“It Finally Feels Like Home” — Princess Kate SPOTTED ‘Kitting Out’ Forest Lodge As She Settles Into Her Long-Term Royal Retreat
The Princess of Wales was seen picking out a 24-seater dining table
Princess Kate has been “kitting out Forest Lodge” as the Princess of Wales settles into her “forever home” with Prince George, Princess Lilibet and Prince Louis.
A keen interior designer, it is understood Kate has dressed up her new eight-bedroom home with opulent decor from Marina Mill, a company specialised in hand designing and screen printing fabrics which cost north of £100 a metre.
The Princess of Wales visited the mill in September, with it previously supplying dozens of royal homes, including Buckingham Palace and Clarence House.
Kate has been seen picking out a 24-seater dining table from a warehouse renowned for its antiques.
The Princess of Wales is a keen interior designer
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Her purchases follow her signature “contemporary classic” look, which has been seen at previous residences, being described as “lovely”.
It is thought that the Prince and Princess of Wales may make structural changes to the property too, having previously moved the kitchen to the centre of the property in Anmer Hall, their country residence on the Sandringham Estate.
Forest Lodge has recently undergone a modest internal and external renovation, bringing in new doors and windows, stripping out walls, renovating ceilings and new floors.
It was previously renovated in 2001 at a cost of £1.5million.
Kate’s purchases follow her signature ‘contemporary classic’ look
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There will be much for the family to take in and admire in their new home, including Venetian windows and a marble fireplace.
In Prince Harry’s book, Spare, he described their house as “magnificent” and said it made him and Meghan Markle feel “embarrassed” about their property.
It read: “The wallpaper, the ceiling trim, the walnut bookshelves filled with volumes of peaceful colours, priceless works of art. Magnificent. Like a museum.
“We congratulated them on the renovation without holding back the compliments while feeling embarrassed of our Ikea lamps and the second-hand sofa we’d recently bought on sale with Meg’s credit card on sofa.com.”
Harry described William and Kate’s previous house as ‘magnificent’
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Apartment 1A in Kensington Palace was the Waleses’ main London home up until the summer of 2022, having 20 rooms.
The property was refurbished with £4.5million of taxpayers’ money in 2016, although the couple ended up paying the bill.
The Princess of Wales stayed in the UK to help move into Forest Lodge, while William ventures in Brazil for the Earthshot Prize Awards.
Over in Rio de Janeiro, the future King, alongside a prize council, will announce five winners for the Earthshot Prize, which awards innovative projects £1million each to combat critical environmental issues.
The Princess of Wales stayed in the UK while William is in Brazil
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The Earthshot Prize “searches the world for environmental solutions that show the greatest potential”.
This year, Brazilian native Gisele Bundchen will be part of the prize council, alongside national treasure Sir David Attenborough.
Following the event, the prince will head to the UN climate conference in Belem, Brazil, tomorrow.
William will be joined by Sir Keir Starmer at Cop30, who arrived in Brazil today.
