Prince William and Princess Kate are proud parents to three energetic children – and there’s one aspect of their childhood that Kate prioritises above all else
The Prince and Princess of Wales are much admired for their parenting style, as they raise three young children – one of which will one day be King – in the public eye.
The couple are known to put a priority on open communication, a calm atmosphere, and empathy. And former staffers have praised Kate’s approach, noting that she likes to see her children enjoy being kids and doesn’t worry too much about their minor misbehaviours.
Energetic Prince Louis, in particular, occasionally struggles to contain his excitement during public engagements. But his antics are often met with humour by his parents, who even referenced their youngest’s cheeky nature in a light-hearted thank-you note after the Platinum Jubilee.
Instead, instilling sound moral values into George, Charlotte, and Louis is high on the list of Kate and William’s parenting priorities. “My parents taught me about the importance of qualities like kindness, respect and honesty and I realise how central values like these have been to me throughout my life,” she has said.
“That is why William and I want to teach our little children… just how important these things are as they grow up. In my view it is just as important as excelling at maths or sport.”
And her recent battle with cancer has only reinforced those core beliefs. “This time has above all reminded William and me to reflect and be grateful for the simple yet important things in life, which so many of us often take for granted. Of simply loving and being loved,” she said in her cancer update video released on 9 September.
Just last year, the Princess spoke with radio host Roman Kemp about the challenges of modern parenthood, admitting that raising children today is ‘tough’. “It’s not about the number of toys they’ve got or the number or sort of trips that you go on with them,” Kate, a passionate advocate of early years development, said. “It’s just making sure that they’ve got the right emotional support around them, and that comes from the adults in their lives.”
While Kate’s own upbringing was certainly different to her husband’s, William is very much on the same page as his wife.”As far as we are concerned within our family unit, we are a normal family,” he said in 2016. “I love my children in the same way any father does and I hope George loves me the same way any son does his father. We are very normal in that sense.”
Indeed, William has proven – especially recently, during his wife’s cancer battle – that his family is and always will be his top priority.
Judi James previously told The Mirror: “William continually shows how he uses lessons from his past to forge the kind of family unit he sees as more modern and more ideal. His understanding of duty and loyalty seems strong, but he is clearly also determined to create a more casual and playful life for his own children than he or his father were allowed to enjoy.”