Prince William and Kate Middleton’s family decision following the birth of Prince George was “absolutely mad”, the late Queen Elizabeth II allegedly thought.
A royal biographer has made the claim in a new interview, as she claims Kate and William’s style of parenting varied wildly from the queen’s.
Kate Middleton’s ‘non-negotiable’ priority
Speaking to The Mirror, royal author Katie Nicholl shed some light on the Princess of Wales’ “non-negotiable” priority when it comes to her royal duties.
Before any royal tour or engagement is finalised, Princess Kate reportedly has one question: “How does this work for us as a family?”
Though the Waleses do rely on their nanny Maria Teresa Turrion Borrallo, Kate reportedly attempts to do as much herself as she can.
“She likes to do the school run and all those things. From my conversations with aides, once a royal trip or engagement is planned, the first thing they ask before looking at the itinerary is, ‘How does this work for us as a family?'” Nicholl said.
Nicholl went on, saying that though Borrallo’s touch is “light”, it is “essential”.
Prince William and Kate Middleton family choice Queen Elizabeth II thought was ‘absolutely mad’
Nicholl then revealed an aspect of the Waleses’ family life that the queen reportedly thought was “absolutely mad”.
Nicholl claimed: “When they first had George, they didn’t even have a nanny, which the Queen thought was absolutely mad.
“They do need Maria’s help because of their busy schedules, but it’s not 24/7, and she doesn’t live with them. We’re not talking about butlers, chefs, and housekeepers either – it’s very slimline.”
Kate and William’s hands-on approach to parenting marks a major shift in how the royals raise their children.
In the early days of her reign, Queen Elizabeth II and Prince Philip embarked on long royal tours away from home, sometimes without their children.
Royal’s priorities have changed
Continuing, Nicholl said: “Being a royal mother has changed dramatically. For women like the Princess of Wales, family now comes before everything else, and Prince George, Princess Charlotte, and Prince Louis are growing up in a totally different age. Every effort is taken to ensure their childhood is as ordinary as possible – whether that be through playdates, school clubs, or sitting down to eat together.”
The modern way of raising royal children traces back to Princess Diana. The late Princess of Wales tore up the royal rulebook when it came to parenting. She would bring William with her on royal tours and insisted on public displays of affection with her sons.
This is a similar approach the Prince of Wales has taken with his kids.
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