Prince William admits ‘tense concern’ with Prince George as future king faces new chapter
Prince William and Kate Middleton are determined to give their children a normal childhood, but the Prince of Wales has spoken candidly about screens becoming a ‘tense issue’ at home with Prince George, who is preparing for a big new chapter as he approaches secondary school age.
Prince William wants his children to have a normal upbringing
While Princes George and Louis and their sister Princess Charlotte have been born into a destiny that few of us can begin to comprehend, their parents are committed to giving them as “normal” and loving an upbringing as possible. At home, the Prince and Princess of Wales are simply “mum and dad” to their three children, prioritising their happiness and stability above everything else.
“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,” says royal expert Richard Palmer. “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.
“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.”
William and Kate have also received much-needed support – particularly when it comes to maintaining a sense of normality for their children – from Kate’s parents, Carole and Michael Middleton. Their assistance proved especially crucial while Kate was receiving treatment for cancer in 2024, with royal correspondent Jennie Bond emphasising the essential role Carole fulfilled during this challenging 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 says, reports the Mirror.
“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.”
William and Kate’s relocation to Forest Lodge places them within an hour’s journey of the Middletons’ family residence in Bucklebury, West Berkshire, and will offer a crucial support network as they face numerous significant life transitions this year, including George’s transition to a new school.
Reflecting on her own upbringing, Kate once remarked, “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.”
Consequently, Carole and Michael’s impact on the couple’s three children holds particular significance for Kate, according to royal expert and author Katie Nicholl. “They have a perfect hybrid of royal and so-called normal influence, which is preparing them incredibly well for their futures,” Katie tells OK !. “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.”
The King is clearly besotted with his grandchildren, and countless heartwarming moments have been caught on camera at formal occasions, including their exchanges on the balcony of Buckingham Palace during Trooping the Colour.
In the official portrait released to celebrate his 70th birthday, a delighted Charles appeared completely in his element, surrounded by his wife, children, and grandchildren, with a chuckling Prince George perched on his knee. “It’s a different part of your life,” he once said of becoming a grandparent. “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 youngsters reportedly address their royal grandfather as “Grandpa Wales”, while Camilla is known to them as “Gaga”. This pet name was first created by the children of her biological son and daughter, Tom Parker Bowles and Laura Lopes. “Charles has always adored Kate, and of course William, and as such, he adores his grandchildren,” Richard says. “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.
“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.”
William spoke openly last year about the measures he takes to ensure his children don’t experience “some of the practices” he and Prince Harry endured during their youth.
“We try to make sure we give them the security and the safety that they need,” he told Eugene Levy for his Apple TV+ show, 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,” he said.
Enjoying time outdoors – and away from screens – remains another core element of their family routine, Katie says, though it’s proving increasingly challenging as their children mature. “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 says. “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 recently confessed that the subject was becoming a “tense issue” at home with George, but suggested he and Kate might consider giving him a “brick phone” for secondary school.
