LONDON — Britain’s Prince William and Princess Kate are preparing to move to a new home in pursuit of a “fresh start” after a challenging period for the family.

The royals, along with their children George, Charlotte, and Louis, will relocate to the eight-bedroom Forest Lodge in Windsor Great Park.

The family have lived at elaide Cottage within the Windsor Castle grounds since August 2022, but after a tumultuous period marked by the death of Queen Elizabeth II and Kate’s cancer treatment, they felt it was the right time for a change.

“Windsor has become their home. However, over the last few years while they have lived at elaide Cottage there have been some really difficult times,” a royal source told NBC News.

“Moving gives them an opportunity for a fresh start and a new chapter; an opportunity to leave some of the more unhappy memories behind. This is a move for the long-term. They see it as their forever home,” the source added.

The family first moved from London’s Kensington Palace to Windsor three years ago.

This latest move is being funded privately, with William and Kate paying market rent. As with elaide Cottage, the family will not have live-in staff.

In addition to their new Windsor home, the family maintains other residences, including Anmer Hall in Norfolk, where they spend much of the school holidays.

Their offices remain at Kensington Palace.

At the end of last year, William described the previous twelve months as “brutal,” and “the hardest year in my life,” following cancer diagnoses for both his wife and his father, King Charles III.

Kate announced this January that she was in remission, months after completing her chemotherapy treatment. She spoke in July of feeling she had to put on a “brave face” but finding the period after her treatment “really … difficult.”