They might be young heirs to the throne, but before any of that, Prince George and Princess Charlotte are kids. Just like any kids, they love having their dad read them a bedtime story. During a charity appearance earlier this month, their dad, Prince William, got the chance to meet the author of one of his kids' favorite books.
Prince William was visiting the Tusk Rhino Trail, a London art installation comprising 21 uniquely decorated rhino statues to raise awareness of conservation efforts for endangered species throughout the African continent. The Duke of Cambridge is the royal patron of the organization, and so he went to check out the rhinos and meet the artists behind them.
Among the artists was illustrator Axel Scheffler, who, alongside author Julia Donaldson, has created some of the most adored children's books in recent history. And one of the books they've published happens to be a favorite of George and Charlotte.
Prince William is a pretty hands-on dad. Anytime he's out with his kids, he's always holding their hands and making sure they're OK.
The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge are now parents to three beautiful children.
We haven't seen very much of 5-month-old Prince Louis, but we do see plenty of Prince George, 5, and Princess Charlotte, 3.
It's been a special treat for onlookers worldwide to see the young royals grow up and begin the next generation of the monarchy.
But aside from all the pomp around the family, the young prince and princess are still just children, figuring out things far less complicated than the British Empire.
You might expect that a young royal's upbringing would be vastly different than that of any commoner, but when you're as young as George and Charlotte, things are relatively normal.
Earlier this month, Prince William visited the Tusk Rhino Trail. He took in a city-wide art installation created by 21 artists as a collaboration with the conservation organization Tusk.
He met with artists to discuss the unique design of each rhino and the organization's wildlife conservation efforts throughout the African continent.
The Duke of Cambridge holds this cause near to his heart. It was one of the first charities he ever adopted, and he became the royal patron in 2005.
One of the artists that Prince William met with was Axel Scheffler, who made the rhino pictured here. He's an illustrator of children's books, famously pairing with author Julia Donaldson on many of them.
One of Julia and Axel's books is The Gruffalo, a children's book featuring a mouse and his half-monster friend adventuring in the English countryside.
When it was time for Prince William to meet Axel, William revealed that his children are huge fans of the book. "I know who you are. It’s a big hit in our household, The Gruffalo," the Duke of Cambridge said.
The rhino created by Axel featured characters from another collaboration between himself and Julia, The Ugly Five.
Prince William appreciated the illustrator's support of the cause, remarking, "We need the young generation to really understand."
We can't help but wonder what other stories the youngest royals enjoy. Do William and Kate do voices when they read? It would be so fun to be a fly on the wall during the royal family's bedtime routine!
