A royal expert has highlighted how Prince William is making sure to help Prince George through the 'stress' of royal life and his mother's cancer diagnosis with 'father-and-son fun’ and a parenting tactic of his late mother Princess Diana's.
Prince William and Kate Middleton have long been praised for their down-to-earth approach to parenting their three kids, Prince George, 10, Princess Charlotte, nine, and Prince Louis, six. And, from the one important lesson Kate learnt from her parents that she's instilling in the youngsters, to using Princess Diana's golden parenting rule to keep her children grounded, it's clear that the couple are heavily inspired by their own parents when it comes to how they plan to raise their kids.
Especially when it comes to the couple's oldest child, Prince George, William in particular is keen to raise him with the 'balance' he was brought up with himself - though that's easier said than done when you sit second in the royal line of succession and are heir to the throne.
Speaking to OK! Magazine, former BBC royal correspondent Jennie Bond revealed that William sympathises with the pressures his son faces and makes sure they share important 'father-and-son fun’ to let him be a 'normal' 10-year-old as well as a royal.
This is exactly what we saw in action when the pair recently visited Wembley Stadium to watch the FA Cup Final. “He’s a handsome little boy and clearly idolises his father,” Jennie said after analysing George's appearance at the match. “Outings like this must make the two of them even closer – and they will provide a much-needed escape from the inevitable stress of home life when someone you love so much is being treated for cancer.
“I’m sure that, behind the scenes, he and William have some rough and tumble, father-and-son fun. And that’s the balance that William and Catherine are helping him find – princely behaviour when required and normal 10-year-old antics the rest of the time.”
Knowing how to create that balance for his son was easy for William as he experienced it himself. His mother, Princess Diana who passed away in 1997 and is buried at her childhood home, was always keen to give him as normal of a childhood as possible and he's used his own experiences in childhood to inform his parenting style.
Bond explained, “The balance they’ve created is exactly the way Diana brought up her sons. She told me that she was determined that they would have a different outlook on life to other royal princes.
“Diana organised play days and work days for them. Days when they could wear jeans and baseball caps, eat burgers and race around on go-karts like other kids of their age, and days when they would have to wear suits and ties and behave like princes. It was an important life lesson for William… and he is following Diana’s example with George and his siblings.”
In other royal news, Prince George and Princess Charlotte's favourite clothing designer speaks out about the children wearing her creations, while Prince William enjoyed his childhood haircuts for a very relatable reason. It's also been revealed Prince George's future career plans have a sweet connection to Prince Harry.
