George, Charlotte & Louis’ normal life
The royal couple are determined to give their kids as normal an upbringing as possible. Here’s how they do it
AS SHE walked slightly behind her mom, she looked like any other kid on their first day of school – somewhat shy, a bit curious and maybe a little apprehensive about what lay ahead. Of course, as the middle child of the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge, Princess Charlotte isn’t a normal kid. She’s the daughter and sister of future kings of England – and her mother is one of the most-watched women in the world.
Still, as she headed into the grounds of Thomas’s Battersea in South London to join big brother George, Charlotte could’ve been just another child – were it not for the bank of photographers snapping away.
On her backpack, which Kate carried, was a little pink unicorn. Unsurprising, considering William says she loves anything pink and sparkly.
And she looked comforted by the fact that George would be there to show her the ropes, seeing as he’s been at the school, which costs £6 429 (about R115 722) a term, since 2017.
Like her brother, she won’t be called
princess and will simply be known as Charlotte Cambridge.
It’s something William and Kate will have approved of. They’ve always made it clear they want to give George, Charlotte and youngest son Louis as normal an upbringing as possible.
We take a closer look at how they’re doing on that front.
HANDS-ON PARENTING The family does have Spanish nanny Maria Borrallo on hand to help but William and Kate try to be as hands-on as possible.
Kate, an avid gardener, spends a lot of time with the kids in the grounds of Kensington Palace. Now, following the success of her Chelsea Flower Show exhibit, she’s pushing outdoor play even more.
When the weather’s not great there’s plenty to keep them busy indoors.
In an interview with a UK radio station William said Kate helped the kids make special gifts for the queen’s birthday.
The duchess also mentioned how much they loved to bake. At an event where children were making chocolate cakes, she said, “When I try to do this with George at home, chocolate and the golden syrup goes everywhere. George makes so much mess. It’s chaos.”
The same applies to making pizza. At another event she told people at a community centre how much the two older kids love it. “I’ve done that with George and Charlotte – making pizza dough. They love it because they can get their hands messy.”
William has clearly given a great deal of thought as to how he wants to raise his children. Just before Louis’ birth, he spoke about being a parent. “When I first became a father I began a process of thinking about the way I’d been brought up and the values that my parents had instilled in me.
“As any parent will know, this process isn’t necessarily one that you undertake consciously – you find certain values and habits, ones that you didn’t know you had, start bubbling up to the surface.”
THEY LET THEM BE THEMSELVES Kate is believed to be a fan of the book The Modern Mother’s Handbook: How To Raise a Happy, Healthy, Smart, Disciplined and Interesting Child, Starting From Birth.
One of the principles in the book is to “get out of your children’s way” and let them make mistakes so they can learn from them.
The Cambridges aren’t too stern. They allow their kids to be cheeky, like when Princess Charlotte recently stuck out her tongue at photographers.
Kate isn’t above giving them a bit of a scolding when they get out of hand but the kids are happy and receive plenty of cuddles. As Kate once said, “Hugs are important. That’s what I tell my children.”
She and William encourage their kids to be open about their emotions.
They also urge them to try different things, something that’s possible for the older kids at their school. George, who’s apparently settled in well, will be sure to show his younger sibling the ropes. The “shy” youngster is maturing fast and according to a royal insider “is very much his own man”.
“When he goes back to school, he’ll be head of the lower school. With younger siblings Charlotte and Louis taking a lot of the attention at home, he is learning to be more independent,” the source says.
Charlotte will have the chance to study art, music and ballet which, according to William, George also “absolutely loves”.
The little prince’s new curriculum will include maths, science, history, French, religious studies, computer programming and drama.
Kate’s focus is on helping her kids develop from a strong foundation. She spoke about it at a mental health conference. “I was naïve myself as a parent of really just how important the early years are for children’s futures. And how critical it is, everyone looking after children at a critical time – teachers, parents and everyone who’s caring for them – how important it is that we get it right.”
Looks like she and William aren’t doing too badly.