When in the care of their nanny, royal youngsters Prince George, Princess Charlotte and Prince Louis must follow her strict playtime rule - and it's inspired by the growing trend of Nordic parenting.
Being royal and holding prominent positions in the royal line of succession means that Prince George, 10, Princess Charlotte, nine, and Prince Louis, six, are bound by many different rules and procedures when they're out in public.
During the engagements we've seen them attend alongside their parents, Prince William and Kate Middleton, the kids have been impossibly well behaved with Kate's simple trick to keep her children calm in public always working to keep them on their best form - and let's not forget Charlotte's 'bossy' personality trait that sees her correct her brothers when they deviate from protocol.
And it appears that even when the kids are at home, there are a whole bunch of rules they must follow. As well as a strict 'no shouting' rule being enforced in their home of Adelaide Cottage, the children's Norland nanny also has a special rule to do with their playtime.
Taking inspiration from the growing trend of Nordic parenting, their nanny Maria Borrallo makes sure the kids spend time playing outside every single day - no matter what the weather is doing out there.
Writing in her book Nanny in a Book, Louise Heren, who spent time consulting with Norland College in Bath, revealed, "There will be lots and lots of outdoor play…Lots of bike rides, playing with their dogs, potentially some gardening. … Yes, you are getting mucky with your hands in the soil.
"If it is tipping it down, they will still go out."
The rule may seem harsh, but the benefits of regular outdoor play are listless. Helen Russell, who is raising three children in Denmark and has popularised the Nordic approach to parenting with her book How To Raise A Viking, says that the most important Nordic parenting tactic is to get outdoors no matter the weather. And with Nordic children being some of the happiest on Earth according to science, there's not much room to argue!
"There is a tendency to stay indoors when it’s wet and windy. In Nordic countries, there is no such thing as bad weather, just the wrong clothes,” Russell told The Sun. "[Being outdoors] is helping to raise your children’s tolerance for discomfort. When they’ve managed to do a hard thing, they feel confident, proud and have a sense of mastery over their bodies and their surroundings.
“It helps children to be more confident and self-sufficient being outside in nature.”
So get out in the garden with the best outdoor toys and games for kids of all ages or, if you're up for an adventure, try out Helen Skelton's 5 free and easy tips for getting kids outdoors.
The nanny's tactic has clearly worked with Prince George, Charlotte and Louis all being huge fans of the outdoors. In the 2020 documentary Prince William: A Planet For Us All, the Prince revealed how his children's love for nature has inspired him to carry on with his environmental work. When asked what ignites his passion for fighting climate change, he said, "Seeing my children, seeing the passion in their eyes and the love for being outdoors. They find a bug or they love watching how bees are forming honey."
He added, "George, particularly, if he’s not outdoors, he’s quite like a caged animal. He needs to get outside."
In other royal news, Princess Charlotte’s 9th birthday portrait contained a sweet nod to her great-grandmother Queen Elizabeth you might have missed. Plus, Prince George, Charlotte and Prince Louis’ guinea pigs are more than just cute, experts reveal they’re teaching the kids some very important life lessons too. And, Does Princess Charlotte suffer 'middle child' syndrome? She's a 'rule-follower' at school but 'rules the roost' at home, apparently.
