Why the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge won't follow in Prince Charles and Duchess Camilla's footsteps

• The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge (opens in new tab) have been staying at their Norfolk residency, Anmer Hall, since the beginning of lockdown in March
• The couple will not be following in the footsteps of Prince Charles and Duchess Camilla (opens in new tab), who made their return to London in June and were among the first royals to resume in-person duties
• This follows the royal news (opens in new tab) that Princess Diana’s niece Lady Amelia Spencer (opens in new tab) is engaged to her long-term boyfriend

Prince Charles and Camilla, Duchess of Cornwall, returned to London in June (opens in new tab) and were among the first royals to resume in-person duties. But it is thought that the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge (opens in new tab) will not be joining them anytime soon – instead choosing to stay at Anmer Hall in Norfolk, where they have been isolating since the beginning of March.

Charles and Camilla swapped Balmoral Castle (opens in new tab) in Scotland for Clarence House (opens in new tab) last month. They had been isolating at the Scottish royal residency for three months while Charles recovered from Covid-19. (opens in new tab)

Following their return to London, the couple swiftly resumed their royal duties, starting with welcoming French president Emmanuel Macron (opens in new tab) to mark the 80th anniversary of Charles de Gaulle’s Appel.

Why won't the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge be following in Prince Charles and Duchess Camilla's footsteps?

There are thought to be a number of reasons why Kate and William won't be rushing back to their Kensington Palace apartment any time soon.

Firstly, the children's school, Thomas's Battersea school, has broken up for the summer.

Like many parents, the couple had been homeschooling eldest children George and Charlotte amid the Coronavirus pandemic. And while the family might have been considering returning to London after lockdown, they now do not have to until school resumes in September.

The family usually reside in Norfolk for much of the summer anyway, and have done since 2017 when they made Kensington Palace (opens in new tab) their primary residence.

Anmer Hall (opens in new tab) boasts a wealth of green space for George, Charlotte and Louis to enjoy in the warmer weather. It had previously been reported that the grounds of the property housed a private swimming pool and tennis court, but Kate and William chose to replace them with an artificial lawn – so plenty of room for running and jumping.

The three-story Georgian house is also privately located on the Sandringham Estate, within two miles of Sandringham House (opens in new tab), The Queen (opens in new tab)'s private residence.

So sounds like George, Charlotte and Louis will be spending some quality time with their great-grandmother this summer.