Prince William and Kate Middleton's Forest Lodge home has ties to King Edward VIII
King Edward VIII renamed the property to 'Forest Lodge'
Prince William and Kate Middleton‘s new home, Forest Lodge, comes with a surprising royal connection to King Edward VIII, according to newly unearthed documents in the National Archives.
The Prince and Princess of Wales, along with their three children, Prince George, Princess Charlotte, and Prince Louis, are expected to relocate from Adelaide Cottage to the eight-bedroom Georgian mansion later this year.
King Edward VIII’s link to Forest Lodge
Documents reveal that the property’s current name, Forest Lodge, was originally suggested by King Edward VIII himself.
At the time, his equerry, Sir John Aird, who rented the property from 1937 until his death in 1973, fiercely opposed the change.
Sir John dismissed the name as “distasteful”. He insisted on keeping the original title, Ranger’s Lodge.
According to files seen by The Mail, King Edward personally stepped into the dispute. He even intervened in Sir John’s rent negotiations, which amounted to the equivalent of £20,000 a year today.
As reported by GB News, one official note read: “The King is inclined to think that we are charging too much money to Sir John.”
Forest Lodge’s royal links stretch further back to the 1930s. Before Sir John, the home was occupied by Sir Malcolm Murray, Windsor Great Park’s deputy ranger.
Sir Malcolm was required to vacate Fort Belvedere, another property within the park, so that King Edward could make it his personal residence.
Fort Belvedere later became infamous as the retreat where Edward spent much of his time with Wallis Simpson and ultimately signed his abdication papers in 1936, ending his reign.
Prince William and Kate Middleton set to move to Forest Lodge
Forest Lodge’s history may include royal drama. However, Prince William and Princess Kate’s transition to the property is expected to be far smoother.
Kensington Palace confirmed that the Wales family will relocate later this year. They are moving from their current four-bedroom home at Adelaide Cottage.
With eight bedrooms, extensive grounds, and rich royal heritage, Forest Lodge is set to become the family’s long-term base.
Meanwhile, royal experts say the move reflects William’s growing focus on privacy and family life rather than royal tradition.
Former BBC royal correspondent Jennie Bond explained, “[William] is much more a protective husband and dad than a king in waiting.”
She described the future king as “almost obsessive” over his children’s privacy.
The secluded Windsor property offers far more privacy than royal palaces or castles, which attract thousands of tourists each year.Jennie added that William’s childhood, shaped by his parents’ separation and divorce, influenced his decision.
“After a childhood spent shuffling between the homes of his quarrelling parents, William is determined to give his family the stability he missed.”
The late Princess Diana and then Prince Charles divorced in 1996, when William was just 14. Now, he’s prioritising giving his own children the “comfy and settled home life” he never had.
Read more: Prince William and Kate Middleton’s plan to move to Forest Lodge breaks 1000-year-old tradition
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