The life of the Wales family, with its royal engagements and constant media attention, is notably different from the average household. Despite this, William and Catherine strive to keep their family life as normal as possible. At Kensington Palace, they are supported by a skilled team of staff members, including chefs, housekeepers, nannies, and personal assistants, who handle various responsibilities crucial to the smooth running of the household.
The family is currently enjoying a summer holiday in Mälö, where Catherine has no doubt established some ground rules to maintain order among their three children. However, the royal household is not all fun and games. At their home in Anmer Hall during winter, the children must adhere to certain rules, such as no shouting in the house. Instead of traditional punishments like being sent to their rooms, William and Catherine use a more nuanced approach—a "sofa chat" to address misbehavior.
On special occasions, such as official dinners and Christmas, the royal children, Princess Charlotte, Prince George, and Prince Louis, sit at the kids' table rather than with their parents. Even as they approach their teenage years, they continue to dine separately from the adults, a situation that many parents of lively children might find relatable. Without iPads to keep them entertained, the royal kids must be well-behaved during these events.
Single parents often handle school pickups and homecomings for their children. Despite their royal status, the Wales family makes a concerted effort to keep birthdays and holidays as normal as possible. The modern approach they’ve adopted in raising their children plays a significant role in this. For instance, Prince George is not pressured to follow in Prince William’s footsteps, and Prince Louis is encouraged to continue his dream of being a ball boy at Wimbledon.
Former royal chef Darren McGrady, who worked for both the late Queen Elizabeth II and Princess Diana, noted that it was the nanny’s job to educate the young royals about food. Diana was known for taking William and Harry to charitable engagements, exposing them to the lives of less fortunate individuals. She also insisted that they write thank you notes to cultivate good manners. Catherine has continued this tradition, requiring her children to write thank you notes for gifts.
Just as Diana involved William and Harry in charity work, Catherine has recently taken George, Charlotte, and Louis to help with her philanthropic efforts. Most notably, they assisted in packaging festive gift bags at a baby bank in Maidenhead, near their winter home, to support underprivileged children during Christmas.
Historians believe that both the late Queen Elizabeth and King Charles would have fully supported the modern, hands-on approach to parenting adopted by Catherine and William. Thank you for watching this video. We hope you’ll share your thoughts with us and bid farewell for now.
