A children’s environmental education centre within the new exclusion zone has paused operations. Reports also suggest that two families living in nearby cottages were required to leave.
The Crown Estate has stated it is working with the Berkshire, Buckinghamshire and Oxfordshire Wildlife Trust to find alternative arrangements for the education centre.
Meanwhile, park management says alternative parking remains available nearby — though some residents argue it is not a practical replacement.
“This Isn’t Their Back Garden”
A key frustration for locals, Tina says, is what she believes is a misunderstanding about ownership.
Windsor Great Park and Forest Lodge are owned by the Crown Estate — a public body whose revenues go to the UK Treasury — not the Royal Family personally.
“They’re supposed to manage it in the national interest,” she says. “This isn’t the royals’ private garden.”
Tina questions whether fencing off large swathes of public land for enhanced security serves the broader community.
“It’s like closing Regent’s Park and saying it doesn’t matter because Hyde Park is still open,” she argues.
However, supporters point out that William has long spoken about protecting his family’s privacy, referencing the lasting trauma caused by Princess Diana’s death.
“If you let that creep in, the damage it can do to your family life is something I vowed would never happen to my family,” William previously said.
Security vs. Community
According to the Crown Estate, the security boundary was introduced by the Home Office and Thames Valley Police and affects only a small portion of the park. Officials insist that the “vast majority” of public access remains unchanged.
The Prince and Princess of Wales are reportedly paying market rent for Forest Lodge, and renovations are not being funded through the Sovereign Grant.
Yet for residents like Tina, the emotional impact remains raw.
“I live here because of the park,” she says. “It’s a huge loss. The nature of the park is changing — it feels more commercialised, more restricted. And now we’re all squeezed into smaller spaces.”
She hopes that in the future, when William becomes King and has access to multiple royal properties, the land might once again reopen to the public.
“It’s just so sad,” she says quietly. “We want them to realise the consequences.”