KATE & WILLS MOVE IN WITH THE QUEEN!

The ever-reliable royals are getting ready for the next chapter

For 10 years, Anmer Hall on the Sandringham estate has been a happy country bolthole for the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge. But now, as their children grow up and their jobs as fulltime royals become more demanding, the couple are considering upping sticks from the country estate and exchanging it for Windsor Castle, which is just a 40-minute commute from London.

In recent weeks, reports out of the UK suggest that Kate and William, both 39, are in talks with the Queen to take up residence at an apartment within Windsor Castle, and sources tell Woman’s Day

Her Majesty is “delighted” they’re keen to move to the historic Berkshire pile.

“The Queen has all the time in the world for William, Catherine and their three children,” says a source. “She splits her time between Buckingham Palace and Windsor Castle, and she thinks it’s perfect they’ll be just down the hall.”

It’s a spiritual homecoming for William, who would walk from his boarding house at Eton to spend weekends with the Queen in Windsor, and Kate, who grew up in nearby Bucklebury and whose parents and brother James still own properties in the area.

READY TO SERVE

“Kate and Wills are also keeping an eye out for private residences within the area,” says a source. “They’d be close to Eton for George, so he doesn’t have to board if they decide to send him there, and a short drive from Kate’s family.”

This comes as palace insiders say the Cambridges are intending to commit to more public engagements in London and beyond.

“As soon as Prince Harry and Meghan Markle left the family, Kate and William knew they’d have to shoulder more responsibility,” says a source.

“The pandemic slowed that plan down and afforded them more precious time at home with the kids, but they need to get back out there now.”

One person who’s feeling “unsettled” about the Cambridges’ request to put down roots at Windsor is William’s dad, Prince Charles, whose grip on being next in line to the throne is loosening thanks to a laundry list of scandals.

In recent weeks, talk among courtiers has quietly turned to whether it would be “prudent” to have controversy-free William leapfrog his father to the throne.

‘Charles has to admit his leverage within the family is slipping’

“Charles is having a nightmare couple of years just as his ascension is increasingly imminent,” complains a source.

“His own son [Prince Harry] has defected, his brother [Prince Andrew] has raised concerns for the whole family having to defend this sexual assault civil case and worst of all, his closest former staff member [Michael Fawcett] is being investigated. It’s a nightmare.”

A palace insider says the loss of trusted aide Michael – who has stepped down from his role as a charity boss while an investigation takes place into claims he offered to help secure an honour and British citizenship for a wealthy donor – was “an earthquake” to the future king.

Meanwhile, commentators – including the late Princess Diana’s voice coach Stewart Pearce, who claims William was “groomed” to become the sovereign since age 11 – say William may feel “duty bound” to step up and wear the crown ahead of his dad.

“Charles is now dealing with William literally moving in with the Queen,” says a source. “He knows it’s nothing personal – both the Queen and William have always put the monarchy before all else. But even Charles has to admit his leverage within the family is slipping.”