Prince George and Charlotte joined their parents at the Wimbledon Men's Singles Final this year but other than this now-traditional appearance, they're probably not going to be seen again in public for the rest of the summer holidays. Unless, that is, the Prince and Princess of Wales bring one or both of them on a special trip up north.

The couple's love of sport has passed down to their children and the 2026 Commonwealth Games kicks off in Glasgow on 23rd July. The last time it was held in the UK in 2022, Charlotte travelled to Birmingham with William and Kate to watch the swimming, gymnastics and hockey.

This was her first appearance without her siblings and I'd be surprised if Charlotte didn't want to go again - especially since the Games weren't supposed to be back on home soil so soon.

Victoria in Australia was originally set to host but pulled out in 2023 due to concerns over the costs, leading to Glasgow stepping in. Instead of being around a day's flight away, the Waleses can get to the Commonwealth Games in just a few hours by train.

Suddenly, it becomes a lot easier and looks a lot more likely that Prince William and Kate could make another appearance, possibly with Charlotte. It would show support for the competing nations and the future Queen's patronage, SportsAid, works in partnership with Sport England and Commonwealth Games England.

During the 2022 Games, the Prince and Princess of Wales and Charlotte went to SportsAid House, so it would make sense if they wanted to champion the charity again. The bigger question for me is whether Prince George might come this time.

We know William and Kate like to make sure their children get to enjoy solo outings. Charlotte didn't go to Wimbledon in 2022 and when the family were asked why she wasn't there, the Princess of Wales reportedly replied, "It's George's treat today."

Maybe the 2022 Commonwealth Games was Charlotte's "treat", so if that's now *her* thing to do with her parents, George might not be there this summer. However, the 12-year-old has a lot on his plate at the moment as he prepares to start at Eton College in September and live fully away from home for the first time.

He loves sport as much as his sister and going to the Games together might be a nice way to make fun summer memories before this big life change. They could even each go with either Prince William or Kate to watch different sports they're interested in.

Princess Charlotte has said that gymnastics is her favourite and Prince William once joked there are a "lot of cartwheels going around the house". Prince George is known to love hockey and swimming, as well as football which isn't played at the Games.

George and Charlotte reportedly support different sides - Aston Villa and Chelsea - in the Premier League but they'll have both been fully behind England in the recent World Cup. Hopefully we'll get to see the siblings unified, cheering the athletes on at some point before the Commonwealth Games ends on 2nd August.

The Princess of Wales has rarely missed Wimbledon since becoming a senior royal and that included the championships in 2024. She was still undergoing cancer treatment at the time and had only made one other public appearance that year, making her attendance at the Men's Singles Final even more significant.

Kate was visibly moved by the delighted reaction from the crowd as she took her seat with Princess Charlotte and Pippa Middleton. This was Charlotte's second ever trip to Wimbledon and it was reportedly a special "treat" her mum had committed too.

"It was a long-held promise that Kate would take Charlotte to the finals as a special treat," royal expert and author Ingrid Seward previously claimed to The Sun. "Kate felt guilty she hadn't been able to spend as much time as she would have liked to be with the kids because of her exhaustion after her treatment."

Ingrid added, "It is a super special day for Kate to be able to share it with Charlotte and much more fun for her to have Charlotte there and explain to her the details of what is going on.”

It's so special to think that the Princess of Wales might've planned particular outings with her children so she could catch up on some quality time with them. Charlotte is also a big tennis fan and although Prince George has often gone to Wimbledon before, this time Kate clearly wanted it to be a mum and daughter day.

Balancing cancer treatment with being a hands-on mum wouldn't have been easy and a friend claimed in Russell Myers' William & Catherine that she and William "shared what information they deemed appropriate at the right times with the children".

"What Catherine was able to do was really centre in on what was important to her," they added. "Which was being around her family, and her loved ones, and concentrating on the little moments".

The Princess of Wales fulfilled her Wimbledon promise to Charlotte and went to the final, even though the day might have been tiring too. According to author of Kate!, Christopher Andersen, she reportedly confessed after Trooping the Colour a few weeks earlier - "Unless they've been through it…people don't realise how much chemo takes out of you."

Just over two years later, Kate completed the National Three Peaks Challenge - climbing the highest peaks in England, Wales and Scotland - as a "chance to explore life beyond diagnosis and to give something back".

She raised money for The Royal Marsden Cancer Charity and was welcomed by her husband, children, parents and brother at the end. The Prince and Princess of Wales shared a series of sweet family snaps, including one of Kate hugging her daughter.

She looked like she was wearing a woven bracelet, possibly made by friendship bracelet-maker Charlotte and mother and daughter could soon enjoy another memorable moment together.

Last year Prince William, Kate, George and Charlotte all attended the Wimbledon Men's Final and I'm sure the children would jump at the chance to go again this year.

The Princess of Wales couldn't have gone through her cancer treatment and recovery without the support of her family and they were all there to congratulate her as she completed the National Three Peaks Challenge on 28th June. She raised money for The Royal Marsden Cancer Charity and wore what was likely a special tribute to her daughter Princess Charlotte.

In pictures shared after Kate finished this monumental challenge of climbing Scotland, England and Wales' highest peaks, you can see the turquoise bracelet on her left wrist. A lot of her jewellery is meaningful and this looks like a woven friendship bracelet.

Eleven-year-old Charlotte is known for crafting these for her loved ones and it's possible that she made this turquoise one and Kate decided to wear the special gift.

Charlotte first got into making friendship bracelets when she, George and Prince William attended a Taylor Swift concert in June 2024. A few months later William was seen sporting a blue and white bead bracelet with 'Papa' on it and he revealed it was from his daughter.

He promised to wear it on his trip to South Africa for the Earthshot Prize and said he'd "try not to lose it". King Charles has also worn several woven friendship bracelets in recent years, including to Trooping the Colour in June where they stood out against his military uniform.

Whilst we don't know for sure that Princess Charlotte made his, it's a fair guess that she did. It would explain why His Majesty kept them on for his birthday parade, even though they didn't quite complement the formality of the occasion.

If the Princess of Wales's woven bracelet was also from her daughter, then it's so heart-warming she wanted to have it with her as she finished the Three Peaks Challenge in Wales. It would've been a little piece of Charlotte she carried with her and you can see it most clearly in the picture of mother and daughter hugging tightly afterwards.

Even if it wasn't made by Charlotte, it's still a similar style to the ones the eleven-year-old makes and loves. Kate also wore her birthstone garnet Spells of Love drop earrings and her wedding ring stack, including what looks to be the diamond eternity band William reportedly gave her after Prince George's birth.

All three of her children, her husband, her parents Michael and Carole and brother James were there when she completed the challenge. When his sister was diagnosed with cancer, James posted that, "Over the years, we have climbed many mountains together. As a family, we will climb this one with you too".

Now, a year after announcing she was in remission, Kate has conquered three literal mountains as well. She took on the Three Peaks challenge to raise money and "to raise awareness for the deeper impact of serious illness and the importance of holistic healthcare".

"Healing, whether personal or collective, is not just about fixing what is wrong," the Princess declared. "It is about finding balance in how we live. Between effort and acceptance, between control and trust, between thinking and simply being. Because in the end, bravery isn't just about pushing forward. It is about knowing how to stay grounded, connected and present, no matter the terrain or landscape you are walking."

The Prince of Wales’s birthday falls on Father’s Day and gives his family the opportunity to share a new photo in celebration of both occasions. Last year they broke tradition and shared a snap of William with their spaniel Orla and her puppies. For 2026 they also did things a little differently and posted a picture of the proud dad with just Princess Charlotte.

Taken by Matt Porteous after Trooping the Colour, it showed them in the Kensington Palace gardens with their arms around each other. The caption was signed with Catherine and all the children’s initials, though the fact that Charlotte was the only one actually in the picture with William is intriguing.

Before becoming a dad he did a lot to change things for a future daughter - and apparently confessed he wanted his first baby to be a little girl.

Writing in William & Catherine, royal author and editor Russell Myers claimed, "William had privately voiced his preference for having a girl, and was keen to incorporate a tribute to his late mother, most likely in the form of a middle name."

He suggested the Princess of Wales "had her heart set on" Alexander for a son and Alexandra for a daughter. The couple hadn't found out the gender of their firstborn in advance and when they welcomed a little boy in 2013, they ended up giving Prince George the middle name Alexander.

When Charlotte was born two years later Prince William finally got his wish and she was given Diana as one of her middle names. Their close father-daughter bond was unmissable in the new picture and former BBC royal correspondent Jennie Bond believes that William might have a particularly special relationship with his daughter.

"I think daughters and dads tend to have a very special relationship - especially when there's only one little girl in the family," she claimed to The Sun in 2024. "And this seems to be true for William. I'm sure he's immensely proud of all three of his children, but there is perhaps a particular place in his heart for his sporty little Charlotte."

He was spotted wearing a friendship bracelet made and given to him by Charlotte during his visit to South Africa for the Earthshot Prize in November. The Prince of Wales also admitted that the first time he'd grown his beard she hadn't liked it…

"Well Charlotte didn't like it the first time. I got floods of tears, so I had to shave it off," he reportedly explained. "And then I grew it back. I thought, hang on a second, and I convinced her it was going to be OK."

