Kate Middleton And Prince William Have Announced A Major Move

kate middleton prince william princess charlotte prince george

by Katie Rosseinsky |
Updated on

Prince William, Kate Middleton and their children Prince George and Princess Charlotte are set to make London their new home.

An official statement confirmed that the family will now make Apartment 1A in Kensington Palace their main residence, to allow the Duke and Duchess to spend more time taking on royal engagements and focusing on their charity work.

READ MORE: There's A Very Good Reason Why Kate Middleton Always Dresses To A Theme

William and Kate had previously based their family at Anmer Hall in Norfolk, to allow William to focus on his role as an air ambulance pilot.

READ MORE: ALL OF THE TIMES KATE MIDDLETON DRESSED LIKE PRINCESS DIANA

Gallery

SEE: Every Time Kate Middleton Dressed Like Princess Diana

Kate Middleton Princess Diana1 of 40
CREDIT: Getty

Kate Middleton Princess Diana

There's only one way to dress for a Bond premiere: full-throttle glamour.

Kate Middleton Princess Diana2 of 40
CREDIT: Getty

Kate Middleton Princess Diana

When Kate joined Prince William on a royal tour of Scotland, her blue ensemble – a Zara blazer with a Hope skirt and tan heels – was the spitting image of an outfit Princess Diana wore in 1992.

Kate Middleton Princess Diana3 of 40
CREDIT: Getty

Kate Middleton Princess Diana

Also in Scotland, Kate wore her Seeland Woodcock Advanced Jacket, a sensible choice for the weather, which shows similarities to the Barbour waxed jacket Princess Diana wore in 1984 ((also in Scotland).

Kate Middleton Princess Diana4 of 40
CREDIT: Getty

Kate Middleton Princess Diana

Kate Middleton is known for her love of literal dressing. Here, she's wearing a Strathearn tartan scarf in Scotland (she and her husband are the Earl and Countess of Strathearn), and it looks like Diana had a similar penchant for the print (pictured wearing a checkered wool coat in Wales).

Kate Middleton Princess Diana5 of 40
CREDIT: Getty

Kate Middleton Princess Diana

For a visit to County Durham, Kate wore a printed jumper from Brora, which was very similar to the one famously worn by Princess Diana to a photocall before her wedding.

Kate Middleton Princess Diana6 of 40
CREDIT: Getty

Kate Middleton Princess Diana

On an appearance at London's V&A Museum, Kate chose a chic red houndstooth dress from Alessandra Rich. The length and cut was very similar to a tartan dress worn by Princess Diana on a visit to Swindon.

Kate Middleton Princess Diana7 of 40
CREDIT: Getty

Kate Middleton Princess Diana

To celebrate the release of her book, Kate wore a red wool coat dress from Eponine. Princess Diana wasn't afraid of a bold colour either, shown here in a scarlet skirt suit.

Kate Middleton Princess Diana8 of 40
CREDIT: Getty

Kate Middleton Princess Diana

Both Diana and Kate have worn double-breasted black coats embellished with gold buttons.

Kate Middleton Princess Diana9 of 40
CREDIT: Getty

Kate Middleton Princess Diana

At the official engagement announcement of Kate and Prince William, the Duchess mirrored Princess Diana in her own iconic engagement photograph. Kate's dress was chosen in order to match her sapphire ring, which of course once belonged to Diana.

Kate Middleton Princess Diana10 of 40
CREDIT: Getty

Kate Middleton Princess Diana

Kate's dress from Instagram-favourite Faithfull The Brand is very similar to the retro flower-printed dress worn by Diana in Seville.

Kate Middleton Princess Diana11 of 40
CREDIT: Getty

Kate Middleton Princess Diana

Kate's wardrobe on the 2019 Royal Tour to Pakistanincluded many tributes to Princess Diana, including this ombré blue dress designed by Catherine Walker, an outfit that was incredibly similar to what Princess Diana wore while visiting the Shaukat Khanum Hospital in Lahore in 1996.

Kate Middleton Princess Diana12 of 40
CREDIT: Getty

Kate Middleton Princess Diana

Kate's Dubarry Bracken tweed jacket from a visit to King Henry's Walk Garden in January 2019 looked almost exactly the same to the one worn by Princess Diana on her honeymoon.

Kate Middleton Princess Diana13 of 40
CREDIT: Getty

Kate Middleton Princess Diana

Another one from the tour to Pakistan, Kate's green tunic mirrors this green coat-dress, both by Catherine Walker, worn by Princess Diana while on a visit to the Badshahi Mosque in Lahore in 1991.

