The sprawling home provides Kate with ample space to apply the “contemporary classic” aesthetic she has cultivated over years of decorating royal residences.
Her flair for interiors has been praised publicly by her family, including Prince Harry, 41, who in his 2023 memoir Spare described her makeover of Kate and William’s Kensington Palace apartment as “magnificent.”
He wrote: “The wallpaper, the ceiling trim, the walnut bookshelves filled with volumes of peaceful colours, priceless works of art. Magnificent. Like a museum.”
Harry also noted how he and Meghan, then living in Nottingham Cottage, felt slightly overwhelmed by the elegance, saying: “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.”
A source close to the Waleses said: “Kate’s decorating skills have long been admired, and now that she has this much larger space, everyone around her is saying she could easily turn this talent into a brand that overshadows any lifestyle business Meghan has tried to launch.”
The source added: “Major brands are approaching Kate like crazy about launching furniture lines, homewares, even a full interior design consultancy.
“It’s exactly the sort of venture that would fit her understated but impeccable aesthetic, and there’s a lot of excitement in the industry about what she could achieve.”
Kate, who studied art history at the University of St. Andrews, has honed her interior design sensibilities over time, from Apartment 1A at Kensington Palace to Nottingham Cottage, Anmer Hall, and most recently Adelaide Cottage.
She has also actively engaged with British craftsmen, including a September visit to Marina Mills, a family-run business in Cuxton that has supplied furnishings to Buckingham Palace and Clarence House.
An insider said: “Forest Lodge gives Kate room to experiment with her vision. She’s already thinking about how the space can accommodate her growing interest in design, and there’s real potential for her to turn this into something lasting beyond just the royal family’s needs.”
The home is expected to feature bespoke furniture, including an antique dining table that seats 24, reflecting her and William’s intention to host family dinners for years to come.
Their move was accelerated so the family could settle in while the children — Prince George, 12, Princess Charlotte, 10, and Prince Louis, 7 – were off school for half-term.
A palace source added: “Kate has always been quietly ambitious with her interests outside royal duties. Now the combination of her visibility, credibility, and taste means she could take on a serious commercial project, and everyone around her knows it would eclipse any comparable lifestyle endeavor.”
Insiders said Meghan has been left “livid” by the way Middleton has navigated the pressures of royal life.
One added: “Meghan likes to spread the narrative she stormed out of the royal family, but the reality is she is jealous of Kate’s class, composure and ability to be beloved by millions of royal fans by being seen as steadfast and trustworthy.”
