Latest news with #Princess Catherine
Daily Mail
a day ago
- Business
- Daily Mail
Inside Kate and William's 'forever home': Prince and Princess of Wales' new eight-bed Windsor mansion boasts a chandelier-lit ballroom, tennis court and spectacular views
Old pictures of the 'forever home' that the Prince and Princess of Wales are set to move into has given royal fans an opportunity to see into the home of the future King. Prince William and Princess Catherine are looking to move their family from Adelaide Cottage by the end of the year, an insider has revealed, and are said to relocate to the eight-bedroom Forest Lodge property in Windsor Great Park. Forest Lodge underwent a £1.5million renovation in 2001 and was then put on the rental market for £15,000 a month. Photos taken at the time revealed elaborate stonework as well as ornate plaster cornices and ceiling decorations. Other images showed rooms in more states of distress as floors were ripped up and wires exposed while the 328-year-old building was being renovated. Marble fireplaces were also spotted alongside gorgeous Venetian windows. A grand half-barrel vaulted hallway ceiling was also shown. The couple, along with their children Prince George, Princess Charlotte, and Prince Louis, is hoping for a 'fresh start' after a difficult time at Adelaide Cottage, during which Queen Elizabeth died and Kate and Charles received cancer diagnoses, per The Sun. With its chandelier-lit ballroom, tennis court and extensive grounds, Forest Lodge is a considerable upgrade from the cosy four-bedroom Adelaide Cottage where the prince and princess and their young family have lived for the last three years. Renovations are reportedly underway again at the property they are planning to stay in long-term to enable it to be ready for the family to move in before the end of the year. The newspaper reported that planning applications show how minor work has already begun at the Grade-II listed lodge, with renovations reportedly set to be funded by the couple themselves. The BBC reported of redacted planning applications for minor internal and external alterations lodged with the Royal Borough of Windsor and Maidenhead earlier this month. This includes the removal of a window and work done to a fireplace. Will and Kate are also said to be paying market rent for the property. A source close to the family reportedly told the tabloid: 'Windsor has become their home. However, over the last few years while they have lived at Adelaide Cottage there have been some really difficult times. 'Moving gives them an opportunity for a fresh start and a new chapter; an opportunity to leave some of the more unhappy memories behind.' The Waleses' move will be a short one from their current main home at Adelaide Cottage in Windsor, and the children attend nearby Lambrook School. The home offers spectacular views, and football fan William will be able to see the Wembley Arch from his bedroom window. And Kate has already been spotted picking new furniture to kit out the new abode, including a 24-seater table. Forest Lodge was last week a hive of activity, with new shrubs being planted in its grounds and builders in white vans visiting. A metal fence with black mesh privacy screens has been erected around the front of the house. The family first moved to Windsor in 2022, where they settled at the humble Adelaide Cottage a short walk away. The grade-II listed property is within easy distance of Lambrook School, where Prince George, Princess Charlotte, and Prince Louis are all pupils. However, The Mail on Sunday revealed today that two families who lived in cottages next to the country mansion have been asked to leave their homes in order for the family-of-five to move in. The cottages, converted from Forest Lodge's stables, are understood to have been rented out by the Crown Estate, and the tenants, are said to have been 'surprised' at being asked to leave. It is understood that no eviction notices were served and the tenants have moved to similar or better housing elsewhere in the 4,800-acre Great Park. One well-connected source said: 'They were told to move out. I guess they were given somewhere else, but they were told they had to move. 