Kate and William's children set to attend Lambrook School together

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Former BBC royal correspondent Peter Hunt highlighted how the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge’s move to Adelaide Cottage in Windsor’s Home Park is their fourth home. Mr Hunt said the relocation is a “reminder” that members of the Royal Family are not facing the cost of living crisis “in the same way as the rest of us”.

The royal commentator said: “A fourth home for the Cambridges is a reminder the royals don’t suffer from the cost of living crisis and a looming recession in the same way as the rest of us.

“When taxpayers’ money was spent on refurbishing their apartment at Kensington Palace, Prince William, who campaigns for the homeless, insisted his family planned to stay there for many years to come.”

William and Kate will retain Kensington Palace’s Apartment 1A, which was refurbished with £4.5 million of taxpayers’ money in 2013, as their official residence and their working base, which will continue to house their office staff.

They will also keep their 10-bedroom Norfolk country mansion Anmer Hall, which was a gift from the Queen and underwent building work at their own cost.

William also has a holiday cottage called Tam-Na-Ghar on the Balmoral estate, given to him by his great-grandmother the Queen Mother in 2002.

Anti-monarchy group Republic branded the move “disgraceful”.

Graham Smith, chief executive of the campaign group, said: “All these palatial homes require round-the-clock protection, heating and staffing.”

He said the Crown Estate was “a state-owned property empire that is supposed to make money for the treasury”.

Mr Smith added: “While ordinary households are struggling with their energy bills and facing crippling inflation, why are we giving yet another home to William and Kate? This is disgraceful.”

However a royal source said the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge were very conscious of their move amid the cost of living crisis crippling the nation.

Asked if William and Kate were mindful of the economic difficulties facing many who would not be able to afford such opportunities, the source said: “They absolutely are.

“It’s something they have thought long and hard about and this is a decision they have not taken lightly.

“It would have been extremely difficult for them to continue on as senior working royals if they were based in Norfolk.

“What they have basically done allows them to put the kids first, but also to continue on doing what they do all day, every day.”

The Cambridges are seeking a life in the country away from the goldfish bowl of their official residence in west London in a bid to put their children first and give them more freedom.

The source added: “This is very much a decision that two parents have made to give their children the ‘most normal’ start possible.

“Kensington Palace can be a little bit of a fishbowl.

“They wanted to be able to give George, Charlotte and Louis a bit more freedom than they have living in central London.

“It’s very much a decision that’s been led by the kids.”

Prince George, nine, Princess Charlotte, seven, and Prince Louis, four, will start at the co-educational private Lambrook School near Ascot in September.

The family of five are moving to Berkshire before the school term starts.

The Cambridges will live at Adelaide Cottage after the Queen gave them permission to lease the four-bedroom Grade II listed cottage, which belongs to the Crown Estate.

William and Kate will pay market value rent on the property from their own private funds, not from taxpayers’ money via the Sovereign Grant, and will foot their own moving costs.

The downsizing means their full-time nanny Maria Teresa Turrion Borrallo will live elsewhere for the first time, as will other staff including the housekeeper and the chef.

They will be closer to the Queen, who is mainly based at Windsor Castle, as well as Kate’s parents Carole and Michael Middleton who live in Bucklebury.

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