Meeting your future in-laws can be a daunting experience for anyone, but for Prince William, it was said to be "eye opening" and "mind boggling" when he was introduced to the Middletons. The future King was apparently struck by the "informality" of his now-wife's parents Michael and Carole and their lifestyle.
Getting candid in the Daily Mail, a royal source claimed, "That the Middletons had to nip to the shop for food, ensure there was enough bread in the house, empty their own bins and put out the recycling on the right day were all refreshing".
They suggested that "William found the informality eye-opening" and noted that this included the likes of learning to load a dishwasher or putting the finishing touches to the food before serving. However, one moment apparently left him a little red faced...
"Laying a tablecloth was a struggle and placing the cutlery embarrassing. He tried to claim it was because he’s left-handed," claimed the royal source.
It was this experience - a far shout from life in the royal palaces - that allegedly helped William and Catherine as they lived together for the first time in Anglesey. The couple were there during William’s time working as an RAF Search and Rescue Pilot.
Though they were no longer with the Middletons, Carole was still reported to have helped in one clear way. When the Prince of Wales had to visit the local supermarkets himself, he followed his future mother-in-law’s advice to the letter.
"His first experience of a big shop following Carole’s detailed lists was apparently mind-boggling," the source added.
For Prince William, it was supposedly all part of discovering a new way of life, far from the "stifling" formalities of the royal households. According to the source, it’s because of this that he "introduced a lot of relative informality into home life" and sometimes even the cook is "redundant" as William or Kate do it themselves.
This idea that the Prince and Princess of Wales are creating a more down-to-earth household for their three children, Prince George, Princess Charlotte and Prince Louis, to grow up in has been discussed often before. Royal author Katie Nicholl previously told The Mirror that all three "absolutely do menial tasks."
"They are far more ordinary than many might imagine - the kids even have to do chores in return for their pocket money. It's about them wanting to have a normal, happy, ordinary family home," she said.
