The Prince and Princess of Wales have a gorgeous family home in Windsor, as well as a stunning place to stay inside Kensington Palace
A brand new video, posted by Historic Royal Palaces on Instagram, showed a look inside the glorious palace, including a striking red art-filled room. Palace host guide, James Ellison, took followers through some key facts about the property.
Many have questioned why Kensington Palace is relatively small for a palace, significantly smaller than Buckingham Palace, for example. But, James explains that it wasn’t built to be large; in fact, it was intended to be a “little retreat” for William III and Mary II as they already had multiple very large homes. He also describes it as a “chocolate box” home, meaning it was aesthetically pleasing and designed to be like a storybook homee
The caption of the video reads: “William III and Mary II were England’s first and only joint sovereigns. When they came to the throne, Kensington Palace was a small suburban villa called Nottingham House.
“They were first based in Whitehall Palace, in the heart of London. However, the smoke and damp of the city, and long travelling time to their more rural home at Hampton Court spurred them to search for a new home with easy access to Parliament. In 1689, they commissioned Sir Christopher Wren to transform Nottingham House into a palace.”
What’s Prince William and Princess Kate’s London home like?
Don’t be fooled by its “Apartment 1A” title; despite sounding small, it actually takes up half a wing inside the palace, according to reports. It is made up of 20 different rooms, including five reception rooms, three main bedrooms, dressing rooms, a nursery, a gym, and staff quarters.
The royals prefer to keep their family spaces private, but we have been treated to a few glimpses over the years. During the pandemic, the public got a look at William and Kate’s office spaces. Kate’s was curated with pastel-hued Penguin Clothbound Classic books, while William’s was more minimalist, featuring just a practical lamp and a printer nearby.
What’s Prince William and Princess Kate’s Windsor home like?
©The couple are leasing Forest Lodge from the Crown Estate, paying “market rent” for the impressive mansion, after Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor’s controversy surrounding his “peppercorn” rent payment. Also, the lease agreement stands at 20 years, which shows that William and his family intend to be there for the long run. The official report reads: “A 20-year non-assignable lease with The Crown Estate for Forest Lodge, commencing 5 July 2025.”
The royal couple have stuck with their decision to have no live-in staff at this property; however, Forest Lodge does come with a “self-contained flat”, which the family could use for guests coming to stay.
