Step Inside the Homes of Princess Kate and Prince William

While studying at St. Andrews University in Scotland in 2001, Kate Middleton met Prince William. At the time, they were both studying art history and became fast friends. They shared many common interests, which pulled them closer together before they finally became official in 2002.

Their relationship went through numerous ups and downs before they finally announced their engagement in 2010. William resized his mother, Princess Diana’s engagement ring and presented this to Kate when she said yes.

One primary and permanent residence of the Prince and Princess of Wales is Kensington Palace, a beautiful historical building. Many important figures worldwide have walked through the famous black double doors leading into the building.

The residence is in Kensington Gardens, in the Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea, London, England. It has been a royal residence since the 17th century and is sometimes home to Prince William, Princess Kate, and others of the family.

While much of the interior is kept private, as this is still a place of residence, we can all catch glimpses of what it’s like inside on social media. Back when social-distancing was the requirement, even the royals had to comply.

This particular snippet from Instagram gives us a small idea of the décor. The royals have walked the building for over 300 years, and it was the birthplace of Queen Victoria. Much of the décor seems to have been kept in theme, with a few modern additions.

Many have seen Kate and William’s formal drawing room back when the Obamas visited during a meet and greet, back when the former leader was still in office. The room itself speaks to the extravagance of the heritage, yet still has room for creature comforts.

Golden-framed armchairs and floral printed cushions accompany the cream and yellow ottoman-style coffee table. There’s also a noticeable amount of beautiful glasswork, from the side tables to the classic French windows, indicative of the era the house speaks to.

That Peter Crouch Podcast gave listeners and fans of the royal family a look into what at least one of the dining rooms looked like. While the nature of the podcast would have certainly lent a more casual atmosphere, the room’s décor adds to that.

With a dark wooden table to match the floor, separated by a fine Persian rug that matches the fold-framed paintings, this is definitely still noticeably high-class. However, the rest of the room is warmer, with the marble fireplace and cream-colored walls softening the glam of it all a touch for something more casual, at least for the royal family.

Having participated in many Zoom calls to reach out to the rest of the world — especially when it comes to their charity work — the couple has gotten creative with their backgrounds. With over 20 rooms to work with, there are many angles and backdrops to choose from.

Kate and William’s classic favorite is the mint sofa with cream, floral-printed cushions. Accompanied by a host of photographs of the family together, this is undoubtedly one of the cozier, more family-oriented rooms. The decorated cream wall helps as a reminder of the place’s status.

The large property is home to not just a lavish and historical building but also a lush garden. With ponds, gardens, and famous landscaping, a favorite spot for the royal couple to spend time together and with others is a particular wooden pergola.

The small nook is more rustic in feeling compared to the rest of the house, with an old wooden bench accompanying the vine-covered pergola. This spot was famously chosen for their private A Life on Our Planet screening with David Attenborough.

While the palace might be grand now, it wasn’t always the large, multi-structured property we know today. The original building was a two-story mansion built by Sir George Coppin in 1605. When William and Mary assumed the throne in 1689, they found the location perfect for William’s health issues.

Expansions immediately took place, beginning with the large, three-storied pavilions to each corner of the main structure. North and south wings were also added to reorient the house. Lastly, the gardens were expanded upon, turning them into the classic Dutch style with many right angles.

After the royal court formally took residence before Christmas of 1689, the family initiated the final extensions, which they would only see partially to completion. Queen Mary would extend her apartments in the north-western pavilion to hold the Queen’s Gallery, which houses many artifacts of the era.

The King’s Staircase was also reconstructed after a fire in the palace in 1691. This reconstruction was done with marble, with the addition of a Guard Chamber facing the stairs for added security. Finally, the South Front was constructed to the design of famous architect Nicholas Hawksmoor.

Before their current apartment, Kate and William chose Nottingham Cottage as their London residence. They would then move to their famous apartment, Apartment 1A, also Princess Margaret’s former residence. In preparation for their arrival, it saw many renovations.

Over the course of 18 months, the apartment received new plastering, electrics, and heating. Asbestos was removed from the building in favor of modern insulation, and a new roof was also added. They would stay here until 2017 before relocating to their country home, Anmer Hall.

