As Prince William and Kate Middleton prepare to move into a new home, two families living nearby were asked to vacate their Windsor cottages ahead of the royal couple’s arrival.

The Prince and Princess of Wales’ relocation forced the families out earlier this summer, and they have since moved to similar or better housing in Windsor Great Park’s Forest Lodge, according to US Weekly.

Royal expert Richard Fitzwilliams told Fox News the families were asked to move for “security reasons.”

“Close neighbours have been surprised to be ordered to leave their properties,” another royal expert told the outlet. “So that no prying eyes can see the Prince and Princess with their children.”

Forest Lodge is also undergoing renovations in preparation for the Prince and Princess of Wales’ big move, and the royals are funding the upgrades themselves.

“The Wales family will move house later this year,” a spokesperson at Kensington Palace told People.

The Wales family currently lives in Adelaide Cottage, a four-bedroom home that is also located on the Windsor Castle estate.

This new beginning comes as Princess Catherine slowly returns back to public duties after her cancer diagnosis, treatment and remission. Last year, the Duchess of Cambridge stepped away from the public eye as she battled the undisclosed form of cancer.

In January, Princess Kate shared an Instagram update on her health, expressing her “relief to now be in remission” but admitting it still “takes time to adjust to a new normal.” – New York Daily News/Tribune News Service