Last November, the Prince and Princess of Wales moved into a new home, marking the start of a fresh chapter for the family – and naturally, it has us wondering how Catherine, Princess of Wales, likes to decorate her home.
By piecing together glimpses of the Royal family’s residences, here is everything we know about Kate's elegant interior design style. We have also gathered expert advice on how you can recreate her refined aesthetic in your own home.
Where do Kate and William live?
William and Kate moved into Forest Lodge in Windsor Great Park in November 2025. The Georgian mansion is a Grade-II listed building with eight bedrooms, six chimneys and nine bay windows.
Widely understood as the family’s ‘forever home,’ the move came after roughly three years of living in Adelaide Cottage in Windsor. Prior to that, they lived in Apartment 1A in Kensington Palace, which remains their official London residence.
The family also retreat to Anmer Hall, a country home gifted to the couple by Queen Elizabeth II as a wedding present.
What is Kate’s interior design style?
Over the years, we’ve been given glimpses inside the Waleses’ homes – and what emerges is a timeless interior design style that honours tradition while still feeling fresh and relevant.
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One of the most memorable came in 2016, when President Obama and Michelle Obama visited the couple, offering a rare look inside their living room. The space revealed a grand setting, complete with neutral-toned furniture, gilded frames and ornately crafted tables. Yet the formality was softened with floral cushions, pops of coral pink and blooming bouquets.
Rather than relying on harsh overhead lighting, the family opted for a multitude of pleated table lamps to provide a soft, warming glow. Picture frames were added for a personalised touch, and tassels and fringed edges could be found on sofas and cushions, giving the interiors a romantic edge.
Princess Catherine was reportedly involved in decorating the apartment, working with British designer Ben Pentreath on the project. Pentreath is known for his classic English interiors with a playful edge. Layered, traditional and with a clever touch of the contemporary, he blends traditional styles with a more modern sensibility.
'Working with Ben Pentreath, the overall look isn’t about statement design or trend-led choices. It’s about quiet confidence, rooms that feel considered, but never overly styled,' says Kunal Trehan, interior designer & founder of Touched Interiors.
The Kensington apartment and its interiors were described as ‘magnificent’ by Kate’s brother-in-law, Prince Harry. ‘The wallpaper, the ceiling trim, the walnut bookshelves filled with volumes of peaceful colours, priceless works of art. Magnificent. Like a museum,’ Harry wrote of the apartment in his memoir Spare.
‘We congratulated them on the renovation without holding back the compliments while feeling embarrassed of our Ikea lamps and the secondhand sofa we'd recently bought on sale with Meg's credit card on sofa.com,’ he wrote.
Here, the Princess’ Art History degree has clearly come in handy as she created a museum-esque home that works for family life. Now, according to MailOnline, Kate has been taking a ‘contemporary classic’ approach to designing their new home Forest Lodge.
How to copy Kate’s style at home
Keen to emulate Kate’s ‘classic contemporary’ style? We’ve asked interiors experts how to recreate her timeless look at home.
1) Embrace a neutral palette
We got another window into Kensington Palace when Prince William was featured as a guest on That Peter Crouch Podcast in 2020. Here, much like in their Apartment 1A living room, the room was painted in a creamy neutral colour.
Lisa Hensby, founder & creative director of Lisa Hensby Design & Build Studio, thinks this colour is key to recreating Kate and William's look. 'The colour palette is the first lesson. Muted beiges and warm light browns for the curtains and upholstery, nothing trend-led,' she says.
'If you're working with a period property, your walls and fabrics should support the bones of the room, not compete with them. That's the why behind the neutral base.'
2) Seek out heritage prints
Though the royal couple have embraced a neutral colour palette, this soft shade is often offset with cheerful floral patterns. When incorporating similar prints into your own space, Kunal recommends exercising restraint.
'Pattern plays a role, but in a very controlled, almost academic way. Rather than bold prints, it’s more about traditional motifs – fine stripes, small florals, and classic repeats, used sparingly and often layered within a similar tonal family. It’s the kind of pattern mixing that feels inherited rather than designed, which is exactly why it works,' Kunal says.
3) Blend old and new
At the heart of their interiors is the careful balance of modernity and tradition. In their Kensington living room, we didn't just see gilded frames and heritage prints. Here, older furniture was placed alongside glass side tables and poured candles.
To recreate this careful balance, Lisa recommends leaning into your home's natural features. 'Keep original features like fireplace surrounds, cornicing and original doors intact, and layer contemporary pieces around them,' she says.
'Think a clean-lined sofa alongside an antique side table, or a modern pendant over a Georgian mantelpiece. The contrast is what gives a room its character.'
4) Get the lighting right
One striking feature in Kate and William's 1A apartment is the high volume of table lamps dotted around the living room. While you might expect a grand chandelier to light a member of the Royal Family's home, the couple have opted for a series of lamps to gently warm their interiors.
'The lighting is underrated,' Lisa tells us. 'Swap a single overhead light for a mix of table lamps and floor lamps at different heights and it instantly transforms the mood of a room. Add a candle or two for evening and you've created atmosphere that no ceiling fixture can replicate.'
5) Incorporate personal items
Kunal tells us that the key to recreating Kate's style is crafting a home that feels personal and not just decorative. In their 1A apartment we find not just paintings and grand furniture but photographs dotted around their living room.
'What truly defines the space is its sense of personal curation. These interiors don’t rely on decorative “moments.” Instead, they are built up through books, framed artwork, and objects that feel collected over time. It’s this layering of the personal that stops the home from feeling staged or overly polished,' says Kunal.
Lisa agrees, telling us that what she admires about the Princess' Kensington home is its ability to tell a story. 'Personal photographs alongside considered artwork, fresh flowers, books that are actually read. This is a home, not a showroom,' she says.Princess' Kensington home is its ability to tell a story. 'Personal photographs alongside considered artwork, fresh flowers, books that are actually read. This is a home, not a showroom,' she says.
The verdict
The key to Princess Catherine's style lies in the thoughtful curation of her home. 'What strikes me most about the drawing room at Apartment 1A isn't the grandeur, it's the restraint. Kate takes a space with centuries of history and makes it feel genuinely liveable,' Lisa says.
For Kunal, it's about 'editing rather than adding. Choosing pieces that will age well, keeping palettes restrained, and allowing rooms to evolve naturally. The luxury in this style doesn’t come from bold statements; it comes from consistency, subtlety, and a sense that everything belongs'.
Though not all of us, alas, are able to live in a palace, there are subtle ways to embody the Princess of Wales' style. Restraint, timelessness and the careful blending of old and new are the key to emulating this regal but modern look.
