Inside George, Charlotte and Louis’ secret rural life in Adelaide Cottage – with low-key interiors and no live-in staff

The home is close to some key family members

THEIR father may be the next king, but Prince George, Princess Charlotte and Prince Louis live in a very modest family home just outside of London.

In 2022, the Prince and Princess of Wales decided to leave their grand Apartment 1A at Kensington Palace for a more rural life in the countryside.

George, Charlotte and Louis relocated to the Windsor Home Park in 2022
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George, Charlotte and Louis relocated to the Windsor Home Park in 2022Credit: Getty

The Wales family live at the four-bedroom Adelaide Cottage
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The Wales family live at the four-bedroom Adelaide CottageCredit: Doug Seeburg

The home is located close to the kids' £7,000-a-term Lambrook School in Ascot
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The home is located close to the kids’ £7,000-a-term Lambrook School in AscotCredit: AP
Now the Wales family lives at the peaceful Adelaide Cottage in Windsor, which has plenty of outdoor space for the kids – and the family dog, black cocker spaniel Orla.

The pink-hued house is perfectly located for the school run, as it is a nine-mile drive to their £7,000-a-term Lambrook School in Ascot.

Here, Fabulous takes a peek inside the idyllic country home…

SMALL BUT COSY

It is thought William and Kate were also keen to get out of the “goldfish bowl” of London to create more privacy for their kids.

With its candyfloss pink exterior and rolling grounds, the royal pad looks straight from a fairytale.

William and Kate’s charming Adelaide Cottage couldn’t be more different from their 20-room, four-storey apartment in Kensington, which they still use for staff offices.

It only has four bedrooms – one for George, Charlotte and Louis and for the royal couple.

Built in 1831, it featured parts of the Prince Regent’s Royal Lodge at the time, which was partly demolished and re-used for Princess Adelaide’s cottage.

The Grade II listed property underwent major renovations in 2015 and has been a grace-and-favour property since 1945.

NO LIVE-IN STAFF

Kate and William prefer to live a down-to-earth life with their children and have no live-in staff at Adelaide Cottage.
Inside George, Charlotte and Louis’ secret rural life in the pink Adelaide Cottage – with low-key interiors and no live-in staff (BP) SEO
This is a stark contrast to Kensington Palace where their apartment has nine bedrooms for employees on the top floor, which are reached by a lift.

Even the family’s Norland-trained nanny, Maria Borrallo, who has lived with the couple since Prince George was a baby, no longer stays with them 24/7.

She is said to reside nearby – similarly to their housekeeper.

Kate is said to encourage George, Charlotte and Louis to be independent with getting ready for school, without relying on staff.

The family's Norland nanny no longer lives with the kids
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The family’s Norland nanny no longer lives with the kidsCredit: Getty – Contributor

William and Kate relocated from the grand Apartment 1A at Kensington Palace
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William and Kate relocated from the grand Apartment 1A at Kensington PalaceCredit: Getty – Contributor

The home is said to be modest in its interior decoration
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The home is said to be modest in its interior decorationCredit: Rex
A royal source said: “The children are also asked to help to pack their school bags the night before and hang their new uniforms out, before an early night’s sleep.

“The number one piece of advice Carole imparted to her eldest was the value of discipline and routine from the start.”

LOW-KEY INTERIORS

William and Kate could have chosen to move into the extravagant Windsor Castle, but instead opted for the cosy Grade II-listed cottage.

The family of five “travelled light” to Adelaide Cottage without expensive new furniture and fittings, or demanding a mass refurbishment.

The history behind Adelaide Cottage

WILLIAM and Kate’s new home was built in 1831 for Queen Adelaide, wife of King William IV.

The couple never produced an heir — so when William died in 1837 the throne went to his niece, Victoria.

Victoria would often visit the cottage for tea and cake.

A century later the property became the grace-and-favour home of Group Captain Peter Townsend who had an affair with the current Queen’s sister Margaret.

The pair would often ride horses in Windsor Great Park but were not allowed to marry because he was a divorcé.

Adelaide Cottage was designed by Sir Jeffry Wyatville and incorporated building materials from nearby Royal Lodge, where Andy and Sarah Ferguson now live.

Descriptions of the Waleses’ new home in 1831 describe it as “chastely elegant” and say “its locale affords a delightful shade at all hours of the day”.

George, Charlotte and Louis will be enjoying the manicured gardens, said to be little changed in 200 years.

William and Kate asked for nothing other than a “lick of paint”, The Sun understands.

The property may have been renovated more thoroughly eight years ago, but there are still nods back to the 19th Century inside.

It is said to retain golden dolphins and ceiling rope decorations in the master bedroom, recycled from a 19th-century royal yacht.

It boasts a marble Greco-Egyptian fireplace but is largely relatively modest and low-key.

OUTDOOR SPACE

Sources said the sport-loving couple dreamt of having a “modest” home with a garden so the children could play outside together – and they appeared to have achieved that goal.

Adelaide Cottage is nestled in the heart of the 655-acre Windsor Home Park estate so there is plenty of room for the kids to run around and walk Orla.

We can see from a historical painting of the garden that it has been a botanical paradise in the past.

Adelaide Cottage is nestled in the grounds of the Windsor estate
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Adelaide Cottage is nestled in the grounds of the Windsor estate

The family are said to love sports and being outdoors
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The family are said to love sports and being outdoorsCredit: AP
Royal biographer Claudia Joseph told Fabulous that the kids – including Princess Charlotte – are “incredibly keen” on sport and nature.

As well as the royal children loving swimming and tennis, Claudia said: “They’ve been sailing, football matches obviously, to watch William’s beloved Aston Villa.

“They’re a family of animal lovers, hamsters, dogs, horses, you name it. They love animals.”

The family also enjoy an outdoorsy lifestyle at Anmer Hall in Norfolk, where they enjoy spending school holidays and Christmas.

CLOSE TO FAMILY

Another factor for the house move was thought to be so the family could be closer to the late Queen.

However, she sadly passed away the same month they moved in.

The pad is closer to Kate’s family though, who live in Bucklebury, Berkshire, which is a 45-minute drive away.

Meanwhile, Kate’s sister Pippa also lives in Berkshire, in a massive 30-bedroom property with her husband and three children, Arthur, Grace and Rose.

Pippa and her investment banker husband James Matthews’ lavish £15million Georgian stately home is just a 20-minute drive from her parents.

Adelaide Cottage isn't far from Kate's sister Pippa Middleton and her husband James Matthews
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Adelaide Cottage isn’t far from Kate’s sister Pippa Middleton and her husband James MatthewsCredit: AP

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