Prince William may decline Charles’ Royal property offer
Prince William appears reluctant to take up residence at the cherished Highgrove House, a treasured royal estate passed down to him by his father, King Charles III, according to a former member of the royal staff.
Following his accession to the throne in September 2022, King Charles made sweeping changes to the royal family’s roles, entrusting his son with significant responsibilities.
Charles declared, "He succeeds me as Duke of Cornwall and takes on the responsibilities for the Duchy of Cornwall, which I have undertaken for more than five decades."
The King also praised Prince William and Princess Catherine, saying, "With Catherine beside him, our new Prince and Princess of Wales will, I know, continue to inspire and lead our national conversations, helping to bring the marginal to the centre ground where vital help can be given," as reported by OK!
Along with these new duties came the inheritance of Highgrove House and Garden in Gloucestershire.
Since 2022, the estate has officially transitioned into Prince William’s care, according to The Mirror.
Jack Stooks, who tended the gardens at Highgrove for over two decades before retiring last year, believes it’s unlikely that Prince William will choose the beloved Gloucestershire estate as his family residence in the future.
Stooks revealed that the Prince’s Foundation is currently renting the Highgrove gardens from the Duchy of Cornwall to safeguard their long-term preservation.
“Before he became King, I think the idea was that they needed to make sure the garden was actually protected,” he explained.
He added this move likely stemmed from the expectation that William might not settle at Highgrove after ascending the throne.
"So 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. They now rent the garden from the Duchy of Cornwall."
Reflecting on the complex royal estate arrangements, he noted the curious nature of the living situations, "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? To think he’s on their property, and the other ones are on the other property."
"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."
"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 reflected.