Prince Charles likes to make a fuss of grandkids — the new royal baby will be no exception
Harry and Meghan's families are already preparing to lend a hand
LIKE Carole Middleton before her, Doria Ragland looks like being a hands-on granny to Meghan and Harry’s baby.
Yoga teacher Doria flew in to be with her daughter throughout the final days of pregnancy and help ease the stress of childbirth and the early days of motherhood.
Doria will be a calming presence at Frogmore Cottage for as long as Meghan needs her.
I’m sure she will relish the excitement of looking after her only grandchild, the first Anglo-American to be born into the British royal family.
We will have to wait and to see if Harry’s favourite childhood nanny, Barbara Barnes, will appear like a modern-day Mary Poppins.
When Prince George was born, William turned to his old nanny Jessie Webb who helped out in the first weeks of parenthood.
ALWAYS MAKES A FUSS
Prince Charles, the only Grandad likely to see this baby, is deliberately not going abroad until early May, when he will visit Germany, so he can be on hand too.
He will pop in soon after the birth to see his latest grandchild, just as he did with William’s children George, Charlotte and Louis.
Everybody says Charles doesn’t see much of William’s children but that just isn’t true.
Often on a Monday when he returns to London, he calls in at Kensington Palace to see the children.
They go over for tea with him at Clarence House and he absolutely makes a fuss of them.
He often mentions his grandkids in his speeches, especially when he is talking about the climate.
He says: “I'm trying to build a better life for my grandchildren and your grandkids.”
I can assure you it’s not some cynical ploy – those kids are a big part of his life and Harry and Meghan’s baby will be too.
Meghan should look at the way Charles is around Camilla’s grandchildren.
I'm trying to build a better life for my grandchildren and your grandkids.
Prince Charles
When he goes over to see her five grandchildren in Wiltshire or when Camilla has the children at the weekend he plays games with them and treats them like his own.
When I asked her recently "what is the thing you enjoy most in life?" she said "my grandchildren and, of course, my husband".
But the grandchildren just happened to creep in first and they adore her.
DEVOTED TO CHILDREN
On a tour of New Zealand Camilla met children’s author and illustrator Dame Lynley Dodd who wrote a famous book about a dog.
The Duchess told her: "I’ve read all those books to my children.”
Camilla is devoted to children and I hope Meghan lets her child pop over to see her and Charles regularly because the baby Sussex will have so much fun.
As time goes by Harry and Meghan’s little one – who by all accounts could hold dual nationality – will visit granny Doria in California and enjoy the US lifestyle.
I am sure Doria will be as hands-on with her grandchild as Carole Middleton who regularly takes William and Kate’s children swimming, on days out to petting zoos and even on holiday to the Caribbean island of Mustique.
It’s sad that neither Meghan nor Doria met Princess Diana. My goodness what an amazing grandmother she would have been.
Also, her experience of life as a high-profile royal and mum would have been so valuable to Harry’s new wife. In my opinion, Princess Di and Mother Teresa of Calcutta were the two most important women of the 80s and 90s.
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In time, Megan and Harry’s little boy will learn everything about the wonderful granny he never met.
As a child Harry was a gentle soul. Prince Charles described him "as the one with the gentle nature".
"He slept through the night, ate everything that was put in front of him and was extraordinarily good."
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