The Real Reason Kate Middleton and Prince William Moved to Adelaide Cottage

It wasn't just because of Queen Elizabeth.

When Kate Middleton and Prince William decided to move from Kensington Palace to Adelaide Cottage at Windsor Castle in 2022, the downsize "surprised a lot of people," according to royal expert Duncan Larcombe. But their reasoning for their new "modest" home actually makes a lot of sense.  

In addition to being close to Queen Elizabeth—who died just months after the couple's move—the four-bedroom home offered the Wales family a sense of normalcy. “There are plenty of other places they could have moved to, but Adelaide Cottage fits with their desire as parents to be a normal family, where there aren’t servants and they don't have 30 rooms," Larcombe explained while speaking with OK magazine. "William would much rather have his kids around him, in the rooms next door to where he’s sleeping." 

Despite the smaller digs, royal author Katie Nicholl told OK that the family is "very, very happy" at Adelaide Cottage. "Being able to live in the middle of Windsor Home Park, where they're not overlooked and can come and go in complete privacy, makes the downsize from Kensington Palace worth it on every level."

"There's not a huge amount of space, but Adelaide Cottage ticks all the right boxes," she added. 

Unfortunately, their privacy was recently invaded after a burglary took place on October 13 at the Shaw Farm—just five minutes away from the Wales' family home. According to a police report, two masked men entered the property in search of farm equipment, then subsequently crashed through a security barrier on their way out using one of the hijacked vehicles. The investigation is ongoing and no arrests have been made.