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Although Prince George, Prince Louis and Princess Charlotte have been born into an extraordinary royal future, their parents are determined to give them as grounded and loving a childhood as possible. At home, Prince William and Catherine, Princess of Wales are simply “mum and dad,” placing their children’s wellbeing and happiness above everything else.
Richard Palmer explains: “Kate has made it very clear that while her children are school age, they will be her priority, and she has absolutely stuck to that.”
“She has never wanted to be a slave to the demands of the royal household, and she considers looking after her children and her relationship with her husband as more important.”
He added that while Prince William naturally carries greater responsibilities as a future king, he shares that outlook. “William agrees to an extent, although he obviously has different responsibilities in terms of his duties as future king. But he feels like his childhood suffered because of the demands of royal life, and the scrutiny they all came under, so he’s trying to protect his own family from that. They are lucky in that they have the machinery of the royal family to protect them.”
Prince William and Catherine, Princess of Wales have also benefited from strong family support—especially in keeping life as normal as possible for their children—thanks to Kate’s parents, Carole Middleton and Michael Middleton.
Their presence became particularly important during 2024, when Kate was undergoing cancer treatment. Royal commentator Jennie Bond highlighted the crucial role Carole played at the time.
“She was a tower of strength for William and Catherine during the difficult days of her daughter’s cancer treatment. It must have been a time when she herself was feeling distraught that this had happened to her darling daughter,” she said.
“But she knew she had to stay strong for the family, comfort Catherine, support William and reassure the children. She was also pretty hands-on with practical help, keeping the household running smoothly.”
The couple’s move to Forest Lodge has also brought them closer to the Middletons’ home in Bucklebury, West Berkshire—just under an hour away—offering a valuable support network as they face several important transitions, including Prince George preparing to move to a new school.
Reflecting on her upbringing, Catherine, Princess of Wales once said: “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.”
That influence, passed down from Carole Middleton and Michael Middleton, is now playing a key role in shaping the lives of the Wales children, according to royal expert Katie Nicholl.
“They have a perfect hybrid of royal and so-called normal influence, which is preparing them incredibly well for their futures,” she explains. “They have the opportunity to just run around in the gardens and enjoy all the normal pastimes away from royal duty with the Middletons, but they get the best of both worlds because they have a very engaged grandfather in Charles too.”
“He loves spending time with them, and it means George, in particular, is getting all that tutelage from him first hand, which is exactly what William had with the late Queen.”
King Charles III is known to share a close bond with his grandchildren, with many affectionate moments captured during official occasions—such as their appearances together on the Buckingham Palace balcony during Trooping the Colour.
In a portrait released for his 70th birthday, the King appeared especially joyful, surrounded by his wife, children, and grandchildren, with Prince George sitting happily on his knee. Reflecting on grandparenthood, he once said: “It’s a different part of your life. The great thing is to encourage them. Show them things to take their interest. My grandmother did that, she was wonderful. It is very important to create a bond when they are very young.”
The Wales children are said to call their grandfather King Charles III “Grandpa Wales,” while Queen Camilla is affectionately known to them as “Gaga”—a nickname first used by the children of her own son and daughter, Tom Parker Bowles and Laura Lopes.
Royal commentator Richard Palmer explains: “Charles has always adored Kate, and of course William, and as such, he adores his grandchildren. He genuinely enjoys their company.”
“It was interesting to see how he made Kate take centre stage on the balcony during Trooping the Colour when she returned after her cancer diagnosis, it said a lot about how he feels about her.”
He added that while there have been times when family schedules made it harder for them to spend time together, things are now more balanced. “There have been spells where Kate and William have found it frustrating that Charles has not been able to spend more time with the children, and there may have been times when they didn’t make as much effort either. But they’re on an even keel now and that family time is important to the King as much as it is to William and Kate.”
Prince William has spoken openly about his efforts to ensure his children don’t grow up experiencing “some of the practices” he and Prince Harry faced during their own childhood.
“We try to make sure we give them the security and the safety that they need,” he said in a conversation with Eugene Levy for the Apple TV+ series The Reluctant Traveler. “And we’re a very open family, so we talk about things that bother us, and things that trouble us, but you never quite know the knock on effects that it can have. And so, it’s just important to be there for each other and to kind of reassure the children that everything is okay.”
Spending time outdoors—and limiting screen use—has also become a key part of family life for Prince William and Catherine, Princess of Wales, according to Katie Nicholl. However, she notes this is becoming more challenging as the children grow older.
“It’s not easy in today’s world, but they’re doing their best to keep the children off screens and away from social media,” she explained. “William and Kate are both invested in children’s mental health for their work, so they’re very aware of the dangers and are probably more informed than most.”
William has also admitted the issue is becoming a “tense” topic at home—particularly with Prince George—and revealed that he and Kate may consider giving him a simple “brick phone” when he starts secondary school.
The future King, Prince George, who turns 13 on July 22, is reportedly set to attend Marlborough College in Wiltshire this September—following in the footsteps of his mother, Catherine, Princess of Wales—rather than enrolling at Eton College. The reports come after he was spotted visiting the school with his parents earlier this year.
Prince William, who boarded at Ludgrove School from the age of eight before moving on to Eton at 13, has previously spoken fondly of his own school years—particularly the strong focus on sport. Eton also provided him with a sense of stability following the death of Princess Diana in 1997. His housemaster at the time, Dr Andrew Gailey, was said to be a key source of support for both William and Prince Harry, and was later invited to William’s 2011 wedding.
Meanwhile, Catherine, Princess of Wales grew in confidence during her time at Marlborough College, evolving from a shy student into a self-assured young woman. As royal expert Katie Nicholl notes, it would not be surprising if George follows a similar path.
“Kate and William both boarded at their secondary schools and they loved it, so it’s very likely George will follow in his parents’ footsteps,” she explains. “Wherever he goes, it’s the start of a new chapter and it will be an adjustment.”
“The children are all growing up, and George is aware that he’s going to be king one day. They’re very much being raised with an awareness of their royal positioning, and future duties and roles, but while also enjoying the best of an ordinary childhood. This is the balance which Kate and William have strived for.”
