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In the heart of the British countryside lies Adelaide Cottage, a place that has become more than just a home for Prince William and Princess Catherine - it's a sanctuary. However, as the Wales family continues to grow, renovations and additional living space are on the horizon.
Adelaide Cottage, located within Windsor Great Park, is the Prince and Princess of Wales' primary residence when their children, Prince George, Princess Charlotte and Prince Louis, are attending school nearby at Lambrook. It provides the perfect location due to its proximity to the school. However, with the three young royals continuing to mature, additional space will soon be needed.
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It is reported that the Wales family has their eye on renovating the empty annex building located on the property of Adelaide Cottage. Thought to be worth around £1 million in its current dilapidated state, restoring the abandoned building would add much-needed additional rooms. This would allow the family more living space without requiring a complete relocation.
While Adelaide Cottage fits the immediate needs of the family, renovating the annex long-term would accommodate the growing Wales brood as the children get older. It provides a solution without the hassle and excess space that comes with other royal properties like Anmer Hall in Norfolk or Royal Lodge in Windsor Great Park.
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Anmer Hall, where the Wales family spends vacations and holidays, is considerably larger with more extensive grounds to maintain. Meanwhile, Royal Lodge's size and live-in staff accommodation has deterred the Wales' from considering it, as they prefer a more private family home.
Speculation around the annex renovations has been simmering quietly behind the scenes. With Princess Catherine recovering well from illness earlier this year, the family is said to now be waiting for an opportune time to initiate restoration plans.
However, the Prince of Wales is reported to be conscious of public scrutiny around royal spending. He is therefore taking a measured approach to personally cover renovation costs in order to avoid controversy. The source states the plans have been thoughtfully in development and will move forward sensitively when the time is right.
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Despite finding contentment at Adelaide Cottage currently, another local option on the royal portfolio that the Wales family has no interest in is nearby Frogmore Cottage. Previously the home of Prince Harry and Meghan Markle, its association with the Duke and Duchess of Sussex rules it out as a potential future residence for William and Catherine.
Tensions still run deep between the two families following Megxit and the subsequent tell-all interviews given by Harry and Meghan. Neither William nor Catherine are said to want to move into a home so intertwined with the design choices and renovations made during the Sussexes' brief residency there.
In nearby Windsor Great Park, King Charles III's recent dismissal of Prince Andrew’s security detail from Royal Lodge has also sparked rumors around potential future use of that property. However, sources say the size and live-in staff requirements do not appeal to the Wales family’s desire for a more private family home.
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For now, Adelaide Cottage and its empty annex provide the solution. Subject to careful planning and financing, renovations there would allow the future King and Queen of England to enjoy more living space in the idyllic British countryside, within the storied royal portfolio but apart from ongoing family dramas and controversies surrounding other notable royal residences. With three growing children to accommodate, sensitive expansion and redevelopment right on their doorstep may be just what the Wales family needs for many years to come.
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