The couple reportedly relocated to the sprawling mansion last month

Prince William and Princess Kate have sparked some criticism over their move to Forest Lodge in Windsor.

One local has branded the move “selfish” as it has cut off public access to large sections of Windsor Great Park.

The Prince and Princess of Wales moved into Forest Lodge, which has eight bedrooms, recently. The house has been described as their “forever home”.

However, the move has triggered some backlash.

Prince William and Kate have been criticised after their move to Forest Lodge resulted in locals reportedly losing access to large parts of the surrounding park (Credit: Cover Images)

Prince William and Kate Middleton criticised over Forest Lodge move

One Windsor resident, who owns a home on the opposite side of Forest Lodge, told The Mirror that she and others were blindsided by the closures.

They reportedly received just three days’ notice before access to the beloved Cranbourne Gate area was permanently cut off.

The resident, who had walked her dog in the area for 15 years, said the closure felt like a “huge blow”. She explained that the couple’s exclusion zone is technically only two miles wide. But the resulting restrictions have pushed countless visitors out of their usual walking routes.

“More than half of Windsor Great Park is private. The public areas for walking are extremely precious,” she said, adding that the side of the park now accessible to her is mostly forested and already overcrowded on weekends.

I doubt they gave a second thought to the implications for others.

The area that’s been lost, she notes, was ideal for letting dogs off-lead.

The emotional impact has been deep. She recalled walking the route one last time and meeting several tearful locals. One woman said she cried after reading the closure email.

“They were desperately upset,” the resident claimed.

A 2.3-mile “exclusion zone” was reportedly quietly imposed around Forest Lodge under the Serious Organised Crime and Police Act. The area is now patrolled, monitored, and enforced by Thames Valley Police, reports claim. Anyone caught trespassing is at risk of arrest.

The couple and their three children reportedly relocated to the sprawling mansion last month (Credit: Cover Images)

‘It’s clearly a selfish act’

“It’s clearly a selfish act,” the woman added. “I doubt they gave a second thought to the implications for others.”

She also stressed that it’s a “huge loss to me and many others”.

It comes after William and Kate moved from four-bedroom Adelaide Cottage to Forest Lodge.

Read more: Prince Louis’ height at Kate Middleton’s Christmas carol service stuns fans

In November, the Daily Mail reported that the Prince and Princess of Wales had thrown a thank you party for the builders and staff who worked hard to get them into their new home.