Local Reactions To William & Kate's Big Move Tarnished Their Polished Reputation

William, Prince of Wales, and his wife Catherine, Princess of Wales' new house started irritating the locals long before they even moved in. According to a December 2025 report by The Mirror, shortly before the royals relocated to a lavish, £16 million estate in Windsor Great Park, residents received an email abruptly informing them that about 150 acres of once-accessible land had been fenced off to ensure that the royal family's security wouldn't be completely compromised. In addition to losing direct access to a widespread green area frequently used for dog-walking and hiking, locals were also unable to utilize the car park or the children's environmental educational center in the same area either. "I ran into a woman there that I recognised, and she said to me that when she got the email, she cried. For people who have walked there for years, it's so sad," a local dogwalker disclosed. Moreover, two families residing in cottages surrounding Kate Middleton and Prince William's mansion also reportedly lost their homes to make way for the royal couple. 

In a September 2025 chat with The Mirror, one local admitted that the shady move really stung because they had paid maintenance charges for the park for years and unexpectedly lost access to it. In a December 2025 statement shared with The Mirror, the Crown Estate confirmed that "a small area" of Windsor Park had been fenced off before insisting, "This does not affect the vast majority of public access to the park and efforts have been made to reduce the impact on users of the park as far as possible." To get a fresh perspective on the controversy, The List reached out to Brittany Provance, the editor-in-chief of Royal News Network, who opined that this whole kerfuffle is essentially "much to do about nothing."

During Brittany Provance's exclusive chat with The List, she professed that the controversy surrounding Catherine, Princess of Wales and William, Prince of Wales' move to Windsor Great Park had been blown way out of proportion. After explaining that The Firm actually owned the area in question through the Crown Estate, the editor-in-chief of Royal News Network elaborated, "This means that anyone living, working or utilizing Windsor Great Park is restricted based on where the royals are living or are going to live." 

As for the people who were reportedly evicted, Provance clarified, "The neighbors who were forced to relocate were also living in grace and favor homes, meaning that they were likely former royal or government employees who were granted living arrangements in gratitude of their service." The expert also stressed that those folks didn't own their homes in the first place and were likely well aware that they might have to find a new home at some point, if needs be. Although she felt that the storm would take a long time to calm, something as small as a Christmas gift to the local residents could go a long way towards helping to mend Prince William and Kate Middleton's dinged reputations. 

Provance believed that although the royal couple may seem slightly "standoffish" to their new neighbors, because of their limited interactions, they might be able to win them over by engaging in local events and activities. Here's hoping Kate, William, and their children' s dreams of leaving their tragic memories behind for a new start come true.