This rare glimpse inside Kate Middleton’s living room highlights her favourite affordable home touch

The Princess of Wales uses an affordable accessory to transform her living room into a cozy, welcoming space

Kate Middleton
(Image credit: Getty Images)

It's always such a treat for fans when we get a glimpse inside the royal's real lives and homes – remember when we caught a peek inside Kate Middleton's traditional living room that had the perfect cozy touch?

The Princess of Wales' flair for creating warm, welcoming spaces is something that first connected with fans during video claps shared during the 2020 coronavirus lockdown, when even the royals had to pivot to working from home.

At the time, William and Kate were either at Kensington Palace or Anmer Hall in Norfolk before moving to Adelaide Cottage in Windsor in 2022. During that time, Kate gave a glimpse of her at home and one thing was clear - the Princess's love for a cozy, statement cushion.

If you’re looking for easy ways to update your living room on a budget then changing your cushion covers is a brilliant option. Laura Honey, our Homes eCommerce Editor says “don’t underestimate the power of a well-chosen cushion. These seemingly simple accessories are one of the most effective ways that you can show your personality in a space. In a tonal room, a bold cushion can provide that perfect pop of color, while textured designs are a clever way to add warmth and depth to a space that’s feeling a little flat or cold. If you need some inspiration, I love Anthropologie's collection this season. It's stunning”

Even though it's such a simple trick, it even works in royal residences. Not only can these add a pop of personality or whimsy to a room, they make a clever, intentional contrast with dark wooden furniture and grander, gilt-framed paintings.

In February 2021 the Princess of Wales joined a virtual call with teachers to mark Children’s Mental Health Week in her role as Patron of children’s mental health charity, Place2Be. Sitting on a sage green sofa, the senior royal’s cushions of choice featured a leaf print design, some primarily in dark green and others with slight touches of red.

They worked with the sofa and the space, which also featured another of Prince William and Kate’s humble home accessories - a fern-like houseplant, keeping with Kate's penchant for bringing a sense of the outdoors in and creating a feeling of nature.

Later on in October 2022, she filmed a poignant message of support for Addiction Awareness Week, potentially in another residence altogether. However, cushions still featured heavily in the room styling.

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This time they had a pale terracotta-toned floral motif on them which looked fabulous with the cream couch.

It’s clear that Kate also appreciates the versatility of cushions as a design element too as in May 2021 she and Prince William filmed their first official YouTube video in the same room and there were other cushions brightening up the space. The burnt orange cushions with fringing as a trim were paired with the others for more dimension and a pop of color.

It might seem like a simple trip but mixing up your cushions, changing the amount of cushions you have on your couch or swapping cushion covers can totally transform your living room in minutes.

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Interior designer Sophie Clemson from The Living House previously told woman&home that, "Cushions really can make such a difference in your living room and make it feel cosy with their mix of textures and patterns."

This is definitely true of Kate’s homes as no matter where these multiple videos were filmed, cushions always had pride of place and made each living room seem more personal and warm.

Emma is a Royal Editor with eight years experience working in publishing. She specialises in the British Royal Family, ranging from protocol to outfits. Alongside putting her royal knowledge to good use, Emma knows all there is to know about the latest TV shows on the BBC, ITV and more. When she’s not writing about the latest royal outing or unmissable show to add to your to-watch list, Emma enjoys cooking, long walks and watching yet more crime dramas!