Prince William and Kate Middleton Don’t Want Royal Duties to Be ‘Scary’ for Prince George, Author Claims
Prince William and Kate Middleton are doing what they can to make sure royal life is “not scary” for Prince George. A royal biographer says the Prince and Princess of Wales don’t want George, nor his siblings, to harbor any feelings of living in a “special gilded cage.” To do so, they prioritize making life as British royals as “normal” and “pleasant as possible.”
William and Kate don’t want royal duties to be ‘scary’ for George and his siblings
Being the next generation of British royals isn’t poised to be daunting for George and his younger sister and brother, Princess Charlotte, 8, and Prince Louis, 5. (Presumably with no mention of “heir” and “spare.”)
Why? Because, according to royal biographer Robert Hardman, William and Kate are all about taking any potential fear of royal duties away.
“With George, there’s a sense that the priority is that he and his siblings are not put off this,” Hardman said (via People). “That it’s not scary, that it’s something that they understand, and it’s going to be part of their life.”
“And there’s a belief to make it as unobtrusive and as normal — if you can call it normal — and as pleasant as possible. William is trying to normalize it,” Hardman said. “They’re not in denial, and there’s a lot of thought being given to it, which was not always the case.”
“Crucially, it’s both of them — William and Catherine” raising George, Charlotte, and Louis in this way together, Hardman said. Crucially, “raising the next king” is paramount to William, as a family friend told the author in his book.
‘Normal life’ is a major focus in the Wales family
Although George participated in the coronation, royal duties aren’t expected to start until he’s in his 20s, Hardman wrote in his book, The Making of a King. In the meantime, William and Kate are focused on making life “normal” at home.
“William loves the sort of regular, normal life,” a source said. “Yes, he’s heir to the throne, and he has all these castles, art, and everything else. But in a way, he is happiest at home with [his] wife and kids, doing the same things other families do. Kicking the ball around, going bike riding, swimming, these kinds of things.”
Previously, an author claimed a stable home life with normal activities is part of what attracted William to Kate.
“We know they are a very tight family unit, and he wants to be there for them,” Hardman said. “So much of what they do with those kids is about normalizing life and not making them feel like they are in a special gilded cage.”
“They are a modern royal couple,” Hardman said of William and Kate. Where previously “there would have been more delegation,” they’re not leaving “it all to the nanny.”
George isn’t having meetings with King Charles yet as royal duties haven’t started
William visited his grandmother, the late Queen Elizabeth II, at Windsor Castle while at Eton College as a teenager. George, who turns 11 in July 2024, hasn’t started meeting up with his own grandfather, King Charles III, for chats over tea.
For now, according to Hardman, it’s “very much parents first.” As in, the Prince and Princess of Wales are taking the lead on teaching George about royal duties.
“If he was asked to, he’d be delighted. But I think this is very much parent-driven,” the author said of King Charles. “I suspect the time will come rather like that rather sweet rapport between the late Queen and Prince William. But I suspect not yet.”
Although he isn’t chatting up King Charles one-on-one, George has already passed a major milestone as a future monarch. He already knows about his destiny. Kate and William reportedly had the heir to the throne conversation with George in 2020.
