Inside Kate Middleton’s ‘bucket & spade’ 2023 staycation with George, Charlotte & Louis – from picnics to spider hunts
THEY’RE the heirs to the throne, so it would be fair to assume Royal siblings Prince George, Princess Charlotte and little Louis would have grand plans for their summer holidays.
However it seems their parents Prince William and Princess of Wales Kate Middleton have other ideas, keen to ensure their children experience a very down-to-earth break.
They’ve just finished their first year at £7k-a-term Lambrook School after relocating from London to Windsor last year, so no doubt after all the upheaval, the family will be relishing the opportunity for a rest.
And while George, Charlotte and Louis are obviously used to a luxurious upbringing, they are also more than partial to a modest staycation in the UK when their parents are off-duty.
As Katie Nicholl, author of The New Royals, recently told : “It’s really important for William and Kate to give their children a dose of reality - and what’s more normal than a bucket and spade holiday?”
Here we take a closer look inside the family’s surprisingly relatable summer holidays, from getaways to Cornwall to day trips to the local beach…
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A home away from home
During term time the family now reside in modest four-bed Windsor property Adelaide Cottage, after moving from their apartment at Kensington Palace.
However in the holidays they love nothing more than staying at their beloved country property, Anmer Hall, Norfolk.
Admittedly, with ten bedrooms and expansive grounds, it's not exactly your typical holiday home or caravan - but once there the family love nothing more than a low-key day trip exploring the local area.
Katie Nicholl added: “Anmer is more than a bolthole for Kate and William.
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"It’s their real home and it’s where they’re at their happiest.
"It’s beautiful countryside, they have the beach a short drive away and Kate taught all the children to sail last summer.
“They have the use of a friend’s house where they have a private mooring and a private boat.
“They’re just not spotted and can enjoy this idyllic, natural childhood."
A Balmoral break
As is custom, this year the family are also likely to join King Charles and Queen Camilla at late Queen Elizabeth's favourite holiday location, Balmoral Castle, in Aberdeenshire, Scotland.
However, it will of course be markedly different to previous years, when Queen Elizabeth would host the extended family.
They have a modest three-bed cottage on the 50,000 acre estate called the Tam-Na-Ghar, which provides complete privacy while they enjoy activities such as hiking, picnics and fishing.
Scotland is a place of both happy and sad memories for Prince William.
He obviously met wife Catherine - known as Kate to the public - while at St Andrew's University, but he also learned of his mother's tragic death while at Balmoral in 1997.
Prince William previously said: "George, Charlotte and Louis already know how dear Scotland is to both of us and they are starting to build their own happy memories here too."
Cycling and dolphin watching
The Isles of Scilly, just off the Cornwall coast, is also a favourite staycation destination for the royal couple.
It's a place close to Prince William's heart especially, as he holidayed there as a child, with parents King Charles and Princess Diana.
In 2020 the family were spotted inconspicuously cycling around Tresco Island, with one onlooker telling The Sun: "We hardly noticed at first as they seemed a normal family on holiday intent on keeping themselves to themselves.
"The place where they were staying was quite modest and certainly not hugely luxurious."
A source told Fabulous: “The Cambridges and royal protection officers took a flight by helicopter to Tresco.
“Boat taxis known as Specials were organised for low-key scenic boat trips for the family to be privately taken to some of the wilder islands for bird watching and seeing dolphins."
Outdoor adventures
The family are also just like any other with young kids, opting to spend a lot of time outdoors exploring, with Prince George particularly loving trampolining and football.
He also loves to play tennis just as Kate does, and was lucky enough to attend the men's Wimbledon final this year alongside little sister Charlotte.
They also love being out in the garden, with Kate previously revealing at an event that her children were having a sunflower-growing competition - and that Prince George was not impressed that Prince Louis was winning.
There's also an adventure playground on the Sandringham estate, providing the perfect place for the little princes and princess to play.
According to reports, Kate has previously said "she often takes her children on spider hunts in their garden, which they love. They can spend hours out there."
When at home Kate and Will also keep the kids entertained with a spot of baking, and the heir to the throne's favourite meal is a roast chicken.
A little taste of luxury
Of course, the family do also know how to really push the boat out occasionally too, and have been known to enjoy some particularly lavish breaks abroad.
For example, George was just six months old when he first visited the island of Mustique, in the Caribbean, with Kate and her side of the family in a lavish four-bedroom villa.
The property boasts its own pool and luxury garden, and it's a place they love so much, they have returned on numerous occasions, including in July 2019 for George's sixth birthday.
Missing a 'homesick' Harry?
However, it looks very unlikely they’ll be spending any time with their uncle Prince Harry, his wife Meghan Markle and their cousins Archie and Lillibet.
The family are reportedly opting to stay in the US home for the summer.
Speaking to Closer, Katie Nicholl added: “I think Harry must miss his family more than ever and not coming back to the UK for the summer.
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“He’s always loved the UK in the summer and he’d always wanted his children to have a special relationship with their cousins, the same way he grew up with his royal cousins.
“They had summers in Norfolk and Scotland, but he has a very different life now.”
