The Prince and Princess of Wales have faced fierce backlash from some Windsor locals who feel devastated over the new ‘ring of steel’ imposed in the Great Park around their new home

Prince William and Princes Kate have moved into their new ‘forever home’ but it’s upset some locals(Image: PA)

When the Prince and Princess of Wales moved into their “forever home,” the only neighbour they were probably wary of is William’s disgraced uncle – Andrew. But that wasn’t their only headache, it turns out, as other Windsor locals have expressed their deep upset following the couple’s move to Forest Lodge.

William and Kate brought their big move forward to last month, even hosting a thank you party for employees who worked around the clock to get the £16 million mansion ready in time. But for some locals who have enjoyed the vast grounds of Great Windsor Park for years, the new ‘ring of steel’ around the couple’s lavish abode has made them feel unwelcome on their own turf.

Homeowners in the neighbouring areas say they were aghast when one day in in September, they woke up to the upsetting news that they could no longer access vast swathes of oak-studded open fields near the Waleses’ new home. They say that around 150 acres of previously publicly accessible land has been closed off to accommodate the couple and their three children, whose safety is of priority concern.

William and Kate’s new home of Forest Lodge in Windsor Great Park (Image: n.c)

The Home Office has also imposed a 2.3 mile personal exclusion area around the eight-bedroom property, and it’s understood that anyone who is caught trespassing in the protected area will be arrested.

Tina, who lives on the opposite side of Forest Lodge, says that local dog walkers like herself have been left bereft over the new ban zone, which affects the Cranbourne Gate entrance of the park. The woman, who had walked that same route for 15 years, says that those who were initially more optimistic about Kate and Wills’ big move didn’t realise that the park – and Forest Lodge – are not actually owned by the Royal Family.

“After it had been announced that William was moving there, I spoke to various people I bumped into and we speculated about the closure of the fields and footpaths and the general view was ‘I really hope not’. But some were sanguine about it because they wrongly assumed that the Royal Family own the park,” she said.

A closure sign at the entrance of Cranborne Gate car park(Image: PA)

Unfortunately, their worst fears came true. Tina received an email from the Crown Estate to notify her of the controversial closure, just three days before it was imposed. “Due to the pending designation of part of the Great Park as a SOCPA (Serious Organised Crime and Police Act exclusion area), access via Cranbourne Gate will permanently cease on Monday 29 September 2025. As a result, Cranbourne car park will be permanently closed from 7pm on Sunday 28 September 2025,” the park management announced.

But before the announcement, there were worrying signs of what was to come. She said: “There were months of works around Forest Lodge [before the move], big trenches were dug so clearly a lot of infrastructure went in. They planted a new hedge and installed a new fence behind the back garden of the house. And then the new stock fence went up around the fields between Cranbourne and Rangers Gate. The drive was resurfaced. Finally, the cameras appeared.”

Tina also warns that while the exclusion zone has been widely portrayed as only being the small two-mile radius, the reality is that thousands of acres have been lost to the public. “Anyone can buy a pass to the Windsor Great Park car parks and walk in the public areas. So, by closing Cranbourne Gate car park and an area of land behind the Forest Lodge about three times the size of St James’ Park, thousands of people from miles around have been affected,” she said.

The sprawling park around Forest Lodge(Image: Getty Images)

Windsor Great Park notes that parking will still be available at Ranger’s Gate car park, which is “just down the road”. But for dog walkers like Tina, it’s not the same, as that area is designed for horse crossings and you have to walk for miles to access an area that dogs can go off-lead. “When I realised we only had a couple of days left of access, I did go over there, and everyone I met was upset,” she explains. “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.”

Other upset locals have too shared their frustrations on social media, with one woman called Frances writing on Facebook: “Cranbourne Gate is being closed at the end of the month. Now that bridleway is useless as it leads onto a main road, instead of into the park! I have ridden and hiked that route for 42 years!”

“I also met a couple of people who had keys to the forest, which is the other side of Forest Lodge,” Tina added. “And they were desperately upset, it’s like their back garden. You got a key to the forest you lived within walking distance, around half a mile. So it’s not as many people who have been affected there, but the affect on them, of course, is absolutely massive. You’ve got a dog and you’ve got hundreds of acres of woods that you’ve been allowed to use for years, and now you can’t.”

New trees and hedgerows have been planted around Forest Lodge(Image: n.c)

But some are more empathetic towards Kate and William’s security needs. Another resident said: “We love the royals and William and Kate and it’s so exciting they are moving to Forest Lodge. It’s clear this car park closure has not come from them, but is down to security concerns.”

It follows William’s vow to protect his family’s privacy following the death of his mother, Princess Diana. “If you let that creep in, the damage it can do to your family life is something that I vowed would never happen to my family,” he said recently.

However, it’s not just walking routes that have been affected by the new security measures. A children’s environmental educational centre within the new exclusion zone has also closed down, and it’s been reported that two families who lived in cottages nearby the Waleses’ new home have been evicted.

The Mirror has approached Windsor Great Park for comment. Kensington Palace declined to comment and a spokesperson for The Crown Estate said: “A security boundary has been introduced by the Home Office and Thames Valley Police in a small area of Windsor Great Park to support enhanced protective measures. 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. We are working closely with the Berkshire, Buckinghamshire and Oxfordshire Wildlife Trust (BBOWT) to identify potential alternative sites for the Environmental Centre.”