While the former Duke and Duchess of Cambridge might have once called Kensington Palace their home, they soon found a countryside home. Anmer Hall is a countryside estate that the family of five have often visited for the holidays.

While it may not have as long and storied a history as Kensington Palace, the homestead is still a beautiful plot of land with some backstory. So, if you’re interested in learning about Kate and William’s countryside retreat, read on.

Anmer Hall was a luxurious gift from the Queen to the Prince and Princess of Wales. While they may have made Adelaide Cottage their primary residence in recent years, they have often retreated to the hall.

The building was originally constructed in 1802 in the Georgian era and speaks to the era’s architecture and design. While it has undergone many renovations since then, it still speaks to the classical era of design.

In preparation for the new owners, the house underwent major refurbishments. $1.8 million was spent to make the house more comfortable. The refurbishments included a conservatory, overhauled interiors, and a rerouted driveway.

The core structure remained the same, with the two-story, ten-bedroom estate described as “very peaceful” by William. To mark their 10th anniversary in 2021, the couple gave fans a video tour of the gardens, which gives a great idea of what the property is like up close.

From the video tour, we saw a large garden with plenty of space for their children to play. Other features included a beautiful kids’ playhouse, a large and well-kept lawn, foliage to break up the flatness, and finally, a large seesaw for the children.

The couple also put out annual Christmas cards, with their 2020 version showing the family together in front of an endless log pile at Anmer Hall. With the old wooden doorway and red brick walls, it’s undoubtedly a very cozy mansion.

With their love of virtual interviews to stay connected with the outside, we have seen a few snapshots of the interior. This particular interview, which takes place from their seemingly preferred spot, shows pale green walls with a large white arched doorway.

In another interview, Kate announced the details of her 2020 photography competition, and we were able to see a different side of the house. Instead of the familiar space, we saw scalloped cream curtains with cream walls. Her background was accentuated by a large sash window overlooking the garden.

While the two are often interviewed together, there are many occasions when they are interviewed for more specific topics. Prince William is known for his support and love for football, sports, and players, and has appeared in many interviews on those topics and with players.

When appearing in a video chat with Jonny Wilkinson and Alex Scott, viewers were treated to what appears to be William’s preferred spot for solo interviews. Seated in their emerald green dining room, which boasts oaken furniture and a gold-framed painting behind.

In the BBC documentary Football, Prince William and Mental Health, we saw a snapshot of Prince William’s study. Decorated with burgundy walls and ceiling-to-floor bookshelves, the room was seen a few times during other interviews during lockdown.

Other features of the room included cream-colored, patterned curtains over the window. Two cream table lamps, used for both display and lighting, can sometimes be seen when the camera changes angle. While there isn’t much else to see, it does add to the cozy aspect of the house.

A 2015 photoshoot of the young Princess Charlotte gave a neat perspective of what the living space in Anmer Hall could be like. In the background, we see brighter décor, with green and yellow chairs and now-typical cream floors and walls.

After her first birthday, we saw additional photos of a similar room. This time, we see Princess Charlotte seated in a wicker chair, with a large, cream-colored, striped sofa in the background. Brightly colored and patterned cushions complete the sofa.

Courtesy of the many photoshoots of their three children, as well as the video tour mentioned earlier, we have seen a few angles of what their garden is like. The large lawn is immaculately kept short, and there are plenty of options for young children.

There are reports of climbing frames, a climbing wall, and swings for the kids to enjoy. Accompanying their vast garden and play areas are an outdoor swimming pool, tennis court, and beehives that allow the couple to produce their own honey.

In 2003, the surrounding estate of Anmer Hall became a scheduled monument. The site includes a variety of earthworks and remnants of the medieval Anmer village, from which the hall gets its name. While the modern village is a bit further off now, it’s possible to spot relics of the time.

The old village church, in particular, is the last remaining building from the era — alongside Anmer Hall. The Church of St Mary isn’t too far off from Anmer Hall itself and is another reminder of the peculiar history of the area.