Her opinion clearly means a lot to him and before he became a dad William pushed for change to ensure a daughter would stay ahead of a younger brother in the royal line of succession. Russell Myers claimed the Prince "raised the issue" with Queen Elizabeth "in the lead-up" to his and Catherine's wedding.

The law was changed, so Princess Charlotte will always be above Prince Louis in the succession. This was a big moment and William's closeness with his daughter in the new picture shows their incredible relationship and how he's blossomed as a girl dad, championing her within the Royal Family.

The Princess of Wales's jewellery box is filled with magnificent items and some of her most meaningful pieces were special gifts from family members. We just saw one of them for the first time so far in 2026 as Kate wore her sentimental acorn wedding earrings to the Order of the Garter Service in Windsor.

These were a present from her parents Michael and Carole and after seeing Princess Charlotte at Trooping the Colour, I can't help wondering if she might end up wearing another of Kate's wedding gifts one day soon. The Princess of Wales owns a beautiful gold chain bracelet which she was reportedly given by Queen Camilla.

It has a golden disc charm engraved with a 'C' on either side, topped with a tiny coronet and a tiny crown to make them monograms.

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The letters are thought to stand for both Catherine and Camilla and, of course, that's also Charlotte's initial too. Kate wore it a lot in the first few months after her wedding including to Wimbledon, though it hasn't been seen since 2011.

Since it likely holds a lot of sentimental value as a gift from her stepmother-in-law, the Princess probably stored it away safely. However, she's also not much of a bracelet person in general and unless she's going all-out for a big occasion like a State Banquet, the Wimbledon final or Trooping the Colour, she often skips this piece of jewellery.

It's much more rare to see her without earrings or necklaces, and her go-to styles nowadays are quite minimal compared to her 'C' bracelet. Compared to her mum Princess Charlotte is a huge bracelet fan and wore a three-strand pearl design to the monarch's birthday parade on 13th June.

It was very similar to the one the Princess of Wales was wearing, which had a diamond clasp and once belonged to Princess Diana. The eleven-year-old is also often spotted with beaded or woven friendship bracelets on her wrists and she's even rumoured to have made King Charles one.

If there's anyone that would jump at the chance to wear the 'C' bracelet surely it's Charlotte. It's not set with precious gems that could be damaged or fall out so Kate wouldn't have to worry about this piece as much as other jewellery.

The chain design could also be easily shortened to fit the young Princess if she wanted to wear it now or in her teenage years. I can't imagine Queen Camilla would mind and she might actually love to see the next generation wearing this special wedding gift.

She and Charlotte share a passion for ballet and Her Majesty was spotted making a reassuring gesture to her step-granddaughter at the Coronation Concert in 2023.

Princess Charlotte did the traditional curtsy to King Charles and then seemed to forget to do this for Queen Camilla. The Queen reached out and placed a hand on Charlotte's shoulder, smiled and said hello, which people have viewed as her way of making her feel ok about the faux pas.

As Princess Charlotte grows up she'll have many more pieces of royal jewellery she could possibly borrow for big events but I'd love to see her starting to wear a few more items here and there that are meaningful, though not priceless.

Prince George has already been boarding whilst he’s been at Lambrook School but from September things are going to be looking very different for him. Putting an end to years of speculation, Kensington Palace finally confirmed that George will start at Eton College next term.

This is where Prince William went and it was always hotly tipped to be George’s next school, even though he and his siblings have been co-educated so far. To some people, the Prince and Princess of Wales’s choice might sound like they’re following tradition for tradition’s sake even when it goes against their approach so far.

However, as someone who’s written about the Royal Family for years I can see how George going to Eton will actually help not just him, but Charlotte and Louis too.

The separation might actually be a good thing and the Waleses are so close that I doubt it will affect their bond. As Eton is exclusively all-boys, Charlotte won’t be following in her big brother’s footsteps when she turns 13 and by the time Louis starts at his next school in September 2031, George will have just left Eton.

This means there’ll be no overlap even if Louis goes to the prestigious school too. All three children are growing up in the glare of the public eye, high up in the royal line of succession and they’re generally seen all together.

Going to different schools or starting at different times gives them a good amount of space to discover who they are as people outside of this "Wales children" identity. Prince George, Charlotte and Louis can have the freedom to be individuals and enjoy their own experiences that the others won’t have as they move into their formative teenage years.

They’ve probably already started with this at Lambrook but attending different secondary schools could help with this sense of independence even more. We have to remember that a bit of space isn’t necessarily a bad thing for siblings as they get older.

Prince William and Harry were both at Eton at the same time and in an interview the Duke of Sussex claimed that his older brother asked him to pretend they didn’t know each other. The Waleses are also incredibly close so taking different paths isn’t likely to hurt this bond.

Speaking previously to Hello! royal author Robert Jobson said George going to a new school is a "chance for him to spread his wings and take part in things in the afternoons and evenings instead of going home to Mum and Dad".

Both William and Kate went to boarding schools too and know what it’s like. That doesn’t mean the move won’t be an adjustment for the family at first, and Robert added, "They are such a tight family unit; George will be missed. It will be like having an empty seat at the table."

While Prince William was at Eton the media also abided by strict regulations and generally left him be aside from specific, organised photo opportunities. If the same thing happens with George, Charlotte and Louis then they’ll have privacy to enjoy their new, different paths.

Ultimately, I do think that the Prince and Princess of Wales had the futures of all three of their children in mind when they enrolled Prince George at Eton. It might be hard at first but he, Charlotte and Louis might all feel the benefits in the long run.

The King’s birthday parade, Trooping the Colour, gives us a chance to see several generations of the Royal Family come together and His Majesty took the lead with his grandchildren. King Charles stood next to Princess Charlotte on the Buckingham Palace balcony to watch the traditional flypast and was observed giving her a discreet instruction during it.

The 11-year-old Princess was seen turning round when the Red Arrows flew overhead and according to lip-reader Jeremy Freeman, she asked if it was time to wave. The expert claimed to The Mirror that King Charles responded confidently, "Very good. Now we give a wave", seemingly to everyone around him including Charlotte.

He then emphasised his royal request, adding, "Wave to everyone. Cheerio. That’s right, thank you very much".

The Red Arrows' flight, known for delivering a magnificent display using red, blue and white smoke, marks the end of Trooping the Colour. The Royal Family usually give the cheering crowds outside the palace a final wave and then return inside out of view.

Since the Prince and Princess of Wales are very experienced and will have known when to wave, it seems that King Charles's instruction was more for the children's benefit, especially as Charlotte had specifically asked about the timings. Jeremy alleged that Louis also turned to Prince William afterwards and asked, "Is there more?"

The dad-of-three then apparently confirmed, "No, that's it. Go on wave, that's it" and we were treated to a final wave and very brief look-back from Charlotte before they disappeared inside. She might have wanted confirmation about when to wave, but the Princess knew her stuff.

King Charles's response proves that Charlotte's instincts were right and this is no surprise given how seriously she takes protocol. Throughout the balcony appearance she was standing straight and staring straight ahead, just like King Charles and Queen Camilla, whilst George and Louis were more chatty with their parents.

We've seen Charlotte telling off her younger brother before for dancing at Trooping the Colour as they waited to go on the balcony. Lip-reader Nicola Hickling claimed to The Mirror at the time that Charlotte said to him, "You have to stop doing that. Watch the parade".

Louis was seemingly unimpressed and responded bluntly, "I won't", leading his sister to quip, "Do as you're told". She often tries to keep Louis in line and The Sunday Times's Royal Editor Roya Nikkah has previously described the "power" the Princess has.

Speaking on The Royals podcast she explained, "When he first grew his beard, Princess Charlotte hated it so much, she burst into tears and he shaved it off. Which, I think tells you a lot, tells us a lot about how much power Charlotte wields in the royal household."

Assistant Royal Editor Kate Mansey added that it's the 11-year-old who's "calling the shots" in her family. When she was born, King Charles said at an engagement that he "was hoping for a granddaughter" and was "really rather thrilled" at the news.

Prince Harry might not be a working royal anymore, but he's still one of the highest ranking people in the line of succession, following Prince William and his niece and nephews. He grew up being closely focused upon and now royal biographer Andrew Morton believes that public interest is shifting in George, Charlotte and Louis' favour.

Chatting to the Daily Mail's Senior Editor-at-Large Richard Kay on Palace Confidential, Morton suggested that Harry had a long-standing fear of being "overshadowed" by them. Not only that, but the writer thinks it's already starting to happen.

"The issue that always concerned Prince Harry, that he would be overshadowed by his brother's children, is coming to effect," he alleged. "Because George is looking every inch the very handsome young man and so the big debate will be where are they going to send him to school?"

Prince George turns 13 in July and the amount of speculation over his new school from September shows just how much people are interested in him. Morton, who wrote Diana: Her True Story, thinks Oundle would "fit the bill" if the Waleses want a co-educational private school that Charlotte and Louis could later go to.

Harry and William went to Eton, but the Duke of Sussex has said he "didn't enjoy" it and wanted to be "the bad boy". Morton's claim that Harry "always" worried about being eclipsed comes three years after the Prince admitted to having a very different fear for Charlotte and Louis.

In an interview with The Telegraph, he explained that Prince William "has made it very clear" that his children aren't Harry's responsibility. Even so, he said he still feels one "knowing that out of those three children, at least one will end up like me, the spare. And that hurts, that worries me."

