Prince William and Kate Middleton ‘eye up surprise move to a new mansion’ ahead of ‘major changes in monarchy’
PRINCE William and Kate Middleton are reportedly “seriously considering” relocating from their Anmer Hall home.
According to reports, the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge are hoping to move closer to the Queen.
It's claimed Wills, 39, and Kate, 39, have been “eyeing up” a move to Windsor, and considering areas suitable for bringing up their three kids.
Prince George and Princess Charlotte both currently attend St Thomas’s Prep School in Battersea, South West London.
Their parents are reportedly thinking about moving to Fort Belvedere, a Grade II listed house with a tower towards the southern end of Windsor Great Park, where King Edward VIII signed his abdication papers in 1936.
Currently the fort is owned by the Crown Estate and is leased to the Weston family, close pals of the royals.
King Edward, the Queen's uncle, once said that you could see the dome of St Paul’s “with a spyglass” from the property.
But royal aides have rejected the claim.
The couple currently splitting their time between their London base at Kensington Palace and their country home of Anmer Hall in Norfolk.
'PERFECT COMPROMISE'
Their home on the Sandringham Estate was gifted to the couple by the Queen for their wedding, and was their permanent home from 2015 to 2017.
Wills had been working as a helicopter pilot for East Anglian Air Ambulance, and the home kept their young children away from the public as much as possible.
Sources close to the couple believe that a move to Windsor could help them to take up more responsibility within the Royal Family, and commute to London when they need to.
A source told the : “Anmer Hall made sense while William was a helicopter pilot in East Anglia and it was useful for Christmases at Sandringham, but it doesn’t really work any more.
“It’s a little too far away for weekends, but Windsor is a perfect compromise. They are eyeing up options in the area.”
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Kate’s parents, Michael and Carole Middleton, would also be closer if they moved to Windsor - just 40 miles away in Bucklebury, Berkshire.
The Duchess of Cambridge’s sister Pippa, her husband James Matthews and their two children have a home in the village.
It is also reported that the couple wish to be nearer the Queen.
Her Majesty has recently decided to base herself permanently at Windsor Castle after splitting her time between the residence and Buckingham Palace.
Prince Edward and his wife Sophie live near Windsor at Bagshot Park, and Prince Andrew, lives at Royal Lodge with his ex-wife, Sarah Ferguson.
Harry and Meghan refurbished Frogmore Cottage, on the Windsor Estate, before she gave birth to Archie after their wedding in 2018.
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The property is now used by Princess Eugenie, her husband Jack Brooksbank and their six-month-old son, August.
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If the Cambridges do move to be nearer to the Queen it would mean the majority of her immediate family members would all be close by.
An insider added: “I don’t think we’ll see the Sussexes coming back in any meaningful way.”