'They were not expecting it. Those houses are very close to the lodge, so they're not going to want any Tom, Dick or Harry living in those houses if there are going to be royals there.' The MoS revealed in July that the prince and princess were considering upsizing to a much grander residence. The scoop, however, was met with a degree of obfuscation by the Palace. Aides initially attempted to steer this newspaper away from the story before clarifying that a move from Adelaide Cottage was not imminent. It is understood that after publication, rival reporters were dismissively told that it was a so-called 'silly season' story. In fact, plans for a move were by then well advanced. The couple are now also weighing up which senior school to choose for Prince George, with Eton, where fees are more than £63,000 a year, believed to be the front-runner. The family has no live-in staff at their current home and this is also reportedly set to be the case once they move into this bigger abode. It is believed the move out of London was to allow the family to be closer to the late Queen and to give the children a more ordinary way of life with more privacy. Their move coincided with a challenging period for the Royal Family, with Queen Elizabeth dying at Balmoral Castle only weeks later. Adelaide Cottage also provided a private and tranquil setting for Kate's recovery from chemotherapy after she was diagnosed with cancer last year. The move comes after the Princess of Wales released the second of her quarterly films highlighting the beauty of 'Mother Nature', inspired by the solace she took from the countryside during her cancer journey. 'Summer' was filmed in the UK over the last few months and includes: Sheffield, Bradford, North Wales and Anglesey and the south coast of England. And while it doesn't feature the princess visually, Catherine does provide the voice over for the film, which was released on Kensington Palace social media channels. A written message, also by the royal, said: 'Our lives flourish when we cherish the bonds of love and friendship. It has never been more important to appreciate the value of one another, and of Mother Nature. Here's to Summer. C'. The series launched in Spring to huge public interest as a celebration of the changing seasons across the UK, and a 'reminder and reflection of the beauty and complexity of the human experience'. A Kensington Palace spokesperson told the Daily Mail: 'The Wales family will move house later this year.'
Daily Mail
13-07-2025
- Entertainment
- Daily Mail
True Centre Court royalty! The Waleses lead jubilant Wimbledon fans as they are met with thunderous applause as they make their way to the men's final
The Prince and Princess of Wales were met with a warm welcome from the crowd as they arrived at the Wimbledon men's final this afternoon alongside two of their children. The couple brought Prince George, 11, and Princess Charlotte, 10, to watch the final while their youngest, seven-year-old Prince Louis, was not in attendance. Princess Catherine beamed as she wowed in a royal blue gown, while her mini-me daughter smiled and gestured to people below as the family crossed the bridge headed towards the court. George and his lookalike father William also grinned and waved as they walked behind Kate and Charlotte. as the family walked over the bridge towards the court to watch the men's final between Carlos Alcaraz and Janick Sinner. George and Charlotte were dressed in their Sunday best as they arrived in SW19 - with the Princess sporting a pretty cream frock with black piping. Meanwhile, George looked smart in a dark suit and tie, while his lookalike father sported white trousers and a blue jacket. Mother-of-three Kate has been patron of the All England Lawn and Tennis Club, also known as the AELTC (which organises the day-to-day running of the prestigious tournament), since 2016. While she has brought George and Charlotte to the sporting event, Louis, who is known for his cheeky antics during spectator events, was absent. Louis, who turned seven in April, last delighted royal fans with his funny facial expressions and adorable beaming smile, showing off his new adult front teeth, at Trooping the Colour in June. The Princess looked radiant in a blue dress as she arrived at the All England Club for the second consecutive day this afternoon - after presenting the trophy at the women's final on Saturday. Kate also wore her ' Wimbledon bow' - a brooch featuring the tournament's iconic colours - which it's believed she has worn every time she has visited Wimbledon. She debuted her green and purple bow back in 2017, when she paired it with a white, short-sleeved dress. More than just a mere accessory, the Princess' go-to Wimbledon brooch is actually a symbol of royal patronage, gifted to her from the Queen Elizabeth II. The women's 2025 final saw Iga Swiatek beat Amanda Asiminova 6-0, 6-0 in a match that lasted just under an hour. Kate appeared overwhelmed upon arrival at the Royal Box on Centre Court and was welcomed by a huge chorus of cheers and a standing ovation. It was reminiscent of the reception she received last year, when she chose the tennis tournament as her first solo outing after taking time away from public duty while being treated for cancer. Today's final sees Jannik Sinner