Prince William set to reject King Charles’s offer as it would be ‘unfair to Kate’

The Prince of Wales automatically inherited the Duchy of Cornwall in 2022

Prince William is unlikely to accept Highgrove House when he becomes King, according to Jack Stooks, who maintained the estate’s gardens for 21 years.

The former royal gardener believes William “probably wouldn’t move into Highgrove once he became King”, despite the property automatically transferring to him in 2022 when his father ascended to the throne.

Stooks revealed that protective measures have already been put in place for the historic Gloucestershire residence.

“Before he became King, I think the idea was that they needed to make sure that the garden was actually protected,” he explained, noting that the Prince’s Foundation now rents the garden from the Duchy of Cornwall.

Prince William set to reject King Charles’s offer as it would be ‘unfair to Kate’.

The primary concern about William potentially moving to Highgrove centres on the Princess of Wales. Stooks believes it would be “unfair to Kate” to live in the former family home of Charles and Diana.

“That’s like her having to step into Diana’s shoes,” he remarked. The former gardener expressed concern about the ongoing media comparisons between the two women.

“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 of Wales, but they’re very separate people,” Stooks said.

“They’re both individual women that, you know, absolutely adore their children.”

King Charles privately bought Highgrove House in 1980.

PA

The royal property arrangements between father and son are notably complex. “The King rents his house from William, and William rents two of his houses from the King, so yeah, it’s quite odd, isn’t it?” Stooks observed.

This unusual situation arose after Charles transferred Highgrove to William upon becoming King in September 2022.

The arrangement ensures the garden’s preservation whilst maintaining Charles’s connection to his beloved estate.

“To think that he’s on their property, and the other ones are on the other property,” Stooks added, highlighting the intricate nature of these royal real estate dealings between the monarch and his heir.

King Charles and Prince William pictured at Highgrove in 2000.

Princess Diana pictured with the King, William and Harry at Highgrove in 1986.

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William has established his own family homes away from Highgrove. “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,” Stooks explained.

The former gardener emphasised the significance of these separate residences for the Prince and Princess of Wales and their children.

“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,” he noted.

This distinction between generational homes appears to be a key factor in William’s likely decision to maintain his current residences rather than relocate to his father’s cherished Gloucestershire estate.