EXCLUSIVE: Prince William and Kate Middleton are set to move into Forest Lodge and a property expert has revealed how much the couple may have to spend on rent at their ‘forever home’
The Prince and Princess of Wales are reportedly set to move into their £16million “forever home” – and a property expert has revealed how much it will cost them every month.
Rather than look to settle inside Buckingham Palace once Prince William becomes King, he and Kate Middleton, along with their children George, Charlotte, and Louis, will instead live in Forest Lodge in Windsor Great Park. It is four miles away from their current four-bedroom home, Adelaide Cottage. The couple are expected to fund the move privately and will pay market rent on the property to the Crown Estate, who own it.
While rumours swirl about their imminent arrival, the royal couples’ potential new neighbours have spoken out about what they expect to happen.
The magnificent eight-bedroom Georgian mansion, owned by the royals since 1829, was advertised back in 2001 for £15,000 per month, as reported in Hello! magazine.
However, due to inflation 24 years later, one property expert, Russell Quirk, told Manchester Evening News that William and Kate are more likely to be paying the Crown Estate double that figure.
And giving more details why, he said: “In the last 20 or so years, these things vary region to region, town to town, but suffice to say the likes of Windsor have become ever more popular, particularly with overseas renters.
“What has happened over recent years in the previous government and this one is that the stamp duty regime on purchases has come more and more penal and the consequence is now a lot of people are renting instead of buying because they don’t want to pay on a property like that – say a £1 million on stamp duty.
“So the rental market in terms of demand is very very strong. As a consequence of that, that property has probably doubled in terms of its rent value, so £15,000 a month back in 2001 is now probably £30,000 a month, about £7,000 a week. It’s not insubstantial – lots and lots and lots of demand.”
