William and Kate receive rare public tribute from King as he hails their Windsor home life

The monarch welcomed the French President and his wife Brigitte to Windsor Castle

King Charles delivered a rare public tribute to Prince William and Princess Kate this evening during a State Banquet with President Macron at Windsor Castle.

The 76-year-old monarch welcomed the French President and his wife Brigitte to the historic venue for his first State Visit hosted at Windsor since his accession to the throne.

During his speech, His Majesty made a particularly warm reference to his eldest son and daughter-in-law’s family life at Windsor. The tribute came as part of the King’s opening remarks celebrating the deep friendship between Britain and France.

The King praised William’s choice to establish his family home at Windsor, drawing a historical parallel to the castle’s origins. “The Castle in which we meet this evening was begun by my ancestor – and your sometime countryman – William, Duke of Normandy, in the year 1070,” King Charles told President Macron.

William and Kate receive rare public tribute from King as he hails their Windsor home life.

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“It remains the oldest and largest occupied castle in the world.

“So it is perhaps rather appropriate that my son, The Prince of Wales, who shares that earlier William’s name, has made Windsor his home with his family, like so many of our predecessors.”

The Prince of Wales, 43, relocated to Adelaide Cottage in Windsor Great Park in 2022 alongside Kate and their three children – Prince George, Princess Charlotte and Prince Louis.

The family previously resided at Apartment 1A in Kensington Palace, which had formerly served as Princess Margaret’s residence.

Princess Kate and Prince William moved their family to Adelaide Cottage in 2022.PA

Adelaide Cottage sits just half a mile from Windsor Castle, which became Queen Elizabeth II’s primary residence during her final years.

The historic royal dwelling provides the family of five with access to the Berkshire countryside, where George, Charlotte and Louis now attend Lambrook School preparatory school.

Kate’s parents, Carole and Michael Middleton, also reside in the nearby Berkshire countryside.

During the St Patrick’s Day Parade earlier this year, the Princess of Wales spoke openly about the family’s countryside lifestyle whilst conversing with Irish Guard soldiers.

King Charles mentioned ‘irregular migration’ between UK and France in new speech.

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Sophie and Princess Anne dazzle at State Banquet alongside Queen Camilla.Getty

“We are in Windsor at the moment,” Kate explained. “We were in London but moved there for more green space. It’s close enough to London, not too far away.”

The Princess has previously emphasised the importance of outdoor experiences for children’s development.

“Spending time in nature can play a pivotal role in helping children grow up to become happy, healthy adults,” she stated in 2019.