Royal Butler Reveals Why Princess Diana "Didn't Want" Prince Harry to Attend Eton College, and Believed It Would Be a "Difficult Path for Him"

Diana was especially worried about her youngest son, a former employee has claimed.

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Princess Diana wears a blue suit jacket while posing with young sons Prince Harry and Prince William who wear gray suits during a visit to Eton school
(Image credit: Getty Images/Tom Wargacki/WireImage)

It was recently reported that Kate Middleton and Prince William had agreed to send their eldest son, Prince George, to his dad's alma mater, Eton College. Now, a former royal butler has claimed that Princess Diana had reservations about sending Prince Harry to Eton, even though his brother, Prince William, already attended the prestigious school. Seemingly, the former Princess of Wales was incredibly protective of the Duke of Sussex for several reasons.

Princess Diana's former royal butler, Paul Burrell, spoke about Prince Harry's Eton attendance on behalf of Casino.org, for Express.co.uk. "Even when it came to school, [Diana] worried that Harry would constantly be compared to his brother and judged by William's standards," Burrell told the outlet. "When they went to Eton, Diana didn't want Harry to attend Eton; she knew that he would be compared to William, who had gone before him."

As for why Diana was especially apprehensive about Harry attending Eton, Burrell explained, "William is much brighter, and he excelled; Harry wasn't and didn't. And so, she knew it would be a difficult path for Harry."

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Prince William signing a book at Eton college on his first day with Prince Charles, Prince Harry and Princess Diana looking on

Prince William and Prince Harry visiting Eton with their parents.

(Image credit: Getty Images)

In his memoir Spare, Prince Harry claimed that Prince William didn't welcome him to Eton College. Instead, the Prince of Wales allegedly told his brother (via the BBC), "You don't know me Harold. And I don't know you."

Furthermore, William reportedly told Harry "that during his first two years there, Eton had been a sanctuary," the Duke of Sussex wrote. "That was without the burden of a little brother who would bother him with questions or stick his nose in his social circle."

Princess Diana, Prince Harry and Prince William wearing suits on Harry's first day at Eton

Prince William and Prince Harry visiting Eton with their parents.

(Image credit: Getty Images)

In Spare, Prince Harry also detailed the heartbreaking moment he told Prince William that he wouldn't interfere with his life at Eton. "I will forget I know you," the Duke of Sussex told his brother.

It would appear as though Princess Diana's instincts about her youngest son attending Eton were correct, after all.

Amy Mackelden
Amy Mackelden
Weekend Editor

Amy Mackelden is the weekend editor at Marie Claire, where she covers celebrity and royal family news. She was the weekend editor at Harper’s BAZAAR for three years, where she covered breaking celebrity and entertainment news, royal stories, fashion, beauty, and politics. Prior to that, she spent a year as the joint weekend editor for Marie Claire, ELLE, and Harper's BAZAAR, and two years as an entertainment writer at Bustle. Her additional bylines include Cosmopolitan, People, The Independent, HelloGiggles, Biography, Shondaland, Best Products, New Statesman, Heat, and The Guardian. Her work has been syndicated by publications including Town & Country, Good Housekeeping, Esquire, Delish, Oprah Daily, Country Living, and Women's Health. Her celebrity interviews include Jennifer Aniston, Jessica Chastain, the cast of Selling Sunset, Emma Thompson, Jessica Alba, and Penn Badgley. In 2015, she delivered an academic paper at Kimposium, the world's first Kardashian conference.