Prince William and Kate Middleton Are Proof You Can Still Lead a Normal Life, Despite Royal Duties
Prince Harry and Meghan, Duchess of Sussex may have exited the royal family in an attempt to have a “normal” life, but Prince William and Catherine, Duchess of Cambridge are proof that it’s possible to have a relatively normal existence. Despite their duties, they’ve still managed to escape the fussier notions of royal life, raising their children as normally as possible.
Prince William and Kate are giving their children normal experiences
Taking a page from Prince William’s mother, Princess Diana, the Cambridges strive to give their kids some normalcy. Princess Diana did just that for Prince William and Prince Harry, exposing them to things like McDonald’s and amusement parks.
In a 2012 interview with Katie Couric, Prince William explained how Princess Diana impacted their lives. “She played a huge part in my life and Harry’s growing up, in how we saw things and how we experienced things,” he said at the time.
“She very much wanted to get us to see the rawness of real life. And I can’t thank her enough for that, ’cause reality bites in a big way, and it was one of the biggest lessons I learned is, just how lucky and privileged so many of us are — particularly myself,” he added.
They’ve used Princess Diana’s approach and been successful
Dubbed the “People’s Princess,” Diana was well-loved and relatable. Her desire to give her children normal lives and make connections with everyone she met were enduring qualities that Prince William and Kate continue to honor.
Royal commentator Neil Sean explained how the Cambridges have employed Diana’s strategies. “She [Diana] sort of made sure that William and Harry had normal lives if you like. There was a very famous picture of them queuing in McDonald’s in Kensington and then there was the other picture of them at funfairs and amusement parks. Well, Kate has done the same thing, she has taken the same route,” he told Australia’s Today Show.
The Cambridges’ approach to having a normal life definitely has won them fan adoration. “According to a royal source, she wants her children to experience the reality of life. There was actually a picture of Kate shopping for Halloween treats with George and Charlotte in a local supermarket near to where they were staying,” Sean explained. “This really endears people not just to William and Catherine but to the royal family in general.”
He continued, “Although people weren’t allowed to take pictures, you’ve got to appreciate — and I think Kate is very clever at this — that the royal family has to modernize. By that, they have to get within the people, and I think that’s a good trade Diana has given to William who passed it on to Catherine.”
Further, Princess Diana “was very unstuffy and wanted William and Harry to fit in with their school friends and experience normality. That’s the baton she handed to Kate,” an insider told The Sun.
They’ve proven they’re relatable
The Cambridges indeed attend formal royal engagements and have a glamorous life in the royal family, but they’ve also shown that they are relatable. They continue to win over fans by showing how normal and down-to-earth they can be, as was seen when the couple used video conferencing to speak with people when they were unable to be there in person due to the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic.
“These Zoom calls really provide this insight into their lives and their personal goings-on that we don’t normally see,” Rachel Bowie shared during the Royally Obsessed podcast. “It is like the unglossy version of them but I still love to see that side of them.”
The Cambridges had also done a remote interview with BBC during the pandemic and interviewer Tina Daheley explained how “normal” they are. “I think the thing that people sometimes forget is that they’re members of the royal family, they can perform if you like,” Daheley noted on the Coronavirus Newscast.
She continued, “But the thing that always strikes me is how normal they are. It did feel like I was just having a chat with people.”
