Why A Royal Expert Claims Kate Middleton And Prince William Are Relatable Parents

Prince George, oldest child of Kate Middleton and Prince William, turned eight this year (via CNN). The young royal, third in line for the British throne after his father and grandfather, has been in the public eye his entire life — from when he left the hospital as a newborn in 2013 through to his adorable reactions while watching England play (and lose) the Euro Cup final in 2021 (from Town & Country), George has been in the spotlight. And while he's one in a long line of British royalty, George's life growing up will be different than royals before him. This is in part because of how his parents, the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge, are raising him. There's not the sole focus of preparing him to be king.

"We see through the generations parenting becoming more hands on," explained Camilla Tominey, British journalist and royal expert. "Now as far as the Cambridges are concerned, we're told they very much plan their diary around the fact that one of them needs to be there both in the morning and at night for bedtime," (via The Telegraph). It sounds like they're as hands-on as many regular families are.

While Prince William and Kate Middleton are the future of the British royal family, they certainly seem determined to give their kids normal upbringings. For example, the Cambridges go to the big school events and even do the day to day school drop off. "We know that the Duchess goes on the school run herself," Camilla Tominey, British journalist and royal expert, said. "And they want to be parents first and foremost."

In another very relatable parenting move, Kate is excited for George, and his younger siblings Charlotte and Louis, to one day join the Scouts. Tahseen Patel, an Explorer Scout, helped give Kate a tour of the Scouts' headquarters. Kate "was interested in the early years and how you learn things in Scouting that you don't learn in school and elsewhere," Patel told Hello! about the duchess and her interest in the organization. 

The royal couple seem dedicated to making sure their kids grow up with lots of the same experiences as "regular" kids, and they're also focused on love and spending time together as a family. "Spending quality time is such an important aspect of family life," Kate wrote in a letter supporting the work of children's hospices. "And for me, as a mother, it is the simple family moments together like playing outside together that I cherish."