In his memoir, also titled Spare, Harry wrote that he was 20 when he first learned of a remark King Charles allegedly made to Princess Diana after he was born - "Wonderful. You have given me an heir and a spare. You have done your job."

The sense that he grew up somewhat in his older brother's shadow seems to have sparked his concern for Charlotte and/or Louis feeling a similar way about Prince George one day. However, former BBC royal correspondent Jennie Bond believes that Prince William and Kate are likely doing all they can to avoid this situation.

She said in the past, "They have already shown that they have a different and modern attitude to bringing up royal children and I'm sure they will do everything to make Charlotte and Louis feel every bit as special, loved and valued as George."

The Prince of Wales also divulged in The Reluctant Traveler that he's keen to modernise the monarchy and move away from certain "practices".

"I want to create a world in which my son is proud of what we do. A world and a job that actually does impact people's lives for the better," he said. "That is caveated with, I hope we don't go back to some of the practices of the past, that Harry and I had to grow up in. And I'll do everything I can to make sure we don't regress in that situation."

The Princess of Wales has plenty of individual honours, from her royal titles to her military roles, but now she's got one that she can share with her children too. She, Prince George, Charlotte and Louis have all made the shortlist for a prestigious competition - or, at least, a photo of them has.

The judges for the UK Picture Editors Guild Awards have selected a snapshot of the family at the celebrations for the 80th anniversary of VE Day to be in the running for a win. The public can now vote for their favourite of the 21 shortlisted pictures.

Getting chosen at this stage is already a big achievement and this royal photo is an action shot, showing George, Louis and Kate all leaning sideways to get a better view of the flypast. Only Charlotte is standing poised and straight, and her younger brother looks particularly in awe.

Like Trooping the Colour flypasts, this one featured not only the RAF's Red Arrows but current and historic military aircrafts. It's no wonder that George and Louis were desperate to get a good glimpse of them, as they're believed to have been playing "guess the aircraft".

Analysing the Waleses at the time, lip reader Nicola Hickling suggested to Hello! that the Princess of Wales asked her elder son, "What is this, George?" and he replied that he couldn't see it yet. Prince Louis then reportedly chimed in, "It's my turn."

Even Prince William, who previously served in the RAF, got involved in the game and apparently told Queen Camilla, "It's the wrong answer". According to Nicola, she jokingly replied, "Are we playing this still? I need to try harder."

Perhaps the short-listed picture captured a moment of them all trying to identify something else, or they could've merely been excited to see a particular craft. Either way, it's a special snap and it sums up the Princes' enthusiasm and Princess Charlotte's calm, self-assured nature.

She's the one who's often been spotted telling her brothers what to do at big public events. At Trooping the Colour 2024 the young Princess seemingly told Louis, "Put your arms by your side". This is the typical pose for the royals during the National Anthem in particular and Charlotte was standing impeccably like this in the VE Day picture.

The Waleses (minus Prince William who sadly didn't appear in this specific snap) aren't the only royals in the running to be a UK Picture Editors Guild Award winner.

A picture of King Charles talking to 101-year-old World War II veteran Ruth Barnwell, taken at the tea party to mark VE Day's 80th anniversary, has also been shortlisted. So has an image of Princess Anne looking straight-faced at two sleeping farmers at the Royal Highland Show in Edinburgh.

Many of the other pictures focus on more poignant or political events from 2025, including one that depicts the harrowing aftermath of the attack at Heaton Park Hebrew Congregation Synagogue in Manchester last October.

The winner of the UK Picture Editors Guild Awards will be announced on 30th June and public voting closes at 12pm on 10th June.

From their twinning fashion moments to shared interests in ballet and playing piano, Princess Charlotte and her mum, Catherine, Princess of Wales are two peas in a pod. Now we know that Charlotte is taking after her mother in yet another way too - and it could possibly lead to some family tension in the future.

Prince William has let slip that, despite being a lifelong Aston Villa fan himself, his only daughter has followed in her mum’s footsteps and supports Chelsea Football Club instead.

During a visit to Nansledan in Cornwall, William met with young children at a nursery, and when he was told a young girl was a Chelsea fan he reportedly replied, "My daughter loves Chelsea."

Some might think this would come as a crushing blow to William - who is such a fan of the football team Aston Villa that he’s regularly spotted cheering them on at matches. The future King even recently travelled to Istanbul to witness them winning the Europa League Trophy for the first time in over 40 years.

However, he's always insisted his children can choose their own teams. In the past he apparently said, "I'm kind of hoping they'll all find their own teams in time. They don't all have to be Villa fans. I'm trying not to be biased but obviously they see how passionate I am about it and they watch the matches with me."

He also joked that Prince Louis refused to settle for just one and supports "about five different teams". It’s not all bad news for William, though. Twelve-year-old Prince George has inherited his father’s passion for Aston Villa.

Prince George and his father have been photographed at Aston Villa games over the years, letting their guard down and getting caught up in the drama of it all. When it comes to a house divided, it was first claimed that the Princess of Wales was a Chelsea FC supporter after a charity event in 2015.

Kate met a young girl at the event who later told reporters, "We high-fived because she supports Chelsea and I support Chelsea. I love people who support Chelsea."

This isn’t the only sport that leaves different family members on different sides, either. Prince William is the patron of the Welsh Rugby Union while Kate is patron of the English rugby team after taking over the patronage from Prince Harry.

During the 2023 Six Nations tournament, the Prince and Princess of Wales both attended the Wales vs England match in Cardiff. Speaking at a reception before the game, William joked, "I'm looking forward to today. It's going to be a very tense journey home. If we win today my wife won't speak to me. It will be a tense evening."

As it turned out, England came out on top, beating Wales 20-10. A loss for his team, but a victory for a peaceful home life.

Behind closed doors, mornings in the Wales household can be "chaotic" and Prince William recently gave his two youngest children a stern warning over their behaviour. The future King made a special appearance on Heart Breakfast on 22nd May and during a chat about the school run he hinted that old arguments can still arise between Charlotte and Louis…

"Charlotte and Louis, if you're listening, make sure you're on time, please, make sure you're not fighting over who listens to what this morning," he said live on air.

We already knew that the Wales children liked to have their own favourite tunes playing in the morning, though Prince William previously suggested they'd found a way to prevent fall-outs.

On the 2021 Apple Fitness+ series, Time to Walk, the royal dad admitted, "Most mornings there's a massive fight between Charlotte and George as to what song is played in the morning."

Now, with Prince George sometimes boarding at Lambrook School it seems that it's his younger siblings who end up bickering over music. The solution William and Kate tried to implement was the children taking turns and they have to "basically prioritise" one child's choice each day.

However, this fair approach doesn't seem to have entirely eliminated the arguments by the sounds of it! Hopefully, Prince William's warning to Princess Charlotte and Louis might have helped smooth things over - if they were actually listening at home.

The Prince and Princess personally do school drop-offs and pick-ups as much as possible and William confessed things "can be" chaotic.

"It depends if there's a guitar lesson going on in the morning - a music lesson - you've got to get the guitar in the car," he said. "No, we're not taking the guitar; we need the bag for school. Are we boarding? No, we're not. Are we seeing friends? No, we're not. So there's all that going on in the morning."

Eight-year-old Louis also loves eating jam sandwiches on the way to school and leaves sticky fingerprints everywhere in the car - "which is really helpful", quipped William.

These confessions show how much has really changed when it comes to royal parenting. It's hard to imagine the late Queen Elizabeth driving King Charles to school as he enjoyed a snack in the back of the car, but we'd expect nothing less from the Waleses, who also pause royal engagements during school holidays.

Prince George, Charlotte and Louis are currently on their May half-term break and when they return to school, it'll be George's last few weeks at Lambrook. He turns 13 in July and will begin a new school in September, with Eton College (William's old school) and Marlborough College (Kate's) hotly tipped to be the top contenders.

Both are boarding schools and Prince George is already getting used to living partly away from home, though it will still be a big change for him.

"William used to go to visit the late Queen and Duke of Edinburgh at Windsor while he was at Eton College, but that has to be organised. You can't just pop home when you want to," royal author Robert Jobson told Hello!. "They are such a tight family unit; George will be missed. It will be like having an empty seat at the table."

As the daughter of one future monarch and the sister of another, I think we're all expecting Princess Charlotte to receive some kind of special title one day. Queen Elizabeth bestowed additional honours on all of her children and on Prince William, making him Duke of Cambridge, Earl of Strathearn and Baron Carrickfergus in 2011.

King Charles is apparently keen for his granddaughter to take on Sophie's title one day, though royal author Robert Hardman predicts that Charlotte will receive another instead. Speaking recently to Hello!, he claimed, "I was told the King wanted to reserve the Duchess of Edinburgh role for her, which could happen."

"Edward, when he dies, will lose that title. It won't go to his son," he adds. "But I think she'll be the Princess Royal, as Anne is. There's no better model."

Traditionally, the Princess Royal title is held by the eldest daughter of the monarch and so it would make sense for Charlotte to become the next one when William is King. However, like Prince Edward's title, Princess Anne's remains hers for life.

This means that Charlotte can't be made Princess Royal as soon as her father ascends the throne if her great-aunt is still alive. He'd also have to officially bestow it upon her as it's not automatically inherited by one Princess to the next.

Princess Anne was made Princess Royal in 1987 when she was 36 and she's now amassed plenty of experience. As Robert mentioned, this makes her an excellent role model for Princess Charlotte to look up to and learn from ahead of potentially becoming Princess Royal herself.

