New Audit Reveals Eye-Watering Cost of Renovating Prince William and Princess Kate’s ‘Forever Home’
New details reveal the hefty price tag behind the renovations carried out at William and Kate's Forest Lodge before the family moved in.
Prince William and Princess Kate’s ‘forever home’ underwent extensive renovations prior to their relocation in October 2025. With the spotlight already firmly fixed on royal housing privileges due to Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor’s peppercorn rent saga, William and Kate’s property also faced scrutiny. Newly disclosed details have exposed the massive scale of the renovations carried out at Forest Lodge. The extensive property makeover was completed just before the Prince and Princess of Wales moved into their new "forever home" in October 2025. Now, fresh details have emerged about the substantial work that was carried out at Forest Lodge before it became the Wales family's long-term home.
The National Audit Office has released a new report detailing how several members of the Royal Family live, including Princess Beatrice, Princess Eugenie, and Duchess Sophie, and the new information about the Forest Lodge. The Windsor home is where the Prince and Princess of Wales have settled in with their three children, George, Charlotte, and Louis, after leaving Adelaide Cottage.
Figures published in the report show that almost $537,538 (£400,000) was spent on work at Forest Lodge during 2025 before the Wales family moved in. The total came to £396,993 (~$533,000), meaning the amount invested in the property's upgrades was significantly higher than the current average house price in England by well over $134,307 (£100,000).
The spending was distributed across several buildings on the estate, with the lion's share dedicated to the main Georgian house, where heating, plumbing, and structural overhauls cost £213,353 (!$286,000). A further £48,575 (~$65,000) and £90,626 (~$121,000) were spent upgrading two stable cottages for live-in staff, alongside an extra £44,439 (~$59,000) for barn repairs. One of the estate's three stable cottages was notably absent from the repair bill. That is because its previous tenant did not move out until January 2026, delaying any potential renovation work.
However, the property, dating back to the 1770s, went through a significant makeover. Reports suggest roughly £1.5 million (~$2 million) was spent refurbishing the Grade II-listed home in 2001, more than two centuries after it was first built. Before it became home to William and Kate, photographs of the property showed many of its original features, including ornate cornicing, marble fireplaces, and centuries-old stonework. The couple is understood to have footed the bill for any interior changes made to suit their family life.
The Waleses are reportedly committed to Forest Lodge for the long haul, as they signed a 20-year lease on the property last July. Documents obtained by The Times indicate that the royal couple now pay £307,500 (~$412,000) a year to rent the eight-bedroom residence and its staff cottages. That figure is reportedly around £100,000 (~$134,000) more than the rent paid by the previous tenants.
