When you're born in the spotlight, it's hard to have a normal childhood. But Kate Middleton and Prince William are trying their hardest when it comes to their three children.
It might come naturally to Kate, who didn't grow up as a royal. When it comes to parenting Prince George, Princess Charlotte, and Prince Louis, she's really trying hard. Whether it's hanging out in public or ordering a pizza, she wants them to enjoy their childhood. Oddly enough, her mothering techniques are quite comparable to Princess Diana. Judging by what we know of Diana, it may have been on purpose.
Time is ticking for both of them. Kate and William are expected to take over the throne in the future, which means that the lives of their children will become even more hectic. "They know what’s coming [as they near the throne] and want to give their kids as normal a start as possible," an aide revealed to People.
One of the biggest things that the children are realizing these days is that not everyone has the money to afford food and shelter. While appearing on the recent royal Christmas special with chef Mary Berry, Prince William admitted that the children were starting to ask questions about the homeless people they've seen. It's a sad yet visual lesson that's important for them to know about.
“Whenever we see someone who is sleeping rough on the street I talk about it and I point it out and I explain," William said, according to People. "And they are all very interested. They are like: ‘Why can’t they go home?’" William would be a good source of information, as he works with a homelessness charity called Centrepoint.
It has always been important for Kate to have her kids experience real life. According to the Sun, they even look like your standard family when they're out enjoying sporting events. If you weren't directly looking for them, you might never even recognize them by the way they blend in. In November, the family was spotted at a football game, and they were sitting with everyone else.
By not taking steps to make sure they got a VIP box or special privileges, Kate is sending a message. She's showing her kids that her family isn't above someone else's family, and that these perks aren't important. They're all just here to enjoy the same game as a community.
"She and William don’t want them to live in a gilded bubble," a source told the Sun. "They want them to grow up having the same experiences as other kids." In the past, Kate has mentioned how lucky she is to have help with watching her children, and she acknowledged that that's something not every mother gets.
The Sun writes that Kate admitted that things got harder after Charlotte was born. "Nothing can really prepare you for the sheer overwhelming experience of what it means to become a mother," she said. "It’s full of complex emotions of joy, exhaustion, love and worry, all mixed together." And that said, you would understand utilizing all the perks one gets as the Duchess of Cambridge.
Not only is Kate's regular upbringing leading this decision, it's also very similar to what Princess Diana did in raising William and Harry. She notoriously hated the idea of leaving them in someone else's care and wanted to be an active mother while also fulfilling her royal duties. At the time, this approach was groundbreaking.
HistoryExtra reports that after William was born in 1983, Princess Diana went on record to say that it "felt the whole country was in labour with me" due to the coverage. She also wanted the two of them to have more of a normal experience. One big change she made was changing their schooling — they were both enrolled at Wetherby School in Kensington.
Prior to that, other royals in their position had been homeschooled. But since school is a large part of childhood, Princess Diana pushed to have things her way. It's good to point out that William and Kate are both following a similar path when it comes to the education of their three children. They attend a physical school with kids their own age.
Princess Diana also let them eat the foods that children liked to eat. At the time, it was almost taboo to eat fast food. But Diana reportedly spent Saturdays with her boys eating McDonald's and watching television, much like an everyday mom. These experiences helped shape William's and Harry's lives in a good way.
A former butler spilled to the Mirror that Princess Diana was much more normal than people likely thought. "The three of them would nip to McDonald’s for a Big Mac and fries before coming back to watch ‘Blind Date,’" he admitted. "All three of them would squat on this massive, stuffed hippopotamus Diana had in her sitting room. They loved ‘Blind Date’ and you’d hear them all screaming things like ‘Oh don’t pick him!’"
"Kate is mindful of how much William loved his mother,” the Sun's royal source admitted. "[Diana] was very unstuffy and wanted William and Harry to fit in with their school friends and experience normality. That’s the baton she handed to Kate." And it seems like Kate is doing a fantastic job.
Based on the family photos they've shared, it's obvious that William and Kate's three kids are extremely close with their parents, the way that William and Harry were with Diana. She also tries to be as hands on as possible and have special moments with them that they'll cherish forever. In a way, it's like parts of Diana are still alive in Kate.
It may be a lot of pressure, but Kate has managed to successfully balance all aspects of her life while still staying positive, optimistic, and true to herself. One of her best parenting moves is to make sure her kids are active and outside as much as possible. Even at the age of 4, Charlotte is reportedly taking tennis lessons.
Diana would have been very proud of her grandchildren, along with William's choice in choosing Kate as his wife. By making sure the kids have a normal childhood, Kate is setting them up to succeed later in life. Sure, the Cambridge kids are special — but they're still kids.
