The Precious Moment That Says It All About Kate Middleton's Relationship With Her Kids

Kate Middleton has centered her ongoing work as a senior member of the British royal family on championing the welfare of children, with some of her biggest projects focused on making sure that they receive adequate mental health support and spreading awareness about how crucial the early years of childhood are for personal development. But the Princess of Wales doesn't just talk the talk; she also walks the walk. The royal mom knows firsthand just how hard it is to raise kids, as she and husband Prince William are widely known to be hands-on parents. In December 2021, an insider clarified to People that, while she has the assistance of a nanny, Kate "runs things at home with the kids and the schedules [and] is hugely involved in every single part of their day." 

A charity CEO shared some insider insight into just how good of a mom the Princess of Wales really is. And, as if we needed any further proof, she interacted with several kids with a level of ease that only the most committed parents boast during a visit to a children's hospice in Wales, in January 2025. In one especially sweet moment, Kate, a 9-year-old named Lottie, and her 4-year-old sister Maggie painted each other's palms red and pressed them onto paper to create some artistic red handprints. The princess' three kids were clearly at the top of her mind as she was painting Maggie's hand. Kate even told them, "My kiddies would love this if I went and did this back at home today," according to the Daily Mail. Lottie also brushed her palm with paint, which the princess then placed on top of a plain piece of paper. Kate completed her artwork by signing it: "Catherine."

Kate Middleton's sweet interactions with the sisters received tons of praise from their parents Alex and Dan Forbes, whose 12-year-old son Felix is a patient at the hospice. "It feels like you are speaking to a mom, first and foremost," Dan said of the Princess of Wales, per People. Alex echoed her husband's opinion, gushing, "You can tell she is a mom. It was easy to see in the way she was so engaging with the girls. She was lovely." The beloved royal's ability to build a strong rapport with children is a testament to the amount of quality time she spends with her own kids. In addition, arts and crafts appears to be a key bonding activity in the Wales household. Back in 2020, she also created a handprint art project with Kate and Prince William's youngest, Prince Louis, which — in a preview of Louis' silly 2023 Trooping the Colour antics — ended with the then-2-year-old's face covered in paint.

While chatting with students at Alperton Community School, in 2019, Kate, an art history graduate herself as well as a skilled amateur photographer, revealed that she really enjoyed activities like paper mâché and drawing together, as People reported at the time, quipping, "It's so messy, but it's great." The Princess of Wales also proudly shared that she was actively encouraging Louis and his older siblings' Prince George and Princess Charlotte's creativity by letting them use unconventional materials to create their masterpieces, recalling, "George found a piece of charcoal in the fireplace and said, 'Mummy, I'm going to draw a picture.' That's what's so nice, you can do it from all around you."