Why Prince William Doesn’t Want Princess Kate To ‘Step Into Princess Diana’s Shoes’

The Princess of Wales is undoubtedly the most talked-about woman in the world, with Princess Kate officially returning to duty in 2025, following her cancer recovery. And now that she's back at the forefront, the 43-year-old has resumed her role as one of the leaders of the fold.

The mother of three's extreme popularity has often been likened to that of her late mother-in-law Princess Diana, with the two women sharing the Princess of Wales title, and often compared for their style, adoration and relatability.

And from Princess Kate's recent Trooping the Colour outfit, to her taking up Princess Diana's royal patronage at Tŷ Hafan Children's Hospice, she appears to be following in her late mother-in-law's footsteps.

This, according to royal insiders, is something that Prince William is keen to avoid, not wanting his wife to feel the pressure to "step into [his mother's] shoes".

And according to sources, this involves living in Princess Diana's former home, with the Prince and Princess of Wales unlikely to move into Highgrove when they become King and Queen.

King Charles' former gardener, Jack Stooks, opened up about the monarch's residence in a recent interview with OK! magazine, explaining why the Wales family is unlikely to move there in the future.

"Highgrove was very much his mum and dad's home [where they] were brought up, so it's like a family home that mum and dad lived in," Stooks reported in the interview.

And by relocating there, he explained, Princess Kate could experience more comparisons and feel even more pressure from living in Princess Diana's former home.

"That's like [Kate] having to step into Diana's shoes," Stooks later continued. "And she's so often compared to Diana in the press, which I think is unfair because...they're very separate people."

We will continue to update this story.