Before any association with the Royal Family, Anmer Hall was the seat of the Coldham family. A now-famous serial fraudster, Ernest Terah Hooley, purchased it from the family in an 1896 auction for $31,000. The fraudster would shortly file for bankruptcy.

The Prince of Wales also attempted to purchase the mansion before Hooley’s acquisition. The two managed to reach an agreement through an intermediary, with Prince Edward taking it off his hands at cost in 1898, formally making it part of the Sandringham Estate.

Before being gifted to Kate and William as a gift from the Queen, Anmer Hall had a long history of being leased to friends of the Royal Family. It has been leased out to John Loader Maffey, who served as Governor-General of Sudan.

In recent years, it was leased to the Duke and Duchess of Kent from 1972-90. Afterward, it was leased to a friend of then-Prince Charles, Hugh van Cutsem, for a decade. After that, it was eventually leased to the family of James Everett of Norfolk Oak before being gifted to Kate and William.

While the family seemed content with life at Anmer Hall, they would eventually uproot and move to their new home in 2022. The Prince and Princess of Wales opted for a quieter pace, moving to Adelaide Cottage outside of Windsor.

This new home is the third in their collection, joining their apartment in Kensington Palace and their country home of Anmer Hall. While the family still periodically makes use of these former residences when it’s convenient, Adelaide has since become their primary residence.

The choice to downsize is an interesting choice, especially given the proximity to the luxurious Windsor Castle, as pictured here. With the castle currently vacant, many have questioned the move, but the family had decided that a smaller and modest home would be more ideal.

While they couldn’t have known at the time, this had indeed worked out for the better after Kate’s recent diagnosis. While still having access to their former homes, the smaller cottage is almost certainly better for someone going through a tough time.

The cottage itself is perfect for someone looking for something more comfortable and private. The property is surrounded by large trees and hedges, which keeps it more secluded and quiet, away from the rest of the estate grounds.

Famously, the Adelaide Cottage has retained its almost whimsical pink exterior. The building itself also isn’t exactly new, and there are many archived pictures and artistic renditions that show off this famous color.

As this is the Prince’s and Princess’ choice of private home, only a little of the home itself has been revealed to the public. While that’s likely to change in the future, given their penchant for online interviews and video tours, there are still some aspects to highlight.

The building itself is close to Castle Windsor, a mere 10-minute walk away, as it’s on the same premises as the Windsor Home Park estate. This four-bedroom cottage is a far cry from their previous homes, almost miniature in comparison.

Much of what we know of the building comes from its rich history. For example, The Sun has described one of the main bedrooms as featuring a nautical-style theme, with décor recycled from a 19th-century royal yacht.

Golden dolphins and a ceiling rope design accompany these decorations, tying the entire thing together. The rich decor in question comes from its long history, dating back to 1831, when it was first conceived by architect Jeffry Wyattville.

When the house was constructed in 1831, the plan was to create a picturesque-style home for Queen Adelaide — hence the name. The cottage would become a popular spot for Queen Victoria to take her breakfasts and tea, as it was designed with privacy in mind.

In more recent times, Group Captain Peter Townsend, an equerry to King George, was granted the cottage as a grace-and-favor residence. In 1944, he would go on to infamously describe it as an “icebox” as it has incredibly poor heating.

Adelaide Cottage has a relatively less active history compared to the other two homes. It was built using materials taken from John Nash’s Royal Lodge in Windsor Great Park so that it might feel more at home with the other buildings in the area.

It’s been commonly described as “chastely elegant” as it had far fewer rooms than expected of a residence of its reputation. It adopted many furnishings of the former royal lodge and Graeco-Egyptian style for its marble fireplace mantle, speaking to the heritage and history of the British Empire.

In 2015, the cottage would undergo significant renovations. The objective was to improve the standard of living while retaining the original historical architecture. Much of the building has remained unchanged since then, with William and Kate having officially moved in.

The red brick double-fronted building with multiple chimney stacks and dormer windows continues to uphold the original picturesque history. Perhaps most important are the immaculately manicured gardens, which have remained largely unchanged for the last 200 years. A small security detail also resides in the outbuilding and gatehouse.

