Prince William has reportedly been prohibited from using his e-scooter within the premises of his new residence in Windsor Great Park. The restriction comes as he and Catherine have recently settled into the historic Forest Lodge, a Grade II-listed mansion on the sprawling 4,800-acre Berkshire estate.
The royal couple made the decision to leave Adelaide Cottage last year, choosing the expansive Georgian home as their permanent residence. This move is part of their commitment to provide a fresh start for their children, Prince George, Princess Charlotte, and Prince Louis, aged 12, 10, and 7, respectively.
Despite the allure of the eight-bedroom Forest Lodge, which offers more space than their previous home, Prince William faces a small inconvenience. The park’s regulations strictly prohibit the use of e-scooters, William’s favored means of transport, citing concerns over safety and traffic management within the grounds.
This rule means that William will have to forego the convenience of his two-wheeler, a mode of transport he enjoyed during his time at the Windsor Castle Estate, mere miles from their current residence. While the new home offers a grander lifestyle, it seems the future King will have to adjust to this minor limitation.
Rules for the royal park state that e-scooters, William’s preferred mode of transport, ‘are not permitted’ within the grounds ‘for safety reasons and traffic management’.
This means that he is unable to whizz around on his two-wheeler, having previously done so while living in the separate Windsor Castle Estate, located just four miles away.
‘William used to love his e-scooter to get around the castle as there was no ban,’ an insider told The Sun. ‘But of course he’s more than happy and prepared to adhere to the rules on e-scooters in Windsor Great Park.’
It was first reported in July 2023 that the father-of-three had invested in an electric scooter to zip around the castle, having made the purchase to speed up the three-mile round trip to see his father King Charles.
Prince William has reportedly been banned from riding his e-scooter within the ground of his new home in Windsor Great Park. He is seen here riding his scooter during an episode for Eugene Levy’s Apple+ TV series The Reluctant Traveler
In the clip, the Prince (right) was seen gliding effortlessly on the scooter before coming to a controlled stop and dismounting in front of Eugene (left)
Forest Lodge (pictured) in Windsor Great Park has been dubbed the Waleses’ ‘forever home’
The Prince, who is a known environment lover, has often been spotted using the green mode of transport while carrying out his royal duties ever since.
He delighted royal watchers when he was spotted zooming around the royal residence in Berkshire on an e-scooter in July 2024.
A video on social media appeared to show William dressed in a blue jumper with a white shirt underneath, teamed with black trousers, effortlessly on his way in a pair of stylish sunglasses.
And in October, William was once again spotted using an e-scooter to greet actor Eugene Levy during an episode for his Apple+ TV series The Reluctant Traveler.
In the clip, the Prince was seen gliding effortlessly on the scooter before coming to a controlled stop and dismounting in front of the show’s host – causing Eugene to burst out laughing.
‘This is your mode of transport?’ Eugene asked, to which the Prince confirmed it was while he was ‘on the grounds’.
‘I have a very low threshold for adventure so I’ve actually never been on one,’ Eugene added.
‘It gets around nicely, it’s quite fun,’ William responded.
William delighted royal watchers when he was spotted zooming around the royal residence in Berkshire on an e-scooter in July 2024
The Waleses had planned to live in cosy four-bedroom Adelaide Cottage for years, but their time there has been beset by unhappy memories, including the death of Queen Elizabeth II.
‘Adelaide Cottage really does have some difficult memories associated with it, sadly,’ a source said. ‘They have experienced some of their most challenging times there… The family are really happy about this [move] and excited for a fresh start.’
One of the reasons that William and his wife, Catherine, moved their family to Windsor from London in the summer of 2022 was to spend more time with Queen Elizabeth in the latter years of her life.
Sadly she died just weeks later, on September 8 2022, at Balmoral Castle. The family now feel so at home on the ancient Berkshire estate that they have chosen to make it their ‘forever home’.
The Daily Mail has contacted Kensington Palace for comment.
