Princess Kate has made it clear that values come before everything else when it comes to raising her children.
The 44-year-old royal, who shares Prince George, 12, Princess Charlotte, 11, and Prince Louis, eight, with Prince William, believes kindness, respect and honesty are just as important as academic success.
Speaking in a previous interview, Kate said: "My parents taught me about the importance of qualities like kindness, respect and honesty and I realise how central values like these have been to me throughout my life. That is why William and I want to teach our little children... just how important these things are as they grow up."
She added: "In my view, it is just as important as excelling at maths or sport."
Values come first
© GettyThe Prince and Princess of Wales have long made it clear that they want to give their children as normal a childhood as possible at their home in Foret Lodge.
This includes focusing on emotional wellbeing and strong moral foundations. Kate has described raising children in the modern world as "tough".
In a 2023 interview with radio host Roman Kemp, she said: "It's not about the number of toys they've got or the number or sort of trips that you go on with them."
She continued: "It's just making sure that they've got the right emotional support around them, and that comes from the adults in their lives."
A united approach
© GettyWilliam, 41, has echoed his wife's views over the years. In a 2016 interview, when he was still a father of two, he described their home life as very normal.
He said: "As far as we are concerned within our family unit, we are a normal family." William added: "I love my children in the same way any father does, and I hope George loves me the same way any son does his father. We are very normal in that sense."
The pair are known for being hands-on parents. They often drop their children off at school themselves and are regular fixtures at their events.
Learning from the past
© Getty ImagesAccording to body language expert Judi James, William has shaped his parenting style based on lessons from his own childhood.
She told The Mirror: "William continually shows how he uses lessons from his past to forge the kind of family unit he sees as more modern and more ideal."
Judi added: "He is clearly also determined to create a more casual and playful life for his own children than he or his father were allowed to enjoy."
This effort has been seen at public events, where George, Charlotte and Louis are often seen laughing and engaging naturally with both parents.
Kate and William also try to avoid overwhelming their children with public appearances. They limit how often their children are photographed and rarely bring all three to engagements.
A modern royal upbringing
© Getty ImagesThe Princess of Wales recently opened up about a classic parenting struggle during a visit to the University of East London - social media.
Kate visited the university’s Institute of the Science of Early Years and Youth as part of a new project for her Centre for Early Childhood, which she founded back in 2021.
During the outing, the Princess sat down for a chat with a mother named Ashleigh, who was there with her three young daughters: five-year-old Ella, two-year-old Ava, and baby Mia.
Opening up about the unique pressures of raising children in the modern age, Kate discussed how difficult it can be for parents to "keep up in real-time" with the fast-paced world of social media, alongside ever-evolving medical and scientific research. She also passionately champions the age-old philosophy that it truly "takes a village" to raise a child.
