first built. It was expanded by George IV, who added a dining room shaped like an octagon, as well as a three-story annexe and a large flag pole. During the 1860s, Queen Victoria used the residence as a tea house, which was opened to the public.

The castle was later home to Prince Edward, who was originally known as the Prince of Wales before adopting his new title Edward VII and later the title of the Duke of Windsor. The residence is also where he announced his abdication – an act of renouncing the throne – in 1936, and was also the location where he signed his written notice.

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According to the Scottish Daily Express, the forgotten castle has been occupied by Gerald Lascelles, the Queen’s cousin, for several decades. It is also leased out by the Crown Estate. In August 2021, the Daily Mail reported that William and Kate were “seriously considering” moving to Windsor to be closer to the Queen. They had been “eyeing up” the accommodation options, making sure that it would be a good fit for themselves and their three kids.

Back in August 2021, the Palace aides dismissed Fort Belvedere as an option, but it seems like they have since somewhat come around. The Daily Mail reported that the move to the Windsor estate would be both strategic and practical for William and Kate as the monarchy prepares for the inevitable changes it will see in the years ahead.

On top of that, they would be able to adjust their schedule to fit the location of their potential new residence. Since George and Charlotte go to school in London, the family would still have to commute to the city from time to time, meaning they could make Windsor their permanent home and travel to London when needed.

Despite the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge’s interest in Windsor, there is no confirmation that they are actually moving there yet. However, they would be surrounded by family, as Prince Edward and his wife Sophie Wessex live there, according to the Scottish Daily Express. The Daily Mail reported that the move would also bring Kate closer to her parents, as they live 40 miles away in Bucklebury, Berkshire.

What do you think about Prince William and Kate Middleton potentially moving to Windsor? Let us know, and feel free to pass this along to any royal family fan you know!