Prince William and Catherine, Princess of Wales, have chosen Forest Lodge, an eight-bedroom Georgian mansion, as their new residence in Windsor Great Park. This relocation represents a huge transition for the family. They’ll be moving from their current residence at Adelaide Cottage, only a mere four miles away. The choice to upgrade a facility to a “forever home” means a commitment to increase security upgrades. That’s meant totally surrounding them with a 2.3-mile no-go zone around their new property.
The no-go zone covers about 60 hectares (150 acres) of land that had been a vibrant and welcoming area open to the public. Public authorities have identified this community as a priority for expanding protective measures. These restrictions are intended to protect the royal family from media harassment. In an interview with Eugene Levy, Prince William opened up about his fears that constant paparazzi pressure ruined his childhood. For this reason, he placed great importance on protecting his children—Prince George, Princess Charlotte, and Prince Louis—from going through the same public exposure.
We needed every ounce of nuance they could muster and they were in, all in, like literally all in, all over the place. They’d be in the know, they’d be all over the place,” Prince William said, looking back on his experiences with the tabloid press. He went on to express more clearly the need to protect his family from the byproducts of a media circus.
“And if you let that creep in, the damage it can do to your family life is something that I vowed would never happen to my family.” – Prince William
On their part, the royal family are looking forward to a “fresh start and a new chapter” in their new home. Many members of the public are mounting a vigorous and unprecedented challenge to the restrictions placed on them by the no-go zone, putting a damper on this new dawn.
Fuming local residents, especially those who used to stroll through the park’s scenic beauty, have raised hell. Tina, a regular visitor to Windsor Great Park, took to Facebook to express her frustration over the alterations.
“To the people who lose it, it’s a big loss. There are so many houses they could have chosen, why choose one where the public has to lose such a big chunk of the park for their private benefit?” – Tina
She simply expressed her delight at strolling through the park’s expansive meadows on a summer morning. What she was really upset about, of course, was losing access to these beloved places. “I think it’s outrageous, the way it was done. I think it’s a selfish act,” she added.
Though there has been a fair amount of pushback from residents, others have expressed sympathy for the royal family’s need for security. Local resident Tom Bunn recognized that Prince William and his family’s safety should be the most important consideration.
“I completely understand the safety of William, Kate and their family is paramount so we should make sure they can live happily here.” – Tom Bunn
Soon thereafter, the Home Office and Thames Valley police had set up a security perimeter. They undertook this to quell growing public alarm over the privacy and security of the royal family. As far as we’re aware, parking is still available at Ranger’s Gate car park, as confirmed by an official spokesperson for Windsor Great Park. Despite the fenced off area, visitors were still able to marvel at the beauty of the park.
Prince William and Catherine are not strangers to learning how to juggle more than one home. The couple own Anmer Hall, which sits on the Sandringham estate. In fact, they have Apartment IA at Kensington Palace in London and Tam-Na-Ghar cottage at Balmoral. Each one of these homes is special and unique — just like the families they live in. Forest Lodge hopes to cultivate a sense of permanence for their kids.
The decision to move into Forest Lodge illustrates Prince William’s commitment to creating a secure and nurturing home life for his children while balancing his public duties as a member of the royal family. The new home represents a significant milestone for him and his family. They too are skillfully charting their course through a royal terrain suddenly put under greater scrutiny than ever before.