Royal Downsizing Dilemma: Why Prince William and Kate Middleton Refuse to Move Into 'Smaller' Frogmore Cottage
Prince William and Kate, Princess of Wales decided not to stay in Frogmore Cottage for a 'very specific reason.'
Prince William and Kate, Princess of Wales, share three primary royal homes with their three children, but the future king and queen are also said to want to downsize... but not into the storied Frogmore Cottage.
The Prince and Princess of Wales already call Adelaide Cottage in Windsor and Anmer Hall in Norfolk home, with a "massive" Kensington Palace apartment serving as their official royal base. However, as their three children, Prince George, 11, Princess Charlotte, 9, and Prince Louis, 6, continue to grow up, Their Royal Highnesses wish to add another residence with "a bit more space."
Neither senior royal is said to want Prince Andrew's Royal Lodge not too far from Adelaide Cottage. The disgraced Duke is currently battling with King Charles III over the lavish home, with the latter wanting his controversial younger brother and his ex-wife, Sarah Ferguson, out of the property. Renovations and too much excess space are said to have scared the millennial royals away from the mansion.
That leaves Frogmore Cottage in the eyes of some analysts. The house has been vacant for over 1 year since the King kicked Prince Harry and Meghan Markle from the residence.
The future king and queen are said to be "vehemently opposed" to the idea thanks in part to their long-running rift with Team Sussex, in addition to the house being "too small."
This led GBN broadcaster Anne Diamond to state that the princess would "never move somewhere redesigned by Meghan." The former actress was said to have been the chief guide of British taxpayer-funded renovations for Frogmore Cottage, which the duo abandoned after "Megxit" in early 2020.
"It's a huge place," Diamond added. "But if it was redone by Meghan and Harry, I can’t imagine Kate wanting to move into a place that was designed and redone by Meghan and not William either."
This led royal author Tom Quinn to further add, "Harry and Meghan imagined Frogmore would always be there for them even if they came back to the U.K. for just a few weeks each year and even if they were no longer working royals. That assumption speaks volumes about just how out of touch with each other King Charles and his son had become."
As for William and Kate, the duo may decide to simply return to an earlier plan to "add-on" to Adelaide Cottage.
"They [William and Kate] absolutely adore Adelaide Cottage, but it just about fits the entire family, whereas Anmer Hall is much larger with extensive grounds," a family source spilled in April. "Adelaide Cottage is being used as a term time property while the children are at school nearby, and Anmer Hall is for long weekends and holidays."
The plans are said to include the restoration of a "rundown redbrick annex" near the cottage that will serve as both a retreat for the queen-in-waiting and their staff.
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Marie Claire reported on William and Kate's home preferences.
