Kate Middleton and Prince William Make Strategic Move Closer to Andrew Mountbatten Windsor Amid Controversy

Kate Middleton and Prince William have officially relocated to Forest Lodge in Windsor Great Park, putting them just two miles from disgraced royal Andrew Mountbatten Windsor as he prepares to leave his residence at Royal Lodge.

According to The Telegraph, the Prince and Princess of Wales decided to move from their previous home, Adelaide Cottage, earlier this year, with construction at Forest Lodge finishing ahead of schedule. Originally planned for a Christmas move, the eight-room Georgian mansion offers better amenities than their previous four-room residence. Forest Lodge includes six bathrooms, a private sunken fence, a tennis court, and a large pond — ideal for their family of five, including their three children: Prince George, 12, Princess Charlotte, 10, and Prince Louis, 7.

Royal expert Rebecca English told Daily Mail in August that the couple plans to make Forest Lodge their permanent home, even when William ascends to the throne.

As Andrew faces a rocky future within the royal family, Buckingham Palace has started the process of stripping him of his royal titles due to his ties to the late financier and convicted s-- offender Jeffrey Epstein. In October, Andrew announced he would “no longer use my title or the honors which have been conferred upon” him.

While Kate and William may have found a “forever home,” their move brings them closer to Mountbatten Windsor, who currently is moving out of Royal Lodge. Andrew's connections to Epstein continue to draw attention, and on October 30, Buckingham Palace confirmed it would take away his “style, titles and honors” as the former Duke of York.

Andrew maintains his innocence regarding allegations related to Epstein and claims of sexually assaulting Virginia Giuffre when she was 17 years old in 2001. The former Duke reached a financial settlement with Giuffre in 2022.

As part of the title removal process, the Palace has confirmed that Andrew will surrender the lease on Royal Lodge, moving to a privately funded estate at Sandringham. “Prince Andrew will now be known as Andrew Mountbatten Windsor,” a spokesperson for Buckingham Palace told Us Weekly. “Formal notice has now been served to surrender the lease, and he will move to alternative private accommodation. These actions are deemed necessary, notwithstanding the fact that he continues to deny the allegations against him.”

Andrew's lengthy lease at Royal Lodge has created an ongoing concern for the royal family since he secured it in 2003. He paid £1 million for a 75-year lease, contributing £7.5 million for refurbishments completed in 2005 and an additional $2.5 million for a rent buyout. Under the terms of this “peppercorn lease,” he has effectively paid a nominal sum — or nothing at all — in rent for the past 22 years.

There is currently no official timeline for Andrew's departure from Royal Lodge. His ex-wife, Sarah Ferguson, has also resided there since 2008, despite their divorce occurring 12 years prior. She, too, will need to find new accommodations.

Meanwhile, sources have indicated that Prince William fully supports King Charles’ decision to take action against Andrew. For years, there have been reports of tension between the prince and his uncle, particularly concerning Andrew's friendship with Epstein and Ghislaine Maxwell. Maxwell was convicted of child s-- trafficking charges in June 2022, while Epstein died by suicide in 2019 following his arrest for federal s-- trafficking offenses.