Police are understood to have been given powers to immediately arrest anyone who crosses new “no trespassing” lines around the future Windsor home of Prince William and Princess Kate, as work begins on a sweeping security zone to protect the family.
New photos show cars and lorries arriving to build a wooden fence that will encircle the couple’s new residence, Forest Lodge, ahead of their planned move.
Security minister Dan Jarvis’s order, which took effect on Sunday, allows officers to detain trespassers and is intended “as a deterrent for incursions”.
The Prince and Princess of Wales’s decision to relocate to the estate has already drawn criticism from locals.
Arrest powers in force as pictures show William and Kate’s new Windsor home sealed off from trespassers
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Around 150 acres of land will be closed off, with a 2.3-mile perimeter enforced by state-of-the-art CCTV, new fencing and landscaping to ensure privacy.
According to The Sun, Forest Lodge will also be designated under the Serious Organised Crime and Police Act (SOCPA) 2005.
The clampdown means a nearby car park is shutting, and public access to Windsor Great Park at Cranbourne Gate will end.
Residents previously paid £110 a year to use the entrance.
Workmen installing fencing on the perimeter of a new exclusion zone, where preparations are underway for Kate and William to move to Forest Lodge
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One local woman told The Sun: “Many of us have been walking our dogs here for 20 years so to be told we can’t any more is a kick in the teeth.
“We pay annually towards the upkeep of a park but we are no longer going to be allowed to use part of it.
“They’ve only given us a few days’ notice to say this section of forest is closing forever. Now I’ll need to get in my car to drive further afield to take my dog for a walk.”
While some locals are unhappy with the new trespassing rules, others have acknowledged the royal couple’s need for stronger security and privacy.
Workmen erecting additional fencing at Cranborne Gate in Windsor Great Park
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A sign advising of the permanent closures of Cranborne Gate car park in Windsor Great Park
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Forest Lodge will be a huge upgrade from the family’s current base at Adelaide Cottage, with eight bedrooms across three floors compared to four at their present home.
The Waleses will pay a market rent, though the figure will not be made public.
The property, part of the Crown Estate since 1829, includes six bathrooms and a long gallery, and underwent £1.5million of renovations in 2001. It previously housed senior royal staff such as equerries and private secretaries.
Sources close to the couple say their 2022 move from Kensington Palace to Adelaide Cottage was a trial to see if life in Windsor suited their children before committing to a long-term home.