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They’ve always strived to give their children as normal an upbringing and be as hands-on as possible with their kids – and nowhere was this more evident than at the Euro 2020 finals.
The body language between Prince William his wife, Kate (both 39), and their eldest son, 7-year-old Prince George, shows a family “full of love and affection”, says Georgina Durrant, author of 100 Ways Your Child Can Learn Through Play.
When England scored against Italy early in the match at London’s Wembley Stadium, a delighted George grinned and clapped and lent into his mom for a hug. Throughout the game Wills explained things to his eldest son and when the match ended in heartbreak for the home side, the devastated little prince was consoled by his dad.
William and Kate’s affectionate manner is a far cry from the stiff parenting style of royal families of yesteryear. It’s also something Princess Diana, who strove to break the rigours of tradition when she was raising her sons, princes William and Harry (now 36), would welcome.
“When children mirror their parents’ actions it’s often because they have such love for them, think of them extremely highly and see them as their role model,” Georgina says.
The fact that William and Kate – who are also parents to Princess Charlotte (6) and Prince Louis (3) – weren’t afraid to show their own emotions during the game provides valuable life lessons for George (who turns 8 on 22 July), she adds.
“It’s wonderful to see Prince George being confident in showing his emotions, even publicly, and this is a testament to his parents, who’ve brought him up to feel comfortable showing others when he’s feeling upset.
“Children learn a lot from how their parents respond to situations and when Prince George sees his parents feeling confident in showing their emotions, both sad and happy, he’ll continue to grow up feeling confident himself in showing his emotions.”
William and Kate are evidently keen to herald in of a new way of doing things and portray a modern, more relatable royal family – one that’s more in tune with today’s society.
Parenting experts have praised the Duchess of Cambridge for her modern approach, which has included the importance of mental health – something she’s particularly vocal on. And while they do have rules at home and protocol they must adhere at times, especially in public, their overall approach to parenting is tactile and loving.
William has always wanted to give his children the sort of childhood he never had, he’s said in the past – one filled with as much warmth and fun as possible.
Sources: dailymail.co.uk, cheatsheet.com