Even before her marriage to Prince William, Kate Middleton had quite a history of impressive homes. While Kensington Palace, Anmer Hall, and Adelaide Cottage are luxurious homes, her assortment of apartments, student accommodations, and family homes could give them a run for their money.

Let’s take a deeper dive into the different residences the Princess of Wales had called home, and the journey she’s had before coming to live in the quiet and picturesque Adelaide Cottage in Windsor.

The Middleton family moved to the large detached house on the Oak Acre property in Bucklebury village. This large $1.8 million property was her family home for her teenage years and was built in the classical Georgian style with a red-brick exterior.

Manicured lawns, many tall trees, and submerged flower beds complete the surrounding 1.5 acres of grounds on the estate. While her family home might have been quite the beautiful estate, she would mostly come to stay at her boarding school during her teenage years.

The Middleton children, Kate, her younger sister Pippa, and younger brother James, all attended Marlborough College. This co-ed boarding school was where the Princess of Wales would spend much of her teenage years in one of 17 houses.

Currently, the school costs over $45,000 a year to attend and is located in Wiltshire, not far from where she grew up. The school has had many different architects and styles incorporated into its buildings, with many famous elements taken from the Gothic period.

After attending Marlborough College, Kate would go on to take a gap year in Italy before attending the University of St. Andrews. Students refer to the St. Salvator’s Hall as “Sallies,” the very same hall where she would spend her first semester.

Here, she would eventually go on to meet Prince William. Soon after their meeting through mutual friends, they would eventually go on to live together with those friends in an off-campus apartment. They would continue to stay together as friends and roommates for much of their university life.

Before Kate and William took the step in their relationship and moved in together, she shared a home with her younger sister, Pippa Middleton. They were housemates in a Chelsea apartment on Old Church Street, a three-story, three-bedroomed home.

All three of the bedrooms were upstairs for privacy and security. The house had a large living room, dining room, three bathrooms, and a spacious kitchen. After the Middletons left, the house would eventually be sold in 2019 for $2.3 million to give an idea of the luxury.

After being together for almost an entire decade, Prince William and Catherine Middleton finally tied the knot. They were married on April 29th, 2011, at Westminster Abbey — just like his mother and father.

Upon getting married, Kate was given the title of Her Royal Highness, the Duchess of Cambridge. She’s to be addressed as Princess Catherine, even though she has stated her preference for being called Kate.

Following their marriage, the newlyweds stayed at Anglesey for a short while in 2011. Prince William served as an RAF Valley Search and Rescue pilot during this time. While staying here, they were renting the four-bedroom farmhouse on Bodorgan Home Farm.

This beautiful farmhouse served as the perfect retreat for the two. It offers picturesque views of the Newborough Forest and the nearby private beach. The house was also close enough for the many visits to the beach. Plus, it offered views of the crashing waves and wide ocean.

The Middleton family would eventually come to buy the Bucklebury Manor in 2012, not long after Prince William and Princess Kate’s marriage. This 18-acre estate is complete with its own tennis court, swimming pool, and seven bedrooms in the manor itself.

William and Kate stayed here for several months in 2013 following the birth of Prince George. Fans of the family could get a closer look at the sprawling and manicured garden from the first official family portrait. They took the picture at the estate while recovering and bonding as a family.

Kate and William are still presenting a strong, united front. Their relationship has grown from strength to strength over the past two decades. Their children are growing beautifully and enjoying schooling. George is now ten, Charlotte is eight years old, and young Louis is a feisty little five-year-old.

King Charles was recently diagnosed with cancer, and soon after the announcement, Kate announced her own cancer diagnosis. This followed months of speculation after she hadn’t been seen since Christmas. These diagnoses have kept the family close together for support.

There are a few driving forces behind the family’s decision to choose Adelaide Cottage as their primary residence. For the time being, it’s likely the best option for the family to remain close to each other during Kate’s struggle with her diagnosis.

The cottage also happens to be relatively close to the rest of the Middletons. This allows Kate easy access to her mother and siblings for comfort. Being out of the hustle and bustle of London while maintaining a smaller, more private home for their growing children, the eldest of which isn’t too far off from becoming a teenager.