The Prince and Princess of Wales have been accused of using “the oldest trick in the crisis comms playbook” after moving into Forest Lodge, a Grade II-listed eight-bedroom mansion in Windsor Great Park. The relocation was timed to draw attention away from the ongoing scandal surrounding Prince Andrew, according to PR experts.
William, Kate, and their three children officially moved into their new home over the half-term break, with a deadline of before Bonfire Night on November 5. However, construction finished early, and the family slowly moved belongings in over the week. An exclusion zone was put in place around Forest Lodge in September.
The move places them temporarily closer to William’s uncle, Andrew, who is leaving Royal Lodge about one-and-a-half miles away. Andrew was stripped of his prince and Duke of York titles earlier this week following renewed scrutiny over his relationship with convicted paedophile Jeffrey Epstein. Buckingham Palace confirmed Andrew would now be known as Andrew Mountbatten Windsor.
PR expert Dermot McNamara told the Mirror: “Whenever there’s a royal scandal, you can almost guarantee a new house, a new charity initiative, or a glossy family photo to follow soon after. It’s one of the oldest tricks in the crisis comms playbook.” He added that images of William and Kate doing everyday things help “drown out the noise” around negative headlines.
McNamara noted that the Palace controls the timing and optics of announcements, and this move “just so happens to land neatly at a moment when the Firm could do with a softer story.” The Waleses are seen as dependable modern royals who can shift focus back to wholesome family life.
