Why Prince William and Kate Middleton Passed on a Castle Queen Elizabeth Saved for Them

Prince William and Kate Middleton reportedly gave up the chance to live in a sprawling historic castle that formerly belonged to Queen Elizabeth.

Fort Belvedere was constructed in the 1750s for Prince William Augustus and, over the years, had been passed down to various monarchs and royal family members, including Queen Victoria, Prince Edward VIII and Wallis Simpson, and later Queen Elizabeth II. However, she never used the property and allowed her cousin, Gerald Lascelles, to take up residence.

According to The Mirror, Prince William and Princess Kate had the opportunity to move into the estate, which is located in Windsor Great Park.

The Wales family, however, ultimately decided against moving into the castle. Interiors Therapist’s Suzanne Roynon noted that the upkeep would be a “nightmare” for the couple.

Sepia Toned Photo of Fort Belvedere in Windsor Great Park

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“Interiors Therapy is a way of identifying what’s happening in a home from the contents and can be very powerful,” Roynon told Express. “In terms of Feng Shui and Interiors Therapy, the place William and Kate are suggested to be moving to, Fort Belvedere, is a nightmare in terms of negative energy. They will need a lot of careful Feng Shui to prevent the risky move overwhelming the family.”

Queen Elizabeth, Kate Middleton, Prince William, Prince Louis, Queen Charlotte Arm Up, Prince George on Buckingham Palace Balcony 2022 Trooping the Colour During Queen Elizabeth's Platinum Jubilee

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This isn’t the first time the couple turned down lavish lodging. Last year, William and Kate had the opportunity to move into Windsor Castle following Queen Elizabeth’s death in September 2022. However, royal expert royal expert Camilla Tominey previously told This Morning that William, Kate, and their three kids—Prince George, Princess Charlotte, and Prince Louis—were happy in Adelaide Cottage (where they still reside).

“The Waleses don’t want to move into Windsor Castle because they’re actually quite happy in Adelaide Cottage, which, by comparison, is modest accommodation,” she said at the time. “Not by comparison to us, but by comparison to royal accommodation.”

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