There have only been seven Princess Royals so far and Anne is widely regarded as one of the most hard-working members of the Royal Family, praised for her no-nonsense attitude and commitment to The Firm. She and Charlotte have also grown up in similar positions as the sister of the future King, so Anne will appreciate what her great-niece is experiencing.

The late Queen Elizabeth seems to have taken an interest in George and Charlotte's dynamic and made a candid comment about it in 2018. After hearing that a younger sister looked after her big sister, she reportedly replied, "It's like that with Charlotte and George".

Princess Anne and King Charles are also said to have had this kind of relationship when they were children. Former royal nanny Mabel Anderson once claimed that Anne had a "much stronger, more extrovert personality" compared to her brother.

The two siblings are incredibly close and His Majesty set a new precedent when he became King and requested that Anne - and Edward - should become additional Counsellors of State. Usually it's only the first four royals in the line of succession and the monarch's spouse who have this role, but he clearly trusts and values Anne and Edward.

Perhaps Prince George could ensure Charlotte and Louis are his Counsellors of State in the future too. Princess Anne has shown how important a role the Princess Royal can have and she's also proving to be a role model to all the younger royals when it comes to dedication.

The Wales children are three of the most high-profile kids in the world and yet when you stop to think about it, we only actually see them a handful of times every year. Some of these aren’t even in person, but in birthday snaps their parents post.

However, we just got treated to an unexpected new appearance as Prince George, Charlotte and Louis all featured in William and Kate’s 15th wedding anniversary photo. Taken by Matt Porteous during a private family holiday in Cornwall over the Easter break, they’re lying on the grass, barefoot and more relaxed than ever.

Princess Charlotte is on the outside next to Louis and it seems she’s been taking note of her mum Kate’s approach to royal style. It’s easy to miss but if you look very closely at her fingernails you’ll see they’re painted a very light pastel blue.

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The Princess of Wales rarely wears nail polish herself - and when she does it’s pretty much always neutral. Yet I couldn’t help noticing that Charlotte’s nails are an almost identical match to her T-shirt and this level of coordination is classic Catherine.

She famously matches her shoes and handbags and sometimes doesn’t stop there. When the future Queen wants to make a statement, she often steps out just one colour head-to-toe like at Easter last year or when she and Prince William visited Wales in February. This Easter, she and Charlotte both dressed in very similar colours too.

It’s such an easy way to style an outfit and although some might consider colour coordination to be a little old-fashioned, it adds polish. Every item ends up looking carefully thought-out and cohesive, giving the ensemble a put-together feel.

It looks as though Princess Charlotte is already putting her own fun twist on this with her nail varnish-T-shirt combination. Kate prioritises timeless designs and her daughter was dressed simply in a T-shirt and shorts, but she brought a small element of trendiness with the polish.

"Pastels are always a classic choice for the springtime, but this soft, powder-blue feels especially apt for the season, with trends like Faded Florals nails and milky polishes dominating," says woman&home Digital Beauty Writer Naomi Jamieson. "It's the sort of delicate hue that will complement every outfit, whilst still offering an accent of brightness and interest to your look."

She personally loves that Charlotte’s nails match her top "making her manicure feel like an extension or almost like an accessory". And whilst Naomi does believe that pastels like this will always be in fashion for spring/summer "it still feels very trendy for 2026".

If you’re in need of some inspiration for new nail hues, then Princess Charlotte’s milky blue tone is a great place to start. Pastels are a step up from neutrals but they only add a subtle hint of colour which makes them remarkably versatile.

Looking at the Prince and Princess of Wales’s anniversary picture you could easily not realise that their daughter was even wearing polish. She’d have to take it off before she returned to school after the Easter holidays and it’ll be interesting to see if she’s wearing this or a different polish when her parents post her 11th birthday snap on 2nd May.

Sometimes royal duties overlap with personal anniversaries and this is confirmed to be the case for King Charles this April. He’s often been praised as a hands-on grandfather but he sadly isn’t going to be there for Princess Charlotte’s birthday this year. The Prince and Princess of Wales’s only daughter turns 11 on Saturday 2nd May and it’s just been announced that King Charles’s upcoming State Visit will end on this date.

US President Donald Trump previously suggested on social media that the King and Queen would be there from 27th-30th April and we always knew that after America, the King would spend a few days visiting Bermuda. Now these exact dates for the trip have been officially posted on the Royal Family’s Instagram.

There’s no way to know if Princess Charlotte’s 11th birthday plans would have included celebrating with her grandparents. However, the Waleses are all about special family moments and it’s still a little sad that there’s no possibility of King Charles joining her.

Fitting in a longer birthday video call or phone call with Charlotte could also potentially be tricky on the day depending on what engagements are scheduled and what time His Majesty has to board his plane home. He will surely do his best, though, and given his role there are always going to be times where things like this happen.

King Charles’s coronation fell on his grandson Prince Archie’s fourth birthday and the State Visit will also be over Prince William and Kate’s 15th wedding anniversary. Even Charles and Camilla’s own 20th wedding anniversary fell during a State Visit to Italy.

When duty calls, the monarch has to answer and his family will be very aware and understanding of this. Charles especially dotes on his grandchildren and we saw an adorable interaction between him and Prince Louis over Easter when he playfully patted his grandson on either the cheek or shoulder (it’s hard to tell from pictures!).

In the past, former BBC Royal correspondent Jennie Bond has expressed her belief that His Majesty’s close relationship with the Queen Mother has inspired him.

"When you’ve had a wonderful experience in life, it’s natural to want to replicate it for your children and grandchildren," she told OK!. "Charles had a magical relationship with his grandmother, the Queen Mother."

Jennie thinks the King is "quite a soppy old thing really" and "hugely values the time he has available" to spend with his grandkids. Whilst he’ll still be away on Charlotte’s birthday this year, William and Kate will no doubt have plans to make it special for her.

The royals typically mark their birthdays privately and the Princess of Wales famously stays up til midnight with "ridiculous amounts of cake mix and icing" baking creations for her kids. But the Wales children also traditionally get a birthday post shared publicly on social media, usually featuring a new photo.

Last year’s snap of Princess Charlotte was taken by Kate and showed her sitting on a mountainside in Cumbria wearing a backpack and a leaf-print jacket.

There’s no getting away from it - Princess Charlotte is one of the most-scrutinised children in the world and it’s been that way since she was born. As much as the Prince and Princess of Wales strive to give their kids as much privacy as possible, being the King’s grandchildren and so high up in the royal line of succession means they’ll always have a public profile.

However, it seems that despite everything, 10-year-old Charlotte is still enjoying her childhood and isn’t growing up too fast. During a chat at the Gothenburg pub in Scotland on 20th January, Kate reportedly shared that her daughter still gives her teddy bears pride of place in her bedroom.

"She will absolutely love that. She’s got lots of teddies on her bed. Well done, that must have taken a long time. Thank you so much," the Princess responded when gifted a crochet bunny.

The future Queen had apparently been chatting to a group of people, including Adele Hodgson, who has taken up crochet and sells her projects to raise money for Strathcarron Hospice. Adele is understood to have given Kate the bunny for Charlotte and her reaction suggests it will be a treasured part of her animal line-up.

It’s not always the case, but many children reach a point (often in teenage-hood) when they decide they’re "too old" for stuffed animals and they get stored away safely or donated. Clearly, this hasn’t happened with Princess Charlotte yet and despite all the high-profile events and scrutiny she’s been exposed to so far as a royal, she doesn’t seem in a hurry to grow up.

This is incredibly heart-warming to know and her mum Kate is said to be keen for Charlotte to "stay true to her age". Laura Sutcliffe, Hello!’s Fashion and Beauty News Editor, previously pointed out that the young royal often wears her hair in plaits.

"I think it's great to see a girl of her age experimenting with plaits and having fun with her hair. Lots of people complain that young girls grow up too quickly and do things that are too grown up with their hair, but Charlotte and her family stay very true to her age and respect it," she said.

Half-up, half-down is another of her go-to hairstyles for events like Trooping the Colour and Wimbledon. The last two times she was spotted in public at the 2025 Together at Christmas carol service and Christmas Day, Charlotte wore her hair like this and added a cute velvet bow.

As she’s got older, Princess Charlotte has gone from child to tween and her pink painted nails at last year’s Wimbledon show this shift. Yet Kate and William focus on giving all of their children an upbringing full of social connection and outdoor time instead of influenced by trends, online pressures and what’s "cool".

The Prince and Princess of Wales’ kids aren’t allowed phones yet - even Prince George who will turn 13 this July.

"We sit and chat, none of the children have phones, which we are really strict about," Prince William told Eugene Levy on Apple TV+ The Reluctant Traveler. Just days after the episode aired, Kate published a co-authored essay with Professor Robert Waldinger and expressed the view that "while digital devices promise to keep us connected, they frequently do the opposite".

"The evidence is clear: if you could invest in just one thing to help you and your family thrive, invest in the relationships you have with each other," she declared.

Just like the King’s speech on Christmas Day, the Princess of Wales’s carol service has become a festive TV tradition many people look forward to every December. Together at Christmas airs on Christmas Eve on ITV, but it was filmed back on 5th December at Westminster Abbey and the theme of the 2025 service was love in all its forms.

