The royal residence Prince William won't live in as it would be 'unfair' to Kate

A former royal staff member shared why he thinks it's unlikely we'll see the Waleses moving to this historic home

Prince William and Kate Middleton smiling as they walk past crowds
(Image credit: Chris Jackson/Getty Images)

In many ways, Prince William has seamlessly stepped into the role that his father held for several decades. As well as succeeding the King as Prince of Wales, he is also now Duke of Cornwall, which comes with management of the Duchy of Cornwall.

One of the most famous Duchy of Cornwall properties is Highgrove House, the beloved country home King Charles spends so much time in. Prince William and Prince Harry also spent a lot of their childhood there, but according to former royal gardener Jack Stooks, the future King is unlikely to ever relocate his family there.

Jack believes it would be “unfair”, in part due to the comparisons that might be made between Kate and the late Princess Diana.

Diana, Princess Of Wales sits with her back against the sun dial at Highgrove House

(Image credit: Photo by Tim Graham Photo Library via Getty Images)

Jack claimed to OK! that expecting the Wales family to move into Highgrove - like Diana and Charles did when their children were younger - would be "like [Catherine] having to step into Diana's shoes".

"She's so often compared to Diana in the press, which I think is unfair because, yes, I know she's the Princess of Wales and I know that Diana was the Princess Wales, but they're very separate people," he said. "They're both individual women that, you know, they absolutely adore their children."

Jack went on to explain why he thinks Prince William might be more hands-off when it comes to upkeeping Highgrove House too, and how Charles had planned ahead for such a moment.

"I think that William's obviously got his own family now, so he's got his own family unit and they've been brought up at Anmer Hall, and also now at Adelaide Cottage," the former royal gardener declared.

Princess Diana leads a young Prince William around Highgrove Gardens on the back of a pony

(Image credit: Tim Graham Photo Library via Getty Images)

He continued, "Before he became King, I think the idea was that they needed to make sure that the garden was actually protected. I think he thought that William probably wouldn't move into Highgrove once he became King, so the idea was, 'Let's protect it somehow', so it was given over to the Prince's Foundation [now known as the King's Foundation]. So, the Prince's Foundation now rents the garden from the Duchy of Cornwall."

"I would never have expected Prince William to move to Gloucestershire," says woman&home Royal Editor, Emma Shacklock. "He's made it very clear that, other than their current home, Norfolk is where his and Kate's hearts are. I think they will probably always have some kind of base in Berkshire as her family is there, but they might spend more time in Sandringham in the future."

She adds, "As Jack mentioned, Princess Diana and Kate are often compared and Prince William might indeed prefer to have a home that's entirely their own and separate."

King Charles walking around Highgrove House and gardens

(Image credit: Tim Graham Photo Library via Getty Images)

While the house remains a private country residence, Highgrove Gardens are open to the public for select dates throughout the year. Guests can enjoy guided tours and visit the on-site shop, which stocks local produce.

Highgrove is also where the King first began fostering his sustainable and organic practises. There are over 30 beehives producing local honey and, in 2024, he rehomed 31 hens at the gardens, including the British Hen Welfare Trust's one millionth hen which His Majesty named Henrietta.

Jack Slater
Freelance writer

Jack Slater is not the Last Action Hero, but that's what comes up first when you Google him. Preferring a much more sedentary life, Jack gets his thrills by covering news, entertainment, celebrity, film and culture for woman&home, and other digital publications.

Having written for various print and online publications—ranging from national syndicates to niche magazines—Jack has written about nearly everything there is to write about, covering LGBTQ+ news, celebrity features, TV and film scoops, reviewing the latest theatre shows lighting up London’s West End and the most pressing of SEO based stories.

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