Kate Middleton Princess Diana14 of 40
CREDIT: Getty

Kate Middleton Princess Diana

Kate's black strapless gown at A Night For Heroes in December 2011 drew many comparisons to Diana's black gown from her first public event with Prince Charles, at London's Goldsmith's Hall in 1981.

Kate Middleton Princess Diana15 of 40
CREDIT: Getty

Kate Middleton Princess Diana

Kate's white shalwar kameez designed by Gul Ahmed and shawl designed by Maheen Khan are very similar to a beaded shalwar kameez worn by Princess Diana while attending a dinner at London's Dorchester Hotel in aid of the Shaukat Khanum Memorial Hospital in Pakistan.

Kate Middleton Princess Diana16 of 40
CREDIT: Getty

Kate Middleton Princess Diana

What's a royal Christmas without some red tartan?

Kate Middleton Princess Diana17 of 40
CREDIT: Getty

Kate Middleton Princess Diana

While visiting Chitral in the Hindu Kush region, near the Afghan border, Kate and Diana were both presented with traditional Chitrali hats.

Kate Middleton Princess Diana18 of 40
CREDIT: Getty

Kate Middleton Princess Diana

Stepping outside the Lindo Wing after the birth of Prince George, Kate donned a polka dot blue Jenny Packham dress which was very similar to the green spotty number worn by Princess Diana after the birth of Prince William.

Kate Middleton Princess Diana19 of 40
CREDIT: Getty

Kate Middleton Princess Diana

While dancing with Prince Charles in Melbourne in October 1985, Princess Diana wore a very similar dress to one that her future daughter-in-law would wear at the Royal Albert Hall in May 2012.

Kate Middleton Princess Diana20 of 40
CREDIT: Getty

Kate Middleton Princess Diana

Kate and Diana have both worn sharp grey blazers with a fancy collar (black velvet, in this case).

Kate Middleton Princess Diana21 of 40
CREDIT: Getty

Kate Middleton Princess Diana

Kate's pink, flowing midi dress to watch the polo with her children, and sister-in-law, Meghan Markle, mirrors Diana's dress from a visit to Sydney.

Kate Middleton Princess Diana22 of 40
CREDIT: Getty

Kate Middleton Princess Diana

Bring the bling! Kate's Jenny Packham gown from the Palladium Theatre in November 2017 looks just like Diana's Catherine Walker gown from Qatar in November 1986.

Kate Middleton Princess Diana23 of 40
CREDIT: Getty

Kate Middleton Princess Diana

Kate's choice of outfit for the christening of Princess Charlotte in 2015 mirrored Princess Diana's Catherine Walker coat-dress from a visit to the Isle of Wight in 1985.

Kate Middleton Princess Diana24 of 40
CREDIT: Getty

Kate Middleton Princess Diana

Both royal women look amazing in red houndstooth: Princess Diana in a Moschino suit in Canada in 1991 and Kate in a red Catherine Walker coat dress in Sweden in January 2018.

Kate Middleton Princess Diana25 of 40
CREDIT: Getty

Kate Middleton Princess Diana

Again outside the Lindo Wing, this time after the birth of her youngest, Prince Louis, Kate mirrored Princess Diana after the birth of her youngest, Prince Harry.

Kate Middleton Princess Diana26 of 40
CREDIT: Getty

Kate Middleton Princess Diana

Kate must've taken inspiration from Princess Diana at a photo call in Kensington Palace in 1985 when she visited the 'D-Day: Interception, Intelligence, Invasion' exhibition at Bletchley Park in 2019.

Kate Middleton Princess Diana27 of 40
CREDIT: Getty

Kate Middleton Princess Diana

Kate's white-and-gold dress from an official dinner hosted by Malaysia's Head of State in Kuala Lumpur mirrors Diana's dress from a dinner at the German Embassy in London in 1986.

Kate Middleton Princess Diana28 of 40
CREDIT: Getty

Kate Middleton Princess Diana

Kate's blue draped gown for the premiere of Spectre in 2015 was very similar to a dress worn by Princess Diana when pregnant with Prince Harry.

Kate Middleton Princess Diana29 of 40
CREDIT: Getty

Kate Middleton Princess Diana

Kate's royal blue look from the trip to Pakistan is a very similar colour to this embroidered top worn by Princess Diana in 1997 while touring Imran Khan's charity cancer hospital.