It’s no surprise that Princess Catherine was joined by plenty of her own loved ones, including Prince William and their three children. Prince Louis attended Together at Christmas for the first time in 2023 and provided one of the most hilarious carol service moments to date: the candle blowing incident.

Prince Louis leaning over and dramatically blowing out Charlotte’s candle as they left the Abbey was captured in pictures that never fail to make me smile.

From Catherine’s widened eyes and shocked smile, to Charlotte’s giggles and Louis’s obvious delight, it’s a snapshot of Christmas - albeit not exactly the one his parents intended. The festive season is all about family and children having fun, perhaps making a mess or playing jokes on each other is all part of this.

Prince Louis’s cheeky personality was on full display and reminded everyone that he is a child after all, though a very well-known one. Of course, the carol concert is a poignant event that gives thanks and that’s incredibly important, though no-one could begrudge the then-five-year-old just being himself in a brief moment at the end.

"Louis is still hugely playful, even blowing out his sister’s candle, but the expression on Charlotte’s face is one of shared fun and total indulgence here,” body language expert and author Judi James told woman&home.com at the time.

She added, “Charlotte will happily step in to check her two brothers’ behaviour at formal events and the fact that she was smiling suggests Louis has gone past his super-playful stage and now keeps his fun within limits."

Now he’s seven and has attended a lot more high-profile royal occasions, observing how his older siblings behave and there’s been an understandable shift in his approach. I didn’t spot any humorous antics from Louis during the 2025 Together at Christmas service and I suspect that his days of being mischievous in public might be behind him.

We still saw plenty of personality from the young Prince at the concert, including his obvious adoration for his mum as they locked eyes whilst holding their candles.

He’s just more grown-up and probably a bit more aware of the public’s attention than he was when he blew out Charlotte’s candle - or when he covered Catherine’s mouth with his hand at the Jubilee Concert in 2022.

Louis behaved impeccably at the Princess of Wales’s service this year and joined his siblings in hanging a paper chain on the Connection Tree at Westminster Abbey. Prince George, Charlotte and Louis all wrote their names on their chain link and it reminded me of 2024, when they placed handwritten notes on the Kindness Tree.

"Thank you for Granny and Grandpa because they have played games with me," Prince Louis declared in his, perhaps referring to the Middletons. Whether intentionally or not (though I think it’s likely another cute tribute to Carole), he wore a blue and green tartan tie to the service this December that perfectly matched his grandmother’s coat.

A self-confessed "list-maker" who starts planning Christmas well in advance, Carole Middleton makes sure there’s festive spirit in abundance when it comes to her Grade II listed house in Berkshire.

The Princess of Wales’s mum, who lives with husband Michael in the sprawling country manor, previously revealed that she goes all out when it comes to decorating for Christmas with not one, not two, but three Christmas trees. And there’s a sweet, thoughtful reason for this that showcases how hands-on she is as a grandmother.

Each tree has a distinct purpose. One tree is the fashionable, themed one and the second is a "memory" tree, decorated with family decorations and heirlooms going right back. But the third Christmas tree is where the children have free reign to decorate it however they want.

This is a fun idea to unlock a child’s creativity, and one that proves why her former party planning business, Party Pieces, was so successful. It also allows the likes of Prince George, Charlotte and Louis to get fully involved and feel part of the Christmas prep process with their granny, especially as they often spend Christmas Day itself at Sandringham House in Norfolk with the Royal Family.

At the time she revealed her tradition, the Wales kids would likely have dominated the 'children's tree' decorating. The only other grandchild Carole had in 2018 was Arthur Matthews, Pippa Middleton’s eldest, who was born that October.

By December 2025, Carole’s family has expanded, with more grandchildren around to decorate their tree. Pippa's daughters Grace and Rose and James's son Inigo are now there to lend a helping hand.

Decorating the tree is one thing, but Carole also likes to get her grandchildren taking responsibility for other things from a young age. She's keen on getting them involved in the kitchen work too, "chopping and stirring" as early as possible.

It’s all part of her focus on being a hands-on grandmother and she credits her mother-in-law with inspiring her approach. She described Michael's mum as being a "wonderful role model" to her and someone she "tried to emulate". Now Carole Middleton is inspiring the younger generations.

She's also been a big source of support and insight for her son-in-law, Prince William too. Psychiatrist Max Pemberton has previously claimed that Carole's impact on William has allowed him to have a sense of "ordinary life", embracing new traditions.

"We all know how tricky life with in-laws can be. And yet sometimes, they provide an alternative type of family to ours, which is welcome," Max declared. "It's said William considers Carole a second mum. Of course, he lost his own at a tender age, so Carole may represent that maternal figure he's lacked."

"The embrace of a new family, with its different perspectives and traditions, can be very healthy and help us to flourish," he added.

It’s been six months since we last saw the Prince and Princess of Wales’s children in public and we were spoiled with cute moments at this year’s Together at Christmas carol service. The kids started going with William and Catherine in 2022 and this year Princess Charlotte looked more grown-up and like her mum’s mini-me than ever.

Although many fans have been quick to point out Louis’s strong resemblance to the Princess of Wales, Charlotte also looks more like Catherine the older she gets. Her long, flowing hair is slightly lighter, but similarly styled in soft waves and when her mum debuted her golden highlights in September, the tones were almost identical.

The bow the 10-year-old wore to the service also reminded me of the one on Catherine’s coat in 2024 and the mum-of-three has worn bows in her hair several times this year too, including a gorgeous deep red velvet one.

Clearly, her signature style is inspiring Charlotte who is old enough by now to have an input in what she wears to such big royal occasions. Over the years the two Princesses have also matched each other’s outfit colours plenty of times at Together at Christmas, as well as other royal occasions like Trooping the Colour.

It’s subtle but sweet, and their close mother-daughter bond was unmissable at the carol service. The future Queen might be the host, but she is also always there offering encouragement and support to her children throughout the event.

She arrived early to greet guests and when the Wales family arrived at Westminster Abbey, Catherine and Charlotte were pictured beaming at each other. The royal mum also reached out in a gesture that drew her daughter in close in a candid moment as she guided her and her siblings indoors for the service.

The young Princess has always been confident at these kinds of high-profile occasions, knowing all the protocols and conducting herself with poise and grace. These are all qualities her mum is known for too and growing up as the only daughter in the Wales family, Charlotte probably looks to Catherine as a royal role model.

They also share a lot of interests in common, including tennis, leading to several special joint Wimbledon appearances. In July 2024, the Princess of Wales brought Princess Charlotte with her to watch the Men’s Singles Final after apparently making her daughter a heartfelt promise.

"It was a long-held promise that Kate would take Charlotte to the finals as a special treat," royal author Ingrid Seward claimed. "Kate felt guilty she hadn’t been able to spend as much time as she would have liked to be with the kids because of her exhaustion after her treatment."

Family is everything to the Princess of Wales and her delighted reaction to seeing Princess Charlotte at the Abbey after what was presumably only hours of being apart that day makes this so clear. The service celebrates the connections that shape people’s lives and the specific theme for this year’s event was love in all its forms.

It couldn’t be more fitting that we got to see Catherine’s loving interactions with her children, showing how much they mean to her.

There’s no one failsafe trick to being a cool mom, but a sprinkling of magic can certainly help - as the Princess of Wales has proved. She and Prince William have reportedly brightened up George, Charlotte and Louis's autumn already with a very special trip most children could only dream of.

According to the Daily Mail, the couple recently took their three children to visit the Hogsmeade Station set for the new Harry Potter television series. The Wales family allegedly got to experience a bit of the magic up close because part of the set was built in Windsor Great Park, not too far from Adelaide Cottage and very close to their rumoured forever home Forest Lodge.

As well as getting to tour the set, the Wales family are said to have met with some of the cast, including the three young stars who’ll play Harry, Ron and Hermione.

"It was so special," a source who was on set alleged to the publication. "Kate and the children met the young actors and the director on the set. There was only one night of filming there, so it really was a magical ticket."

They continued, "And as for Louis, he got the chance to ride on the train with the driver. He seemed to absolutely love it. It's the dream for most children to step aboard the Hogwarts Express."

As per Marie Claire, another source revealed that they weren’t the only royal children who were supposedly invited to the spellbinding experience. Princess Beatrice and Princess Eugenie's children are said to have visited the set, too.

"They were busy looking at the Hogwarts Express and it genuinely seemed like a magical time for them," the source shared.

Reflecting on this reported visit, woman&home's Royal Editor, Emma Shacklock says, "As royals there are certain outings that Prince George, Charlotte and Louis get to enjoy that not everyone would, but they're not constant. Prince William and Kate reserve these trips for things they genuinely love, like when George gets to go to watch the football and Charlotte visited the Strictly Come Dancing set. That way they can really appreciate them for the treats that they are."

The Wales children might be very familiar with the plotlines and characters of Harry Potter by now. Queen Camilla previously revealed, as per the Daily Mail, that King Charles once read them to her grandchildren, so it's always possible he's read the novels to George, Charlotte and Louis too.

Meanwhile, more than a decade ago Kate, along with Prince William and Prince Harry attended the official opening of the Warner Bros. Harry Potter Studio Tour. The trio enjoyed letting their inner children run wild, being pictured waving wands and playing with costumes and props from the sets of the original Harry Potter movies.

