George, Charlotte, and Louis Don’t Have an ‘Heir and Spare’ Sibling Dynamic Because of Prince William and Kate Middleton’s Strategic Parenting Focus — Expert
They might technically be “spare” to Prince George’s “heir,” but Princess Charlotte and Prince Louis are, seemingly, anything but. According to a parenting expert, it comes down to the three royal children’s parents, Prince William and Kate Middleton. How the Prince and Princess of Wales are raising their kids, with an emphasis on togetherness, is “nurturing the sibling relationships.”
William and Kate put emphasis on the ‘importance’ of George, Charlotte, and Louis as a ‘team’
Sure, George is the “heir” and Charlotte and Louis his “spares.” But William and Kate focus on their kids being a “team,” parenting expert Jo Frost told Hello! Magazine.
Charlotte and Louis, she claimed, won’t be neglected like their uncle, Prince Harry, was as a young “spare.” The reason, Frost explained, is because the Prince and Princess of Wales regularly reinforce the “importance of all of them.”
“I think William and Catherine understand the importance of nurturing the sibling relationships between the three of them,” Frost said, calling their kids a “team.”
George is second in the royal family’s line of succession behind William. Meanwhile, Charlotte and Louis are third and fourth in line, respectively.
“Dare I say it, in their family, it would never be the ‘heir and spare,’” Frost continued. “It would be about the importance of all of them. The understanding that it really takes a team with the important roles in upholding the crown and the monarchy.”
“And so, we’re seeing these very early seeds now,” she added, “with respect to what it means to support each other and to nurture together.”
Attending boarding school together could also help George, Charlotte, and Louis avoid the ‘heir and spare’ dynamic
Another part of George, Charlotte, and Louis’ lives that could contribute to William and Kate’s team approach is schooling. Currently, the three young royals go to school together.
For the first time in their lives since relocating to Windsor, England, full-time in 2022, George, Charlotte, and Louis go to the same school, Lambrook School.
Although George is expected to embark on boarding school at the age of 13 and, thus, no longer be at school with his siblings.
That is, however, all dependent on where he goes. Will it be Eton College, which is said to be William’s preferred choice of boarding school for George? Or will it be his mom’s alma mater, Marlborough College, believed to be Kate’s first pick for their son?
According to Frost, the idea of George at Marlborough isn’t all that “surprising” as it means Charlotte, and later Louis, could eventually join him there.
“The possibility of Catherine considering George going to Marlborough College, I find that not surprising because it’s co-ed,” she said. “And there’s a wonderful opportunity for Princess Charlotte to attend as well as Prince Louis.”
In the meantime, it seems George, Charlotte, and Louis will continue making public appearances alongside their parents as they ease into royal duties.
Prince Harry previously shared his concern about Charlotte and Louis being ‘spare’ to George
Harry has his own concern for the “other spares” in the royal family, including his niece and nephew.
“As I know full well, Harry said in an interview after Spare‘s release, “within my family, if it’s not us, it’s going to be someone else.”
“And though William and I have talked about it once or twice, and he has made it very clear to me that his kids are not my responsibility,” Harry continued.
“I still feel a responsibility knowing that out of those three children, at least one will end up like me, the spare. And that hurts, that worries me.”
