When you have a literal wealth of palaces to choose from, it must be hard to decide where to live. And with Prince William and Kate Middleton set to move their family to Windsor to be close to the Queen, sources say the royal couple have been busy house-hunting in the idyllic English town.
Not only will they be nice and close to Granny's place - aka Windsor Castle - they're set to enjoy a whole new life away from the hustle and bustle of their current home in London’s Kensington Palace – bet they can’t wait for days at the races, boat trips on the Thames, and those all-important trips to Legoland for the kids.
It was recently reported that Kate, 40, and William, 39 - along with their children George, eight, Charlotte, six, and three-year-old Louis - had looked at Frogmore Cottage (Harry and Meghan’s old home, which they still lease – potential awks), plus Adelaide Cottage in Windsor’s Home Park among several other royal properties, but ultimately decided to find their own private residence.
Insiders say the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge are making the move "this summer" and have already been checking out schools in Buckinghamshire and Windsor, as well as Lambrook School, in Ascot.
Windsor was their number one choice after the Queen – who turns 96 this month – recently announced she would be making it her permanent home from now on. She’s previously lived between Buckingham Palace, Sandringham and Balmoral Castle, with Windsor Castle just her “weekend residence”.
And the town has a lot more to offer than just a local, live-in monarch. The mini royals are the perfect age to enjoy the rides at the famous Legoland resort – and Mum and Dad can definitely afford to skip the queues with a fast-track ticket.
The River Thames flows through the town, which could be great for Kate, who was famously a member of an all-female rowing team, while Wills could indulge his family’s hobbies – that's betting and polo – at the Royal Windsor racecourse. For those post-horse drinks, where better than the nearby Duchess of Cambridge pub? Kate’s namesake is ideal for a family lunch when her parents, Carole and Michael – who will be a very local 40 minute drive away in Berkshire – are visiting.
The area will also be handy when it comes to packing Prince George and Louis off to secondary school. They’re likely to follow in Dad’s footsteps, boarding at the famous Eton College from the age of 13, just a couple of miles out of Windsor. And if the kids get really bored before then, they could always resort to plane spotting, since their new home is under a flight path, just eight miles from Heathrow. Ahem, apart from a certain castle in the vicinity – where there’s now a no-fly-zone for security reasons.
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The Queen herself is central to the family’s decision to move, after reports that the couple are worried about the influence of Uncle Andrew. The disgraced prince – who recently paid a reported £12million settlement to Jeffrey Epstein victim Virginia Giuffre after she brought a sexual assault case against him – shocked the onlooking congregation when he escorted his mother down the aisle for the Duke of Edinburgh's memorial service.
It was a decision that Will was said to be “'shocked and dismayed” by. And, as royal sources warn Andrew, 62, is angling for a role at the Queen’s forthcoming Platinum Jubilee this summer, her grandson wants to be on hand to put a stop to his influence. With three grandkids under her feet, we’re sure the Queen won’t have time for much else…