The Royal Story The Royal Story
Prince William and Princess Kate enjoy a relatively secluded family life at Forest Lodge, their home tucked away within the expansive surroundings of Windsor Great Park. The residence provides William, Catherine and their three children – Prince George, Princess Charlotte and Prince Louis – with considerable privacy away from their public duties.
However, living in such a picturesque location does occasionally bring some unavoidable disruption.
Later this month, the area surrounding their Windsor residence is expected to become considerably busier when thousands of runners and spectators arrive for the Windsor Half Marathon.
Part of the race route passes close to the boundary of the Wales family’s private property, meaning the normally peaceful surroundings of Forest Lodge are likely to experience a noticeable increase in activity on the day of the event.
The Windsor Half Marathon covers 13.1 miles entirely within Windsor Great Park, taking competitors through parts of the estate that are not normally accessible to members of the public.
Organisers have specifically warned participants that one stretch of the route crosses private Crown Estate roads that will be opened exclusively for the event. Runners have therefore been advised not to enter that section while training ahead of race day.
The course also promises an impressive finish, with competitors enjoying views towards Windsor Castle during the final 1.5 miles before reaching the finish line.
This year’s race is scheduled for Sunday, 27 September 2026. As the event falls on a weekend, there is a possibility that William, Catherine and their children could be at Forest Lodge while thousands of runners make their way through Windsor Great Park nearby.
Family changes at homе
September has already brought a major adjustment for the Wales family, with Prince George leaving the family residence for the first time to begin life as a boarding-school pupil.
At 13, the young royal has now started his education at Eton College, moving away from Forest Lodge during term time and joining one of the school’s boarding houses. Each house accommodates around 55 boys, giving George the opportunity to experience school life alongside pupils of his own age.
Despite living within a larger boarding community, George will still have a private space of his own. Eton has a longstanding policy of providing every pupil with an individual study-bedroom, an arrangement intended not only to offer “privacy” but also to encourage greater independence and personal responsibility.
Explaining the system, Eton’s official website states: “From the very beginning, each boy has his own study-bedroom: there are no shared rooms. Boys thus have their own private space and are required to organise themselves and to develop self-discipline in meeting tasks and deadlines.”
Have we seen insidе Prince William and Princess Kate’s housе?
Although William and Catherine have understandably kept the interior of Forest Lodge largely away from public view, historic photographs offer a rare glimpse at some of the property’s impressive original features.
One archival image dating from 2001 reveals the home’s striking entrance hall, which Historic England describes as having a “barrel vaulted ceiling”. The photograph was taken around the time Forest Lodge underwent an extensive £1.5 million renovation.
Rather than stripping away the character of the historic residence, the refurbishment was designed to preserve many of its most distinctive architectural details. Original stonework was retained alongside decorative plaster cornices and intricate ceiling features, while the property’s marble fireplaces and elegant Venetian windows were also preserved.
The grand hallway, with its distinctive vaulted ceiling, remained another important period feature, allowing the property to retain much of its historic character despite the substantial modernisation.
Before the Wales family settled into Forest Lodge towards the end of 2025, the historic residence reportedly underwent another extensive update, with work carried out both inside the property and across its exterior.
Catherine is believed to have turned once again to interior designer Ben Pentreath to help transform the family’s new Windsor home. The designer was already familiar with William and Kate’s tastes, having previously worked on their Kensington Palace residence as well as Anmer Hall, their country retreat in Norfolk.
Pentreath has built an impressive reputation beyond royal circles, with his portfolio including high-profile names such as Liv Tyler and Sarah Jessica Parker.
His design studio describes its aesthetic as “a distinctive and playful style”, suggesting Forest Lodge may combine the property’s traditional architectural character with a more colourful and contemporary approach to family living.
