Princess Kate and Prince William's upcoming home has a link to the disgraced King Edward VIII, new documents have revealed.
The Prince and Princess of Wales will move into the eight-bedroom Forest Lodge in Windsor Great Park with their three children, Prince George, Princess Charlotte and Prince Louis, later this year.
Documents in the National Archives reveal that the home’s current name was first suggested by King Edward VIII.
This followed a dispute involving his equerry, Sir John Aird, who rented the property from 1937 until he died in 1973.
Princess Kate and Prince William's new home has strong link to disgraced monarch
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Sir John, described by officials as a "hard bargainer" and "very difficult", rejected the name "Forest Lodge" as "distasteful", and wanted to keep the title "Ranger's Lodge".
King Edward personally became involved in Sir John's rent negotiations, according to documents seen by The Mail, which equated to around £20,000 a year today.
One official wrote: "The King is inclined to think that we are charging too much money to Sir John."
Forest Lodge's association with King Edward VIII, who abdicated the throne in December 1936 to marry Wallis Simpson, stretches further back.
Forest Lodge covered in scaffolding | PABefore Sir John, the tenant at Forest Lodge was Windsor Great Park deputy ranger Sir Malcolm Murray.
Sir Malcolm moved into the property in 1929 after being required to vacate Fort Belvedere so King Edward could take residence there.
Fort Belvedere, also in Windsor Great Park, became King Edward’s favourite retreat, where he spent much of his time with Ms Simpson. It was there that he chose to sign his abdication papers in 1936.
Correspondence between the Office of the Commissioner of Crown Lands and the Treasury shows that Sir Malcolm was unhappy about being charged £25 a year in interest on improvements required at Forest Lodge when he moved in.
Fort Belvedere is located in Windsor Great Park | GETTYLATEST ROYAL NEWS:
King Edward VIII abdicated the throne in 1936 | GETTY
His protest sparked a back-and-forth among officials, with one describing Forest Lodge as "inconvenient and antiquated".
They noted that Sir Malcolm had moved into the property "quite against his own wishes". The £25 a year fee was eventually dropped.
William and Kate, along with Prince George, 12, Princess Charlotte, 10, and Prince Louis, seven, are unlikely to face such battles.
Kensington Palace confirmed to GB News that the family will move into Forest Lodge later this year from their current home, the four-bedroom Adelaide Cottage.