take on Spaniard Carlos Alcaraz - of whom Princess Charlotte is known to be a fan. Charlotte delighted fans last year with her animated reactions as she watched her favourite player win the coveted trophy. Throughout the nail-biting match, the young royal winced, cheered, and beamed, as she watched the players compete for the prestigious title. Kate took over the role of patron in 2016 from the late Queen who had held the position for 64 years. The accessory is worn by members of the Committee of Management during the Fortnight - the Main Board of the AELTC and representatives of the LTA. It signifies their responsibilities as the Committee governing the tournament. The Princess of Wales beamed as she arrived at the All England Club for the men's Wimbledon final this afternoon Prince William, Catherine Princess of Wales, Prince George and Princess Charlotte arriving at the Wimbledon Tennis Championships today The Patron has always traditionally been given a Committee bow in recognition of her role, which is why the Duchess has chosen to wear it when visiting The Championships. Other individuals also given an honorary Committee bow are the Chief Executive. The present colours of dark green and purple were introduced in 1909 as the club's previous colours, blue, yellow, red and green, were too similar to those of the Royal Marines. The royal was praised for her Wimbledon outing yesterday, after she consoled the tearful runner-up Amanda Asiminova who was thrashed by Iga Swiatek in the most one-sided Wimbledon final since 1911. Kate placed her hand on the American's arm and told her to 'keep your head high' following the 23-year-old's 6-0, 6-0 loss on Centre Court in just 57 minutes. Anisimova had to briefly leave the court following her humbling at the hands of an inspired Swiatek, 24, as she recorded a double bagel scoreline in the women's final - the first in 114 years and for only the second time in the tournament's history. Anisimova said meeting Kate 'was the positive of today' and told how she had been 'really kind'. Speaking after the match, she said: 'It was such an honour to meet her. 'I wasn't sure if she was going to come out today, if she was going to be there, so it's just really nice to see her. 'She definitely had a few things to say that were making me emotional again.' A tearful Anisimova wiped away tears during her post-match interview on court as she praised Swiatek and said she had 'run out of gas a bit today'. She was playing in her first Wimbledon final and said 'she would never forget this experience'. Anisimova broke down again as she mentioned how her mother had flew in from America that morning to watch her. 'Thank you for being here and breaking the superstition of not flying in - it isn't why I lost here,' she joked. Anisimova: 'I know I didn't have enough today but I will keep putting in the work and I hope to be back here one day.' A victorious Swiatek, the first Polish woman to win Wimbledon, also offered words of encouragement to Anisimova. 'First I want to congratulate Amanda for an amazing two weeks. You should be proud of the work you are doing and I hope we will play more finals her,'' she said. 'I didn't even dream, for me it was way too far. I feel like I am already an experienced player after winning the Slams before but I never expected this one. 'This year I really, really enjoyed it and feel I improved my form here. 'I am always going to remember the opening of champagne bottles between serves! It is a sound that will keep me away at night!' The only ever time there has been a 6-0, 6-0 scoreline in a Grand Slam final was in 1988 when Steffi Graf beat Natasha Zvereva in the French Open. For her appearance yesterday, Kate donned a custom Self-Portrait white ensemble. The two-piece outfit featured a high collared, military-style belted top and a flowing midi skirt. Kate has worn designs from Self-Portrait on a number of occasions, including a 2023 Wimbledon appearance, where she wore a similar two-piece outfit, but that time, in green. She finished the ensemble with a pair of Gianvito Rossi suede slingback heeled pumps in cream, and Anya Hindmarch's Neeson Small Square Tote bag in cream, which retails for £950. Her jewellery included a gold Halcyon Days bracelet and Cartier earrings. She also gave a sweet nod to her husband Prince William, wearing what appeared to be her Cartier Bleu watch, which Prince William gave her as an anniversary gift in 2014. Last year also saw Carlos Alcaraz in the final, which he won, beating Novak Djokovic in straight sets. After leaving the court following the trophy ceremony, the princess and Alcaraz had a conversation in a room inside the tournament's main stadium. 'You played so well,' Kate told him. 'Enjoy the win.'