Kate Middleton Princess Diana30 of 40
CREDIT: Getty

Kate Middleton Princess Diana

Kate's outfit at the Sovereign's Parade at the Royal Military Academy in Berkshire was almost identical to the one Diana wore at Sandringham on Christmas Day in 1993.

Kate Middleton Princess Diana31 of 40
CREDIT: Getty

Kate Middleton Princess Diana

Kate's white peplum outfit looks very similar to Diana's dress from Royal Ascot in June 1986.

Kate Middleton Princess Diana32 of 40
CREDIT: Getty

Kate Middleton Princess Diana

Proving that polka dots are a timeless choice of print, both Diana and Kate have opted for a green version of the classic pattern.

Kate Middleton Princess Diana33 of 40
CREDIT: Getty

Kate Middleton Princess Diana

The day before her wedding, Kate wore a polka dress with a white shawl similar to an outfit worn by Princess Diana in Wales in 1993.

Kate Middleton Princess Diana34 of 40
CREDIT: Getty

Kate Middleton Princess Diana

Never ones to shy away from bold colours, both Kate and Diana have rocked hot pink coat-dresses.

Kate Middleton Princess Diana35 of 40
CREDIT: Getty

Kate Middleton Princess Diana

Kate Middleton wore an Alexander McQueen dress-coat at the Irish Guards Medal Parade in 2011; Princess Diana wore a very similar royal blue blazer with gold buttons while visiting Oxford in 1990.

Kate Middleton Princess Diana36 of 40
CREDIT: Getty

Kate Middleton Princess Diana

The black-and-white polka dot number worn by Kate to Wimbledon is very similar to the dress and matching hat Diana donned for Royal Ascot in 1988.

Kate Middleton Princess Diana37 of 40
CREDIT: Getty

Kate Middleton Princess Diana

While greeting crowds in New Zealand, the Duchess of Cambridge and Princess Diana both wore teal dresses with matching hats.

Kate Middleton Princess Diana38 of 40
CREDIT: Getty

Kate Middleton Princess Diana

Further evidence that royals love their tartan.

Kate Middleton Princess Diana39 of 40
CREDIT: Getty

Kate Middleton Princess Diana

Pretty in pink! Kate at Trooping the Colour in 2017 and Diana in a polka-dotted dress in Perth in 1983.

Kate Middleton Princess Diana40 of 40
CREDIT: Getty

Kate Middleton Princess Diana

Both Kate and Diana look amazing in these matching red-and-white polka dot summer dresses.

'Since 2014 the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge have used Apartment 1A at Kensington Palace as their official residence when carrying out Royal duties, while basing their family primarily at their home in Norfolk,' read a statement released by Kensington Palace. 'This arrangement has allowed The Duke to work as a pilot with the East Anglia Air Ambulance, a role he has valued hugely. Their Royal Highnesses love their time in Norfolk and it will continue to be their home.'

Prince William And Prince Harry's Most Brotherly Moments, In Pictures

Kate Middleton, Prince William, Prince George and Princess Charlotte attend the Christmas service in Bucklebury
Kate Middleton, Prince William, Prince George and Princess Charlotte attend the Christmas service in Bucklebury ©Getty

'From this autumn, however, The Duke and Duchess will increasingly base their family at Kensington Palace. As they have in recent years, Their Royal Highnesses are keen to continue to increase their official work on behalf of The Queen and for the charities and causes they support, which will require greater time spent in London,' it continued.

The Royals also confirmed that Prince George will start school in London in September, while and Princess Charlotte will also go to nursery and 'eventually school in London as well.' George is currently a pupil at the Westacre Montessori School in Norfolk, but it is thought that he will eventually attend Wetherby Pre-Preparatory School, where his father and uncle Prince Harry were pupils.

William is due to finish his role with the East Anglia Air Ambulance, after two years flying with the service. He thanked his colleagues in the EAAA, affirming that 'it has been a huge privilege to fly with the East Anglia Air Ambulance. Following on from my time in the military, I have had experiences in this job I will carry with me for the rest of my life, and that will add a valuable perspective to my Royal work for decades to come.'

READ MORE: Prince Harry Introduces Meghan Markle To Kate Middleton

READ MORE: Kate Middleton Starts The Year In Style For First Engagement Of 2017

Just so you know, whilst we may receive a commission or other compensation from the links on this website, we never allow this to influence product selections - read why you should trust us