NEWYou can now listen to Fox News articles!
Prince William and Kate Middleton’s upcoming move has forced two families living nearby to vacate their homes.
The Prince and Princess of Wales, along with their three children, are gearing up to relocate to Forest Lodge, nestled in Windsor Great Park. Two families living near the eight-bedroom property were asked to vacate ahead of the royal family’s move, Fox News Digital has learned.
Fox News Digital reached out to Kensington Palace for comment.
PRINCE ANDREW SCORES VICTORY OVER KING CHARLES IN ROYAL LODGE BATTLE: REPORT
Kate Middleton and Prince William, the Prince and Princess of Wales, are moving to Forest Lodge later this year with their three children. (Samir Hussein/WireImage/Getty Images)
“Close neighbors have been surprised to be ordered to leave their properties so that no prying eyes can see the Prince and Princess with their children,” royal expert Ian Pelham Turner claimed to Fox News Digital.
It’s understood that there have been no eviction notices, and the tenants have since moved to similar or better housing within the 4,800-acre Great Park. Everyone remains in Crown Estate properties.
A “well-connected source” told the U.K.’s Daily Mail that the families “were not expecting it.”
Forest Lodge is located in Windsor Great Park. (English Heritage/Heritage Images/Getty Images)
“They were told to move out,” the insider claimed to the outlet. “I guess they were given somewhere else, but they were told they had to move. They were not expecting it.”
“Those houses are very close to the Lodge, so they’re not going to want any Tom, Dick, or Harry living in those houses if there are going to be royals there.”
Royal expert Richard Fitzwilliams told Fox News Digital that the families were asked to relocate due to “security reasons.” He stressed that the residents are still allowed to stay on “Crown Estate Land.”
“They were reportedly in close proximity to the Lodge,” Fitzwilliams explained. “The Prince and Princess of Wales need shelter from the enormous pressures of royal life with a media circus watching everything they do.”
CLICK HERE TO SIGN UP FOR THE ENTERTAINMENT NEWSLETTER
Forest Lodge is a Georgian mansion once admired by both King George IV and King Edward VIII. The 8-bedroom property features original stonework, elaborate plaster cornices, ceiling decoration, marble fireplaces, Venetian windows and a half-barrel vaulted hallway ceiling. (John Stillwell – PA Images/PA Images via Getty Images)
The tenants lived in cottages that were previously converted from stables on the property and rented out by the Crown Estate.
The Daily Mail reported that new shrubs have recently been planted and a metal fence with black mesh privacy screens has also been placed around the front of the home in anticipation of the royal family’s arrival.
A Kensington Palace spokesperson previously confirmed to People magazine that the Wales family will move in later this year.
It is understood that William and Kate are paying for the renovations themselves. William, who is heir to the British throne, receives around $30 million a year from the Duchy of Cornwall Estate.
“Some royal skeptics are saying that it is not grand enough for a future king,” said Turner. “William and Kate may already be setting the precedent for the future monarch living a much humbler existence.”
WATCH: KATE MIDDLETON, PRINCE WILLIAM ‘PLANNING THEIR LEGACY’ AMID ‘ENDGAME’
The royal family previously moved to Adelaide Cottage in 2022. At the time, the couple’s three children – Prince George, Princess Charlotte and Prince Louis – started attending the nearby co-ed prep school Lambrook. Forest Lodge is not far from their current four-bedroom home.
Royal insiders told the Daily Mail that William and Kate are hoping for a “fresh start” at the new property.
In January of this year, Kate, 43, announced that her cancer was in remission. William’s father, King Charles III, was diagnosed with an undisclosed form of cancer in February 2024.
CLICK HERE TO GET THE FOX NEWS APP
The Prince and Princess of Wales are seen here with their three children. From left: Prince George, 12, Prince Louis, 7, and Princess Charlotte, 10. (Chris Jackson/Getty Images)
LIKE WHAT YOU’RE READING? CLICK HERE FOR MORE ENTERTAINMENT NEWS
“For Kate, there is a tennis court for the game she loves,” said Turner. “She can also have relaxing walks in nearby woodlands, which she has stated helps her on her journey after cancer treatment.”
It is believed that the Wales family will likely remain in their new home even after William ascends to the throne.