The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge will soon make the move to Windsor as part of their decision to put their children first and focus on senior royal duties - but they are keeping their Norfolk mansion.
William and Kate will set up home in Adelaide Cottage in Windsor’s Home Park and the children will join the co-educational private Lambrook School near Ascot in Berkshire.
The royal family are seeking a life in the country away from their official residence in Kensington Palace to give Prince George, Princess Charlotte and Prince Louis more freedom.
They will use the 19th-century Adelaide Cottage as their base after the Queen gave them permission to lease the four-bedroom Grade II listed cottage, which belongs to the Crown Estate.
It was built for Queen Adelaide in 1831 and is nestled just a 10-minute walk from Windsor Castle in the private Home Park.
A royal source said: “This is very much a decision that two parents have made to give their children the ‘most normal’ start possible.
“KP can be a little bit of a fishbowl.
“They wanted to be able to give George, Charlotte and Louis a bit more freedom than they have living in central London.
“It’s very much a decision that’s been led by the kids.”
William and Kate will retain Kensington Palace’s Apartment 1A - which was refurbished with £4.5 million of taxpayers’ money in 2013 - as their official residence and their working base.
They will also keep their 10-bedroom Norfolk country mansion Anmer Hall, which was a gift from the Queen.
The mansion has a swimming pool and a tennis court and underwent large-scale building work at their own cost.
The source added: "It’s something they have thought long and hard about and this is a decision they have not taken lightly.
“It would have been extremely difficult for them to continue as senior working royals if they were based in Norfolk.
“What they have basically done allows them to put the kids first, but also to continue on doing what they do all day, every day.”
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