The Real Reason Prince William & Kate Middleton Ditched City Life Is More Tragic Than You Realized

Royal watchers will know that Prince William and Kate Middleton have lived in some gorgeous homes. There's Anmer Hall in Norfolk, a wedding present from his grandmother, Queen Elizabeth II, where the prince and his family go for school holidays and breaks. Then there was their London abode, a gorgeous apartment at Kensington Palace, which may have been a source of unhappiness for William and Kate. And then there is their current residence, Adelaide Cottage, where the family of five moved in the summer of 2022.  

Windsor appears to have many draws for the royals: The children, Prince George, Princess Charlotte, and Prince Louis, all attend Lambrook School, and have a more peaceful existence away from prying tourist eyes in London. Kate told a group at an event that they moved "for more green space" and that "it's close enough to London" (via People). (It's approximately 20 miles from the capital, where the family are occasionally called for royal duties.) But there was one other reason for the move to Windsor, according to palace insiders (per People), and that was for William to be closer to his beloved granny, who made Windsor Castle her main residence in 2020.

Tragically, Prince William and Kate Middleton didn't get to be neighbors with the queen. Queen Elizabeth II spent her final summer at her beloved Balmoral Castle in Scotland before she passed away in early September 2022. Though Wills didn't get to live near his grandmother, his children will be closer to their maternal grandparents. Carole and Michael Middleton, who have a good relationship with their daughter Catherine, live in nearby Berkshire (45 minutes' drive from Adelaide Cottage), so they can be more hands-on grandparents with the three school-age children. 

The move to Windsor has also likely been a positive one in terms of Kate Middleton's heartbreaking health issues over the past few years. Being away from the frenetic energy of London and royal duties, along with having family nearby to help during her cancer treatment, would have been invaluable to the royals. It's been reported that Kate spent time at her parents' manor house while recovering. Fresh air and family time undoubtedly played a role in her recovery; so while it may have been tragic that they didn't get more time living near the queen, it was a positive in other ways.