During this visit in April 2013, Kate was actually pregnant with George - and now he’s nearly a teenager getting to see the franchise get made in a different form alongside his siblings.

Alongside all the more poignant remarks made by Prince William to Eugene Levy on his Apple TV+ show, The Reluctant Traveler, there were also some much more light-hearted moments that could easily slip under the radar. This includes the revelation that the future King and his children occasionally make trips to nearby Windsor Castle and recreate his own childhood fun.

Giving Eugene a grand tour of the historic residence, William described St George’s Hall as one of his "favourite parts". It was also where he and his cousins used to enjoy games that came with a risk factor, though, thankfully, his own kids don’t have to worry about this anymore.

"My cousins and I and the family, would chase each other up and down here and play silly games. And I remember these carpets weren’t here, and there are a couple of spots where you used to have to watch out because you’d get massive splinters because the floor is old wood," he shared.

Instead of sumptuous carpets, there was "just a really dark, wooden oak floor". The Prince explained, "When you went running off, you’d end up coming away with an enormous splinter. Everyone would say ‘stop, stop’ and someone would have an enormous splinter in their foot."

The addition of the carpet has changed the game when it comes to chasing each other up and down St George’s Hall, though. William confessed that "now it’s a lot easier", saying, "My children don’t realise how lucky they are. They've got a big old carpet. They can run down and there's no splinters."

He disclosed that they "come in after hours" and "chase each other around sometimes", showing that this sweet childhood tradition is being upheld now with his kids.

It’s fun to imagine the Wales family running around somewhere like Windsor Castle and is definitely a reminder that whilst they’re royal, George, Charlotte and Louis are also still children who enjoy everything that comes with being this age. The magnificence and history of the royal residences is something that, as members of the public, we’ll never not see above all.

Yet when Eugene asked the future King if he ever got "overwhelmed" by the "sheer history" of Windsor Castle, William revealed he doesn’t.

"Because I think if you're not careful, history can be a real weight and an anchor around you, and you can feel suffocated by it, and restricted by it too much," he said. "And I think it is important to live for the here and now."

When the TV star questioned what does overwhelm him, the Prince of Wales movingly shared that family-related things do, but not his royal role like it once did.

William said, "Stuff to do with family overwhelms me quite a bit, you know, worry or stress around the family side of things, that does overwhelm me quite a bit. But in terms of doing the job and things like that, I don’t feel too overwhelmed by that. Not now anyway, when I was younger, yeah there are bits that overwhelm you like, woah, are we actually doing this, is this sort of happening?"

He thinks that "with time and age" you naturally feel "a bit more settled in that side of things".

"When it’s to do with family and things like that, that’s when I start to get overwhelmed as I think most people would. Because it’s more personal, it’s more about feeling, it’s more about about upsetting the rhythm, if you like," Prince William added.

Watch The Reluctant Traveler season 3 on Apple TV+, with new episodes landing every Friday.

Prince William has shared a hilariously sweet insight into life at home with the Wales children, revealing that the garden trampoline is a firm favourite for Prince Louis and Princess Charlotte.

The Prince of Wales got honest in conversation with Schitt's Creek star Eugene Levy, in a new episode of Apple TV+'s The Reluctant Traveller, during which he discussed everything from his relationship with the late Queen Elizabeth to dealing with Princess Catherine's cancer battle.

In one particular lighthearted moment, the doting father-of-three opened up about fun moments at the Wales family home of Adelaide Cottage, explaining that Prince Louis and Princess Charlotte enjoy some playful sibling bonding on their trampoline.

"Louis loves the trampoline, he’s obsessed by trampolining, and Charlotte actually does it a lot as well," William told Eugene.

Admitting that playtime between his second and third-born can involve a bit of rough and tumble, the future King continued, "And as far as I can tell, they just end up jumping up and down on the trampoline and beating each other up most of the time. Apparently, there is an art to it."

While Princess Charlotte is all about netball and ballet, he explained that it's football and hockey that Prince George loves.

For busy Prince William, catching up on rest is what he likes to do during days off at home.

"When you have 3 small children, sleep is an important part of my life," he said. "Now they’re at a certain age where, unless they are ill, they do sleep pretty well. So that’s a bit of a relief.

"But when you’ve got three small children growing up and they are waking up at all sorts of times in the night, it is quite exhausting, as every parent will tell you."

Watch The Reluctant Traveler season 3 on Apple TV+, with new episodes landing every Friday.

Work/life balance is a tricky thing to master at the best of times, and Prince William has the added complication of doing it whilst having an incredibly high-profile, public-facing role. The future King touched on this in his highly-anticipated appearance in Apple TV+’s The Reluctant Traveler when he was asked by Eugene Levy about his 'relatively normal' home life.

The Schitt’s Creek star suggested this started with Prince William and Princess Diana in childhood, and he confirmed this was "definitely" the case.

"I think it’s really important that that atmosphere is created at home, you have to have that feeling of warmth, security, love that all has to be there," he declared. "And that was certainly part of my childhood. My parents got divorced at 8, so that lasted a short period of time but you take that and you learn from it, and you try not to do the same mistakes as your parents. I think we all try to do that."

Like Kate, who launched the Royal Foundation Centre for Early Childhood in 2021 - and perhaps because of her work - William is all-too aware of how "drama and stress" can continue to affect you as an adult, years after the fact.

He said, "I just want to do what’s best for my children, but I know the drama and stress when you’re small really affects you when you’re older."

Prince William has already started to put his experience and learnings into practice with his three children and has made it extremely clear in recent years that his family is his priority.

He and the Princess of Wales are hands-on parents involved in school life and they typically take a step back during school holidays to spend time with George, Charlotte and Louis.

Asked by Eugene Levy if the responsibilities of being first in the royal line of succession equate to a 9-5, the Prince responded, "It doesn’t quite work like that. But I do try to stick to school timetables as much as possible, so most days we’re in and out of school doing drop offs and pick ups. Getting the balance of work and family life right is really important, because for me, the most important thing in my life is family."

With this in mind, he and Kate are determined to provide a "stable home" for their kids at Adelaide Cottage, and, in due course, at Forest Lodge.

"If you don't start the children off now with a happy, healthy, stable home, I feel you're setting them up for a bit of a hard time and a fall. So it’s about making sure we feel we can look after our family and our children in a way we feel is best for their future," he told Eugene.

And what a big future it is that lies ahead for them, especially Prince George! The twelve year old will be King one day and William and Kate have set some clear boundaries to protect him from excess pressure and scrutiny. He and his siblings are only actually seen in public a few times a year and outside of this they enjoy a lot of privacy in Berkshire, with plenty of family members living close by.

Whilst George is gradually being introduced to royal life, he still gets to be a kid at the end of the day, showing that William has recreated the "security" and "warmth" he experienced.

Watch The Reluctant Traveler season 3 on Apple TV+, with new episodes landing every Friday.

Following the "huge shock" of being diagnosed with cancer last year, the Princess of Wales and Prince William then had the unimaginably difficult task of breaking the news to their children. In an official video announcing her illness, Kate went on to reveal it took them time to explain everything to Prince George, Charlotte and Louis in a way that was "appropriate for them".

Now, Prince William has shared an insight into how the couple’s children were affected by their mum’s illness. In season 3 of Eugene Levy’s Apple TV+ show, The Reluctant Traveler, the future King said he and Kate went about things in a specific way to help them.

"Everyone has their own coping mechanisms for these sorts of things, and children are constantly learning and adapting," he told the Schitt’s Creek star. "We tried to make sure we give them the security and safety that they need."

The Prince of Wales quickly shattered the age-old stereotype of the Royal Family as being stoic and silent. He revealed that he and Kate are raising George, Charlotte and Louis in a household where talking about tough things is encouraged.

He continued, "We're a very open family, so we talk about things that bother us and affect us. But you never quite know the knock-on effects it can have, and so it is just important to be there for each other and reassure the children that everything is okay."

Being there, talking things through and offering reassurance is seemingly what helped the entire Wales family through what William has since described as the "hardest year" of his life. In September 2024 the Princess shared a powerful message with a video filmed by Will Warr, in which she said they’d had to "find a way to navigate the stormy waters and road unknown".

"The cancer journey is complex, scary and unpredictable for everyone, especially those closest to you," she added, as she confirmed she had completed her treatment.

During his chat with Eugene Levy on The Reluctant Traveler, William was asked how things are now and movingly spoke of his desire to protect Kate, their children and his father King Charles, who was also diagnosed with cancer last year.

He declared, "Things are good, everything is progressing in the right way which is all good news, but 2024 was the hardest year I’ve ever had. Trying to balance protecting the children, Catherine, my father needs a bit of protection and he’s old enough to do that himself as well, but it’s important my family feel protected and have the space to process a lot of the stuff that’s gone on last year."

The Prince also touched on the impact of the media scrutiny, which was intense in the months before Kate confirmed she had been diagnosed with cancer. In her absence from public life, speculation arose over why and William explained he takes "a very strong line about where [he] think[s] that line is and those who overstep it, [he] will fight against".

"But equally I understand that in my role there is interest, you have to work with the media they are all there so you have to have a grown up situation with it as well. It’s about knowing where the line is and what you're willing to put up with," he added.

Watch The Reluctant Traveler season 3 on Apple TV+, with new episodes landing every Friday.

The Prince of Wales is apparently keen to bring Prince George, Charlotte and Louis up with a skill that he sadly lost over the years. He made the intriguing revelation during a visit to The Oasis Village earlier this month.

