Kate Middleton is reportedly being “steered” into Princess Diana’s footsteps by her son, Prince William. A former butler to the late Princess of Wales believes William is helping Kate blaze her own royal path while, at the same time, keeping to a standard set by his late mother.

Paul Burrell was a butler to the late Diana, Princess of Wales. He believes Prince William is trying to mold his wife, Kate Middleton, into the image of his mother. Burrell shared his thoughts with Closer UK, and his quotes were published by The Sun.

“He’s steering Kate into Diana’s footsteps,” Burrell believes. “I see the way she dresses and behaves. If her mother-in-law could say anything, she would tell her that she’s doing an incredible job. She’s never put a foot wrong and the country adores her.”

He added, “With William by her side, Kate’s safe. Because he will take care of her and would never let anyone harm her.”

At age 15, William lost Diana to a tragic car accident. His brother Harry was just 11.

Therefore, after experiencing such a devastating loss, William remains very protective of his wife. Kate continues to undergo treatment for an undisclosed type of cancer.

Prince William will protect Kate Middleton at all costs

Appearing on Good Morning Britain, Sunday Times royal editor Roya Nikkhah discussed why Kate Middleton remains such a hot topic issue among royal watchers. This heightened press and public demand for information likely upset Prince William. He had a similar experience with his late mother, Princess Diana.

“Having seen his mother go through quite a lot of that, the hounding of his mother, I think he feels he is seeing elements of that being breached again in terms of the demands and screeches at his wife over her medical privacy and that is hurting him,” Nikkhah said.

William sees similarities in how Kate has been hounded by the press about her health and how his mother was targeted for years as a public figure. Therefore, it is understandable that William has been sensitive to the similarities between the treatment of Kate and his late mother, Diana, for years.

However, while he was relatively helpless as a child to do anything about protecting him and Prince Harry from public scrutiny, as an adult, he is taking a different stance when it comes to his wife.

William feels a sense of ‘responsibility’ to protect Kate

Reporter Robert Hardman, author of  The Making of a King: King Charles III and the Modern Monarchy, spoke to Fox News Digital about how Prince William’s choices show his sense of “responsibility” to his wife. William has demonstrated his devotion to Kate and their marriage by putting her and their three children ahead of his responsibilities to the crown.

“I think from the start, he’s been protective of her,” Hardman explained. “It’s the same way that [his younger brother] Prince Harry is so protective of Meghan Markle. Both of them have this sense that they have brought upon their wives a degree of attention and stress and all sorts of issues.”

“[William] feels a sense of responsibility [to protect Kate],” he said. “And right from the start, William has been adamant about family security and family privacy. It informs [everything he does]. It’s why they choose particular schools for their children.”

“They are very concerned that their children have as normal and private life as any other child. That’s the overarching thing.”

“William regards raising the next monarch as one of his most important jobs,” Hardman concluded. “People keep saying, ‘What sort of king will William be one day?’ Well, what’s going through William’s [mind] is what sort of king is George going to be?”

Prince William and Kate Middleton reside in Windsor with their children, Prince George, Princess Charlotte, and Prince Louis.