The Princess of Wales, Kate Middleton, balances her roles as a devoted wife to Prince William and a caring mother to their three children—Prince George, Princess Charlotte, and Prince Louis.
While the couple is known for keeping their private life confidential, their living arrangements within Kensington Palace are far from typical. Contrary to the common setup of most couples, William and Kate do not sleep in an upstairs bedroom. Instead, their main bedroom in Apartment 1A of Kensington Palace is located on the ground floor.
This apartment, once home to Princess Margaret, is an expansive residence featuring 20 rooms across four floors, complete with its own lift, gym, and nine staff quarters, according to reports. Despite being called an “apartment,” historian Christopher Warwick clarified on True Royalty’s Royal Beat that these royal apartments are more accurately considered as separate houses joined together around courtyards within Kensington Palace.
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Throughout recent years, the family has navigated challenging times, including Princess Kate’s cancer diagnosis and the passing of King Charles. They retain access to Anmer Hall in Norfolk but moved to the spacious eight-bedroom Forest Hall in Windsor last year. Prior to this, they lived at Adelaide Cottage in Windsor, a historic 1831 home nestled within the Crown Estate’s private 655-acre Royal park.
Adelaide Cottage, originally built as a sanctuary for Queen Adelaide, consort of King William IV, holds a rich and sometimes controversial royal history. Queen Victoria famously enjoyed breakfast there, and it later became home to Group Captain Peter Townsend, whose romance with Princess Margaret made headlines due to his status as a divorced man 16 years her senior.
In 2015, Adelaide Cottage underwent extensive refurbishment, unveiling lavish interior details such as a principal bedroom ceiling decorated with gilded dolphins and intricate rope motifs. After Prince Harry and Meghan Markle’s 2018 wedding, there was brief speculation that the couple might move into Adelaide Cottage, attracted by its privacy and proximity to London.
From the unconventional ground-floor bedroom at Kensington Palace to the historic charm of properties like Adelaide Cottage and Forest Hall, Prince William and Kate’s royal residences reflect both their unique family needs and royal heritage.