Prince William was there to hear more about the work of Spiral Skills. This Lambeth-based charity has received funding from the Royal Foundation's Homewards Fund to expand their community-led approach to tackling youth homelessness.

During his time there, he went to Symphony Studios where he saw first-hand the impact music has upon young people. As per Hello!, Prince William sadly admitted that he’s unable to read music, but it’s something he "make[s] sure" his kids can do.

"It's brilliant you guys have clearly done a lot of practising, well done, that's not easy doing that in front of everyone - that's brilliant," the Prince reportedly told the young musicians taking part in a workshop. "You've all got amazing rhythm and it sounds fantastic, I wish I started when I was your age. I couldn't read music so that was my biggest weakness."

Although he "started off playing piano, trumpet and the drums" he then "realised [he]I had to memorise every tune" as he couldn’t read the notes. Because of this, Prince William’s music-playing "just fell away".

"I make sure my children learn music because I love music and it's crucial, really important," the senior royal added, revealing he doesn’t want this to happen to George, Charlotte and Louis.

When asked if he wanted to have a go on the drums, Prince William politely declined, but confirmed that his youngest child is very much still playing this instrument.

He declared, "I'm definitely not a drummer. I'm happy to see you do it, if my youngest was here, he'd have a go, because he's practicing at the moment, but I'd love to hear you do it."

Earlier this year the Prince of Wales shared that Prince Louis was learning the drums, joking that it’s why he spends his "whole life" with his fingers in his ears. Meanwhile, Prince George is understood to be taking guitar lessons and Charlotte is following in their mum’s footsteps and is learning the piano.

The Princess of Wales spoke with pianist Lang Lang at the Royal Variety Performance in 2023 and, as per Hello!, talk turned to Charlotte.

"Her Royal Highness said to me that she said to Princess Charlotte 'Hey, look, if you practise a lot you can be like him'," the musician explained. "So I’m happy to be helpful a little bit. It's really funny, I was like, wow, I'm sure she will do well at the piano. I think she is practising."

Unlike her husband, the Princess of Wales does seem to be able to read music and has played the piano at two high-profile occasions in the past few years. The first of these was when she accompanied singer Tom Walker on his song For Those Who Can’t Be Here at her inaugural Together at Christmas carol service.

Kate also demonstrated her skills in a pre-recorded performance at the beginning of the 2023 Eurovision Song Contest. She’s clearly kept up her piano playing and will likely have a few music-reading tips for all three of her children to ensure they have this "crucial" skill.

Princess Charlotte recently celebrated her tenth birthday, with the Prince and Princess of Wales sharing her sweet birthday portrait to Instagram to mark the occasion. However, despite her young age she's taken to life as a royal like a duck to water and is already known for her confidence.

The Princess is often praised for her immaculate behaviour during royal occasions, and she’s been spotted on numerous occasions keeping her two brothers, Prince George and Prince Louis, in check while out in public.

Still, one royal expert has revealed that Kate Middleton is keen to stop Charlotte from growing up “too quickly” and relies on one simple and easy trick to make sure that the family and public “stay very true to her age and respect it”.

Eagle-eyed fans may have already noticed how Kate does this, but Hello!'s Fashion and Beauty News Editor, Laura Sutcliffe, recently pointed out that while Charlotte is often seen experimenting with new hairstyles, she is most often spotted in very age-appropriate plaits.

She explained, "Charlotte has always been a big fan of plaits and has worn plaited hair throughout most of her public appearances as a royal. It's always lovely to see Princess Charlotte's hair looking so neat, tidy, and pretty at the same time."

"I think it's great to see a girl of her age experimenting with plaits and having fun with her hair,” she added. “Lots of people complain that young girls grow up too quickly and do things that are too grown up with their hair, but Charlotte and her family stay very true to her age and respect it."

Her many braided hairstyles always look beautiful, but from comments Kate has made in the past about doing Charlotte’s hair, it seems that the behind-the-scenes of getting them to look perfect involves a lot of struggle.

Back in 2019 during a public appearance in Cumbria, Kate was heard speaking to a young girl with French braids in her hair. And according to Harper's Bazaar, she was overheard telling the youngster, “I love your plaits! I tried to do a plait on Charlotte this morning, and it didn't really work very well.”

Prince William has also admitted previously that he’s not the best at styling his daughter’s hair. “Never try to do a ponytail," he said during a 2019 visit to Blackpool.

When Kate teased him, saying, "Have you tried to do a plait? It’s the weaving…really hard", he replied, "I can do [Charlotte’s] ponytail, but that’s about it as I don’t have enough hair to practice on!"

While Kate is keen to keep Charlotte’s look age-appropriate, there are ways that Charlotte is growing into a more “tween” style, as we saw with her fun strawberries and cream pink manicure earlier this year at Wimbledon.

Speaking about Charlotte’s developing sense of style, style editor Bethan Holt told People that many of her more recent outfits show that “she's transitioning from a sweet little girl in smocked floral dresses to a slightly more grown-up tween vibe,” with her favouring prints and patterns like her mum’s favourite polka dots.

It’s no secret that plenty of members of the Royal Family are huge fans of Taylor Swift and her music. Prince William has even performed alongside her in the past and many royals, including King Charles and Princess Charlotte, have been spotted sporting the iconic friendship bracelets handed out at her concerts.

Last summer the Prince of Wales took his eldest children to see Taylor's Eras Tour at Wembley and who could forget the sweet snaps marking the occasion? It was certainly one of the most iconic meetings between royals and showbiz royalty.

So on 26th August when, Taylor announced her engagement to American Football star Travis Kelce, some fans might well have found themselves wondering if their wedding's invite list could include some royal guests.

Amongst the 34 million Swifties who liked their now viral announcement on Instagram, both Meghan Markle and the Prince and Princess of Wales liked the post. Their nuptials are sure to be star-studded, with both Taylor and Travis having some incredibly famous friends.

And with many people jokingly regarding the couple as America’s answer to a Royal Family, who's to say that one or two members can’t expect an invite in the post? The Waleses are the biggest royal Taylor Swift fans and Travis and his brother Jason, who both met her at Wembley, loved meeting them last June.

Speaking on his and Travis’s New Heights podcast in 2024, Jason described meeting the Princess as a "highlight".

"I gotta say, Prince William was fantastic, but the highlight was Princess Charlotte," Jason said. "Prince George was great too. She was so adorable. Like, I cannot."

Travis added that she "was a superstar," while Jason said that she "had fire to her" and was very engaged, "asking questions". Princess Charlotte might only be 10 years old but for many years now she's been known for her confident personality and it seems this came shining through when she met Taylor, Travis and Jason.

Although it's highly unlikely that the 10-year-old or her older brother Prince George will be invited to the wedding - whenever that takes place - it is possible that the Prince of Wales could receive one. He's met Taylor Swift several times and is still surprised that he once took to the stage with her.

Opening up on the Apple Fitness + series Time to Walk in 2021, the future King discussed how Taylor Swift had asked him to come up and sing with her and Jon Bon Jovi at a 2013 charity gala.

"To this day, I still do not know what came over me. Honestly, even now I'm cringing at what happened next, and I don't understand why I gave in,” he said. “But, frankly, if Taylor Swift looks you in the eye, touches your arm, and says, 'Come with me...' I got up like a puppy and went, 'Yeah, okay, that seems like a great idea. I'll follow you.'"

Whilst we might not get to see him attend Taylor Swift's wedding, his and the rest of the Royal Family's admiration for her has been made clear in other ways too. King Charles recently delighted fans by quoting one of the pop star’s songs in the caption of an Instagram post.

"Shoreditch in the afternoon! ☔️," the caption read, alongside a video of Charles meeting fans in rainy Shoreditch. The quote comes from Swift's song London Boy, which also played over the video of the King.

Most of us will never meet the Princess of Wales in person, let alone attend the same school sports matches as her, but someone who has crossed paths with her has shared some charming insights. Panthea Parker is part of the cast for new reality series, The Real Housewives of London, and opened up to Hello! at the world premiere about what Kate’s really like.

"I see her quite a few times because my son’s school plays against her son’s school," Panthea claimed. "So they play rugby and football against each other so we’re always at her school or my school. I do see her a lot but not to talk to, just from afar."

Even though Panthea isn’t in the future Queen’s close circle and only sees her at school sporting events from a distance, Kate has made an incredible impression on the reality star.

Panthea described her as "so classy" and "so lovely", before confirming that the Princess of Wales "never misses any of her children’s matches". In her view - and likely many other people’s given everything Kate has on her plate - that achievement in itself makes her "really amazing".

The Real Housewives star revealed that she never misses a match either - quipping, "Otherwise how do I know that?"

Prince George, Charlotte and Louis have all inherited their parents’ love of sports and Kate’s dedication to "never" missing a match is modelled on Michael and Carole Middleton’s example. Speaking on Giovanna Fletcher’s Happy Mum, Happy Baby podcast in 2020, the senior royal recalled her mum and dad making sacrifices to be there for her and her siblings.

She said, "I had a very happy childhood. It was great fun. I’m very lucky I come from a very strong family. My parents were hugely dedicated."

"I really appreciate now as a parent how much they sacrificed for us," the Princess added. "They came to every sports match, they’d be the ones on the side-line shouting, and we’d always have our family holidays together."

