Windsor Great Park is bracing for a shift as the Prince and Princess of Wales prepare to swap Adelaide Cottage for Forest Lodge, their planned long-term base. The move, however, has meant change not only for William and Kate but also for two families who were asked to vacate nearby Crown Estate cottages to make way for the relocation.

The families had been living in their cottages for some time when they were told earlier this year that they would need to move. Both have since been rehoused within the estate, one in a larger property, though the request still came as a surprise.

Forest Lodge is an imposing Georgian house dating back to the 1770s, with Venetian windows, high ceilings and grounds that stretch deep into the park. Once the home of equerry Sir John Conroy, it later became known for its ballroom and grand interiors. For William and Kate, it promises greater privacy than Adelaide Cottage, along with enough space to grow as their children, George, Charlotte and Louis, get older.

The couple are said to be covering the cost of rent and renovations themselves. Work on the house and surrounding gardens has included fresh landscaping and privacy screens, designed to shield the family from prying eyes.

Adelaide Cottage, their current home, was always seen as a temporary stop. Forest Lodge is intended as a base that will last decades, anchoring the family close to London while still giving them a measure of seclusion.

For most people, a neighbour’s move might go unnoticed. In Windsor, it has meant two households uprooted and a reminder that royal life often reshapes the ground around it.