Kate Middleton, Prince William and Prince George at the Big Help Out in May 2023.Photo: DANIEL LEAL/POOL/AFP via Getty Images
WhenPrince Williammarried his college sweetheartKate Middleton, she brought her down-to-earth tone as she stepped into royal life — and now as parents of three, the Princess of Wales' non-royal background has a big impact on how the couple is raisingPrince George,Princess CharlotteandPrince Louis.
“Those children look pretty happy with life,” a palace insider tells PEOPLE in this week’s cover story. “A lot of it is the stabilizing normality Kate brings — and that’s how she grew up. William absolutely loves it.”
Despite their royal roles — especially George, who is second in the line of succession to the throne behind his father and will someday become king — Kate ensures that her kids' childhoods are as normal as possible.
“Coming from a different background, she appreciates theimportance of having family time,” says a source close to the royal household. “She wasn’t brought up in that aristocratic setting where you see the children for a short time each day.”
Princess Charlotte, Prince George, Prince Louis and Kate Middleton in May 2023.DANIEL LEAL/POOL/AFP via Getty
Kate’s childhood in the country helped inspire her love of the outdoors, and she has recalled how sheloved to go “boulder hopping"in the Lake District.
“Royal families over the generations haven’t had the chance to get those foundations right, but they have,” says a friend.
Kate Middleton, Prince William and their children at Trooping the Colour 2023.Samir Hussein/WireImage
Samir Hussein/WireImage
Of course, raising a future monarch is still front of mind for Prince William and Princess Kate, and Prince George is well aware of his royal role.
Prince George, who will celebrate his 10th birthday on July 22, had a formal talk about his royal destiny in 2020, biographer Robert Lacey previously reported. It was a “controlled moment of their choice,” Lacey wrote, “reflecting William’s unhappiness at the haphazard fashion in which the whole business of his royal destiny had buzzed around his head from the start.”
Can’t get enough ofPEOPLE’s Royals coverage?Sign up for our free Royals newsletterto get the latest updates on Kate Middleton, Meghan Markle and more!
Children’s wear designer Amaia Arrieta, whose clothes George and his siblings have worn for years, tells PEOPLE: “I think George has known almost from the beginning. He has always had a more prominent role — there have been many events with his late great-grandmother or great-grandfather when it was just him, and his siblings weren’t there. I think they must have had that conversation very early on.”
A palace insider adds, “I am sure [William and Kate] are making George aware in the best way they can. And not making it too burdensome.”
source: people.com
