Kate Middleton and Prince William's secret third home - and no-one has ever seen it

The home was gifted to Prince William by his late great-grandmother the Queen Mother shortly before her death in 2002

Kate Middleton and Prince William along with their children Prince George, Princess Charlotte and Prince Louis have the option of staying in a third exclusive and very private home just for them.

The property is very well hidden so very few know about it. The home - called Tam-Na-Ghar cottage - was gifted to Prince William by his late great-grandmother the Queen Mother shortly before her death in 2002. The three-bedroom cottage sits on the 50,000-acre Balmoral estate and is so private, no photos are thought to exist of it.

According to Hello! The property was used by William and Kate as a getaway retreat during their university years while studying at St Andrews. And it has been reported that they told friends that some of their happiest times were there.

In 2019, the couple, along with their children, stayed at Tam-Na-Ghar while visiting Balmoral. A source told Vanity Fair at the time, "The Queen has a lot of guests coming and to ease the pressure the Cambridges are likely to stay at the cottage. That could have added benefits for everyone as it means more space in the castle."

Balmoral estate boasts a total of 150 buildings, including the famous Balmoral Castle and Birkhall, a nearby residence owned by King Charles. And it could be that William and Kate use their Scottish home - as well as their Norfolk bolthole Anmer Hall - more often in future.

Royal expert Katie Nicholl notes that the Kate and William have shifted to a more traditional royal approach when it comes to family holidays, opting to stay closer to home. She explained to OK! that the couple's recent holidays have been more understated, filled with fun and outdoor activities, but with a focus on staying within the UK.

She told OK! : "Summer holidays at Anmer are the perfect way for Kate and William to decompress. If there are royal engagements for them, they’ll be few and far between. While in the past we’ve seen the couple enjoy more lavish holidays skiing or visiting sunnier climates, they’ve been adopting a more traditional royal approach and spending their time at royal residences in the UK instead.

"This could obviously be the result of Covid travel restrictions but I also believe that Kate and William are transforming into the future King and Queen and therefore are adopting more traditional practices.”