Kate Middleton’s guide to parenting with Peppa Pig, chaotic cooking and hugs on tap
KATE Middleton has long been admired for how well she seems to be bringing up Prince George, six, Princess Charlotte, four, and two-year-old Prince Louis while under the royal spotlight.
The Duchess of Cambridge, 38, may have her hands full with her three royal tots, but is keen to raise them in a down-to-earth way - like many other parents.
Forget stiff upper lip parenting, Kate likes to get hands-on with her children, and encourages them to get messy during playtime and to be silly.
However, when they are out in public, the young children are typically impeccably behaved and the duchess knows when to step in and gently discipline them if they are kicking up a fuss.
So what do we know about Kate’s parenting tactics, and how is she raising her adorable kids?
Here’s what she has revealed over the years…
Hugs are vital
Kate has revealed how hugs and affection are “very important” in the Cambridge household.
When Kate met fan Janet Emery during an engagement at Basildon Sporting Centre, she spoke about how vital they are in their family.
When Janet went to hug Kate, the duchess said: "Hugs are very important. That's what I tell my children."
Kate and William are passionate about mental health and not only recently launched a help scheme for frontline coronavirus workers, but also encourage open dialogue in their home.
Prince William previously told CALM magazine: "Catherine and I are clear that we want both George and Charlotte to grow up feeling able to talk about their emotions and feelings.”
Peppa Pig is popular
Being a royal child certainly has its perks, but the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge are keen that Prince George and Princess Charlotte don’t grow up spoiled.
According to royal insider Katie Nicholl, Kate has “strict” rules when it comes to her kids’ screen time and prefers for them to enjoy the great outdoors.
However, the royal kids do watch some kids programmes when they are allowed.
Prince William told Radio 1 that Prince George was a huge fan of Peppa Pig, but he's moved on to Fireman Sam.
William joked: “You have to pretend you're really interested in it because George gets very upset if you're not showing due diligence to the characters.”
Reprimands in public if needed
At Pippa Middleton’s wedding in 2017, Prince George, six, started acting a bit cheeky during the celebrations.
To calm him down, Kate softly touched him on the head as a way of getting him to behave.
She even held up her finger to “shh” her mischievous son as the ceremony began in the church.
Helping children see right from wrong is an important part of being a good parent, even if George got a bit teary from being told off.
Dr Rebecca Chicot, founder of Essential Parent and the author of the , told Fabulous: “It’s very hard for any parent to have to parent in public.
“She seems to be good at making warm contact ‘touch to the head’ which is a nice connection.”
Messy is good - particularly in the kitchen
Even though they are royalty with a household of staff, Princess Charlotte and Prince George love to get messy in the kitchen.
Charlotte and George love to make pizza and prefer it when they can make their bases from scratch.
When Kate was recently making food for a Commonwealth Big Lunch at St Luke's Community Centre, she said: “I've done that with George and Charlotte—making pizza dough.
“They love it because they can get their hands messy."
Kate also revealed during an engagement in Luton where she watched a cooking demonstration: “When I try to do this with George at home, chocolate and the golden syrup goes everywhere.
"George makes so much mess. It’s chaos."
Kids wear traditional clothes
George and Charlotte always look smart but don't typically dress like many school kids their age - and there's an important reason behind their old-fashioned wardrobes.
George is rarely seen without his collared shirts, braces, shorts and signature long socks - while Charlotte is normally dressed in smock frocks.
The kids often wear very traditional British clothes for all public appearances, and this is said to because it makes their outfits look more timeless, and not dated by fast fashion.
Childrenswear designer Rachel Riley, who's dressed George on a number of occasions, told : "The reason why I design clothes that way is because if they wear very simple things, it’s about the child, and it’s timeless in that you can’t really date a specific photo or put them in something that seems out of date.
"I think they (Kate and Prince William) are going for clothing that is classic and timeless, rather than clothes that draw attention to them."
Date night is key
Kate and William like to be hands-on parents, but they do factor in “alone time” too.
If they are spending the night in together, the couple, who met at the University of St Andrews, love a takeaway and a box set.
In an interview with in 2017, Kate, 37, admitted that she was partial to a curry for dinner.
The mum-of-three also revealed she would tuck into it all by herself, since husband Prince William was not a fan of spicy cuisine - preferring pizza or Chinese.
Lets her kids be silly
The duchess was praised for her sweet reaction when Princess Charlotte poked her tongue out at crowds at the charity regatta in 2019.
In an adorable video, Kate encourages her young tot to wave at onlookers in Cowes, Isle of Wight – but the princess has other ideas.
As Princess Charlotte cheekily put her tongue out, Kate appeared to erupt into laughter – like many well-wishers.
Many amused parents were quick to gush over the clip, with one saying: “Just a normal child! You can’t control their every move. Kate’s response was fantastic!”
Encourages sports
William and Kate were spotted taking George and Charlotte to watch their first football match Norwich City vs Aston Villa in October 2019.
And the royal parents also encourage them to keep active and play a lot of sport too, with eldest George even having lessons from tennis ace Roger Federer.
Even in lockdown, the family has been keeping busy at Anmer Hall in Norfolk, where they are isolating, with a source saying: “Once their school work from Thomas’s Battersea has been dealt with satisfactorily, both George and Charlotte enjoy tennis lessons on their green court.
“Much shouting and scurrying is seen. Kate plays almost daily with the children and they like their practise sessions with her.
“Louis is even getting the hang of football, and is quite proficient with his footy-mad dad William.”
Promotes time in nature
She is also passionate about boosting the happiness of her youngsters by allowing a lot of playtime outside – come rain or shine – and enjoying “simple things.”
Speaking on the podcast , Kate said: “As children, we spent a lot of time outside and it’s something I’m really passionate about.
“I think it’s so great for physical and mental wellbeing and laying those foundations.”
Kate told Mary Berry on their Christmas Special with ITV: “We grow our own vegetables. We’ve got carrots, beans, beetroot – a massive favourite – Louis absolutely loves beetroot.
"I think being outside and being in nature is such a great environment for [children] to learn lifelong skills, really. Physical, emotional and cognitive skills. Whether it’s digging, running, boulder-hopping…”
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