Princess Charlotte, Prince Louis, and Prince George are all taking their summer vacations from school, and Jennie Bond reveals what mum Kate might have in store for them when they aren’t in class.
The summer holidays are upon us – and for the Prince and Princess of Wales, fresh from their surprise Wimbledon appearance, royal duties will take a back seat for the next few weeks, as they spend precious time with their children.
Like youngsters across the country, Prince George, 11, Princess Charlotte, 10, and seven-year-old Prince Louis are all now on their summer break from Lambrook School before they head back to class in September. The family will likely retreat away to enjoy their time together, possibly decamping to their Norfolk home, Anmer Hall, where they can immerse themselves in country life and possibly even enjoy a holiday elsewhere too.
Kate, who previously spoke about her ‘rollercoaster’ recovery from cancer treatment and its life-changing impact, has been a huge advocate for spending time outdoors.
And former BBC royal correspondent Jennie Bond tells OK! that as Kate, and indeed William, come up with ways to keep their brood occupied over the long holiday – there are seven golden rules they’ll most likely abide by…
Private time that is encircled
Kate may still be gradually returning to public duties following her cancer treatment, but even before her health scare, spending school holidays with the children seems to have always been a non-negotiable for the princess.
And for Jennie, this summer will be no exception, making the break a stark change from the holidays Prince William once enjoyed at his children’s age, which were very much played out in the public eye.
She explained: “The truth is that school holidays are ring-fenced as private time for the Prince and Princess of Wales and their young family. And that means that they are essentially left alone and their plans remain private today.
It’s a significant change from the days when William was a boy. Back then, the paparazzi and mainstream media regarded Diana, William and Harry as public property, no matter where they were. Thankfully, things changed after the Princess’ passing. And for the Waleses must be a great relief.
Down-to-earth activities
But even though, as royals, William and Kate could choose to take their children anywhere in the world for the holidays, flying on private jets and enjoying luxury hotels, Jennie doesn’t believe this will be the case.
She believes their summertime will be much more grounded, outdoors in the Great British countryside, and perhaps even by working on the farm near their country retreat.
She continued, “They adore the wide open spaces in Norfolk, the freedom to play unhinged on the beaches, and the freedom to explore the Sandringham estate. Children can have all kinds of fun at the Sandringham farm, complete with tractors to watch, animals to feed, and fruit to pick. The family is also very fond of the Scilly Isles, and I wouldn’t be surprised if they spent a week or two there.
Given the extraordinary position they have been given in the world, William and Catherine are making every effort to give their children the most down-to-earth education possible.
Screen time limitations
However, one major issue facing parents everywhere this summer is how much screen time to allow their children, something William and Kate will be painfully aware of as they navigate raising their kids in a digital world.
Kate has mentioned using traditional paper maps to create walking routes in recent conversations while visiting the Lake District with the Scouts. William has also reaffirmed the importance of putting down their devices in young people.
Jennie continued, “William has spoken about George’s love of video games, and they have both discussed “regulating” their children’s screen time.” Even TV watching can turn out to be problematic, with remote control disputes.
” But, especially with Catherine’s expertise in children’s development, I’m sure they’ll be pretty rigorous about monitoring who watches what – and for how long. “
Household tasks
Jennie thinks Kate will be keeping an eye on more than just screen time; she also thinks the princess will encourage her children to carry their weight when doing housework.
When at their Adelaide Cottage home in Windsor, the Wales family do not have any live-in staff, as they strive to maintain a normal, family atmosphere.
Jennie believes that Kate and William may have set the children’s standards, even though it might be summertime and a time for fun. She explained:” I wouldn’t be in the least surprised if the children were given a few household chores such as tidying their rooms, filling the dishwasher, brushing the dog and cleaning up after the puppies.
“William and Catherine have both lived apart from the Palace’s walls, shopping, cooking, and doing dishes while they were students, and later on Anglesey, doing laundry. They will want their kids to understand that even if you are royalty, you can still exert your will and influence over their lives.
School work cast aside
However, it won’t be all work and no play despite the restrictions on screen time and chores to be completed.
Jennie thinks that George, Charlotte, and Louis’s academic work will be put on hold for quality family time during a true break from class because she thinks so.
“There may be some school projects to get on with – particularly for George and Charlotte – but these long holidays are really a time to put their studies on one side and just enjoy being kids”, she said.
There will be plenty of time for William, Catherine, and the children to travel alone in Norfolk and wherever they choose.
Respected royal custom
The summer usually means no royal engagements for the Wales family during their heavily protected family time. It’s likely that official appearances won’t be finished until September following William, Kate, George, and Charlotte’s surprise surprise appearance at Wimbledon last week for the men’s singles final.
Jennie is almost certain that Kate, William, and the children will enjoy the annual trip to Balmoral, but she is also close to saying that there will be one royal tradition.
The late Queen’s favorite residence, the Scottish Highlands estate, was once referred to as her happy place. Since becoming King, Charles has kept up the tradition of hosting his family members for a lengthy weekend together at the estate in August, a tradition that the Wales family has a long history of supporting.
“It’s a long-standing tradition that the family gather in Scotland to catch their breath, enjoy the peace of the countryside and just have fun being together”, Jennie said.
“Charles relishes spending time with his grandchildren. Camilla has talked about how good he is at reading stories and putting on all the appropriate voices. Of course, George and Charlotte might feel they are a little old to be read to, but I’m sure Louis will still enjoy his grandfather’s storytelling. Then there’s the fishing, the picnics, the ponies – and lots of cousins coming and going, as the castle hosts the extended family.
Charles is much more likely to play practical jokes with his children than to wander around the house and gardens with them, despite his mother’s custom of leaving gifts for them. And I’m sure he also enjoys teaching them about the wildlife and the countryside up there.
“He might also choose to offer a guiding hand to George about what lies ahead, perhaps on the walk across the moors.”
Meetups in Middleton
But it’s not just their royal relatives that the Wales family will spend time with, Jennie believes time will also almost certainly be carved out for them to all spend time with Kate’s family, including her parents, Carole and Michael. During Kate’s cancer treatment, the future queen’s parents have been a rock for both their daughter and their children.
And in a telling move last year, they were the only ones other than Kate, William and the children to appear in an emotional video released to mark the end of the princess’s chemotherapy treatment.
Their closeness to their grandchildren was also evident at Christmas at Kate’s annual carol concert, where Louis hung a handwritten note on a kindness tree thanking his ‘Grannie and Grandpa’ for “playing games with me”.
Source: Mirror
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