The Princess of Wales has reportedly been selecting new furnishings for Forest Lodge as she settles into what is described as her family’s “forever home” with Prince George, Princess Lilibet, and Prince Louis.
Known for her interest in interior design, Kate is understood to have decorated the eight-bedroom residence with luxurious pieces from Marina Mill – a company renowned for hand-designed and screen-printed fabrics that typically cost over £100 per metre. She visited the mill in September. The firm has supplied textiles for several royal residences, including Buckingham Palace and Clarence House.
Kate was also spotted choosing a 24-seater dining table from a warehouse known for its high-quality antiques. These purchases reflect her signature “contemporary classic” style, a design approach she has followed in previous homes and which has been described as “lovely.”
The Prince and Princess of Wales are expected to make structural updates at Forest Lodge as well. They previously redesigned Anmer Hall – their country residence on the Sandringham Estate – by relocating the kitchen to the centre of the house.
Forest Lodge itself recently received internal and external improvements, including new doors and windows, the removal of several walls, ceiling repairs, and updated flooring. The property underwent an earlier major renovation in 2001 costing £1.5 million.
The home features several striking architectural elements, including Venetian windows and a marble fireplace. Prince Harry described the couple’s former home in Spare as “magnificent,” noting that the elegant interior made him and Meghan Markle feel “embarrassed” by comparison. He wrote:
“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.”
The Waleses’ previous main London residence, Apartment 1A at Kensington Palace, contained 20 rooms. It underwent a £4.5 million refurbishment in 2016, which was initially taxpayer-funded, though William and Kate later covered the cost themselves.
While Prince William is currently in Brazil for the Earthshot Prize Awards, Kate remained in the UK to oversee the family’s move into Forest Lodge. In Rio de Janeiro, the prince and the prize council will announce five Earthshot winners, each receiving £1 million for innovative environmental solutions. This year’s council includes Brazilian supermodel Gisele Bündchen and Sir David Attenborough.
Following the awards ceremony, Prince William is scheduled to travel to the UN climate conference in Belém, Brazil. Sir Keir Starmer, who arrived today, will join him at COP30.