Princess Diana's dedication to her two sons, Prince William and Prince Harry, is well-documented. For instance, a new royal biography revealed that the former Princess of Wales declared herself to be "a mother first and show pony second." Diana also once shared her belief that Prince William was "capable" and "wise beyond his years." And according to a former royal aide, Princess Diana's parenting choices sometimes drew ire from her husband, King Charles.
In the new book, William and Catherine: The Monarchy's New Era: The Inside Story, royal expert Russell Myers revealed, "Diana was adamant in her desire to give her boys a more 'normal' upbringing. She took both boys on trips to theme parks, the cinema, and even the fast food restaurant chain McDonald's."
However, King Charles allegedly wasn't best pleased with all of Diana's parenting decisions. "While the British press lapped it up, Charles was horrified," Myers wrote. "He questioned her motives to a former aide, asking, 'Does she do it just to spite me?'"
Per the royal author, "He also believed Diana's displays of normality served to drive a wedge between him and the general public."
Unfortunately, Charles and Diana's differing opinions on parenting allegedly added to their already difficult marriage.
"[Diana's] natural unwillingness to bend to conformity meant she wanted to give her children real life experiences that they might not have received if they'd stayed bound by royal protocol," the royal expert explained. "Visits to hospitals and homeless shelters followed."
According to Myers, "Diana's actions only caused more difficulty in her relationship with Charles, who responded by refusing to involve himself in his children's education, and making references to his wife's 'hysterical' nature."
The challenges within the marriage caused Charles to withdraw even further, according to Myers. "He was at a point where he didn't see the relationship progressing or even surviving," a former royal aide told the author. "So he threw in the towel and allowed Diana to go about her business. If it was going to be a battle of popularity with the public he was astute enough to know he wasn't going to win by taking the boys to fast food restaurants, so he maintained his relationship with them in private."
Still, it's undeniable that Princess Diana's assertion that her children should have as "normal" an upbringing as possible appears to have served both William and Harry well.