This dedication from Michael and Carole has clearly inspired their daughter’s approach to parenting. As well as apparently always being there for sports matches, Kate and Prince William pause engagements as much as possible during George, Charlotte and Louis’s school holidays.

They’re currently on their summer break, spending quality time together ahead of moving house from Adelaide Cottage before the end of the year. Of course, there are times when work and parenting duties clash and the Princess of Wales has been open about feeling "mum guilt".

She told Giovanna on her podcast that anyone who doesn’t feel it as a mother is "actually lying", continuing, "It's a constant challenge - you hear it time after time from mums, even mums who aren't necessarily working and aren't pulled in the directions of having to juggle work life and family life."

However, Kate’s commitment to being there for her kids is steadfast. Messages shared by her on social media throughout the past year have made her appreciation for spending time with her loved ones very clear.

"This time has above all reminded William and me to reflect and be grateful for the simple yet important things in life, which so many of us often take for granted. Of simply loving and being loved," she wrote alongside a video by Will Warr last September.

Throughout the past few years we’ve seen Prince George slowly introduced to public life, with appearances at Wimbledon, cricket and, in May, at a reception hosted to mark the 80th anniversary of VE Day. Although he’s only 12 this shouldn’t come as too much of a surprise as he’s second in the royal line of succession.

What is a little more unexpected is that his younger sister Princess Charlotte just reached a royal milestone ahead of him. It’s not something many people would’ve instantly realised, but it came as she attended the Women’s 2025 Euros final alongside Prince William.

The royal pair roared in excitement as the Lionesses (England’s Women’s team) successfully defended their title. After the match they marked the occasion with a special message released on the Prince and Princess of Wales’s X account - including a notable detail.

"What a game! @Lionesses, you are the champions of Europe and we couldn’t be prouder of the whole team. Enjoy this moment @England. W & Charlotte," they declared.

Blink and you’ll easily have missed it, but this was the first time we’ve seen Princess Charlotte share a royal statement with her dad and also the first time she’s used her full name in an official royal sign-off. It was likely used in place of her initial ‘C’ to avoid confusion with her mother, Catherine, Princess of Wales.

No matter the practicality behind it, this was a significant inclusion for the 10-year-old and Prince George hasn’t yet shared a joint official message with his father or mother, either just as ‘G’ or ‘George’. He, Charlotte and Prince Louis all wished Prince William happy Father’s Day in a message shared on social media last year and in 2025 too.

However, these have been occasions specifically focused on their family and it wasn’t released with the Prince of Wales. So her and Prince William’s post on X after the Lionesses’ Euros 2025 win was a big moment for Princess Charlotte, who’s known to be just as big of a sports fan as both of her parents.

In 2022 the 10-year-old and her dad released an Instagram video wishing the Lionesses good luck ahead of that year’s final. They were victorious then too, so perhaps the combination of Prince William and Princess Charlotte is something of a lucky charm for the team.

She was the only one of the Prince and Princess of Wales’s children who went to the 2025 final and the future King and Queen are known to carefully consider who gets to go to what event.

When Prince George went with them to the Wimbledon final in 2022 they were reportedly asked why Charlotte wasn’t there and Kate replied, "It’s George’s treat today".

The parents-of-three clearly try to make things fair and focus on events that mean a lot to their children. Prince George has been to watch football several times and Princess Charlotte is "getting there" with matching her brother’s passion for the sport - according to William.

She certainly seemed to be enjoying the match with Prince William in Switzerland, with pictures showing her cheering in excitement and looking anxious as the highs and lows unfolded in front of her.

Wimbledon just wouldn’t be Wimbledon anymore without at least one appearance from the Princess of Wales and she was joined by Prince William, Prince George and Princess Charlotte on the final day. Charlotte enjoyed a treat trip to the tennis with her mum and aunt Pippa last year - minus her big brother - but it was lovely to see them together again this July.

Princess Charlotte was as impeccably stylish as the Princess of Wales, and there was a sure-fire sign that school’s out for the summer - she had nail polish on. Many UK schools are strict about if you can wear it and the young royal went for a fun strawberries and cream pink shade.

In moments of shock or awe during the match she raised her hands to her face and gave fans more of a glimpse of her colour of choice. I’m particularly interested, as it highlights a change since the late Queen Elizabeth’s reign.

Shop Pink Polishes

Princess Charlotte’s beloved great-grandmother preferred wearing light nude-pink tones on her nails. Famously, Essie’s Ballet Slippers was apparently her go-to with short nails and this is very popular right now with the appropriately-named Princess nail trend.

Although there wasn’t an official rule against dark or bright polishes, it’s said to have become an unofficial rule that royal women would follow the Queen’s example. I’ve only ever seen Kate with a bright colour polish once since becoming a senior royal and that was when she wore cherry red at Easter at Windsor Castle in 2023.

Charlotte’s pink nails at Wimbledon aren’t quite that bold, but they’re still a big step up from Queen Elizabeth’s favourite colour.

"It was lovely to see Princess Charlotte sporting such a bright, summery nail colour at the Wimbledon final," says woman&home’s Digital Beauty Writer Naomi Jamieson. "The shade reminds me of strawberry bubblegum, which feels so on-trend with all the warm pink and sorbet-inspired nail looks proving popular this season."

In Naomi’s view, Princess Charlotte’s nails feel like "quite a modern twist" on the "more traditional royal manicures we’re used to seeing".

She adds, "As many will know, Queen Elizabeth favoured more of a subtle, neutral pink manicure - the sort that goes with everything and never fails to feel timeless - and here, we see Charlotte putting her own playful spin on her great-grandmother's favourite."

This was the first time Charlotte has worn polish to Wimbledon and perhaps she’s taking after her great-aunt Duchess Sophie. The Duchess of Edinburgh has been spotted wearing brighter polishes more often in recent years and she loves pink hues.

It might seem like a subtle detail but seeing Princess Charlotte with her pretty pink nails could indicate there’s been a shift to a more relaxed approach. After all, many girls her age would want to wear fun nail polish and Prince William and Kate recognise that.

The tone of pink is still very wearable day-to-day compared to red or neon colours and her wearing it could tie in with the Waleses’s parenting style. They reportedly want their children to have as normal an upbringing as possible for royal kids and part of that is surely letting them follow trends and not worry quite so much about sticking to every single tradition.

She might not have made her first appearance at Wimbledon 2025 yet, but I would expect the Princess of Wales to attend at least one of the finals this weekend. It’s likely she won’t do so alone, either. In 2022, Prince George made his Wimbledon debut alongside his mum and both he and Princess Charlotte were there a year later.

Things were a little different in 2024, when Princess Charlotte enjoyed a day at the tennis without her siblings. According to royal expert Ingrid Seward, Kate had sworn to take her after feeling "guilty" about the amount of time she had been spending with her children whilst she was undergoing her cancer treatment.

"It was a long-held promise that Kate would take Charlotte to the finals as a special treat," Ingrid claimed to The Sun. "Kate felt guilty she hadn’t been able to spend as much time as she would have liked to be with the kids because of her exhaustion after her treatment."

Earlier this year, the future Queen confirmed that she was in remission, four months after she first announced she’d completed her chemotherapy. Throughout her recovery journey, she’s been very open about the impact of her diagnosis, not only upon her, but upon her family.

Speaking recently during a visit to the RHS Wellbeing Garden at Colchester Hospital, Kate also candidly discussed how, whilst you might want your life to return to "normal", this post-treatment phase can be very "difficult". She has been easing back in royal life so far in 2025 whilst still spending as much time with George, Charlotte, and Louis as possible.

Fulfilling her promise to Charlotte to take her to the tennis last July was a lovely opportunity to enjoy precious time with her daughter at an event that means a lot to both of them.

As Ingrid suggested, it was a "special treat" for the then-nine-year-old, who is an avid tennis fan too. The expert declared, "Charlotte has always loved tennis, and mum Kate took her to Hurlingham when she was quite young to play tennis there. Tennis is a big family thing on both sides."

Last year’s Men’s Singles Finals marked only the second time the Princess had been glimpsed publicly in 2024, so it was a very highly anticipated moment. Kate’s arrival in the Royal Box was met with thunderous cheers from the packed stands, and Ingrid thinks having Charlotte there was not only lovely for the Princess, but helped her mum too.

"It is a super special day for Kate to be able to share it with Charlotte, and much more fun for her to have Charlotte there and explain to her the details of what is going on. It’s also a distraction so she does not feel she is full and centre of everyone’s attention," alleged Ingrid, who is Editor-in-Chief of Majesty magazine.

In her view, Princess Charlotte was "there to deflect things away" from Kate, too, and the Princess of Wales was "determined to be at Wimbledon on finals day if she possibly could". Having her daughter and sister with her was likely a source of comfort too, given how big an occasion it was after months out of the public eye.

Opening up on the 2017 documentary, Sue Barker: Our Wimbledon, the Princess described Wimbledon as "a quintessential part of the English summer" that was "very much part" of her childhood. In light of this, it makes sense that she will be there to present a trophy again when Wimbledon 2025 ends.

Prince William has revealed that Princess Charlotte isn't quite the fan of football that her brothers are, but he's hopeful this could be turning around, crediting the Lionesses for their impact on the game.

England’s women’s squad, known as the Lionesses, are the current reigning champions of the UEFA Women’s Euro tournament, and they’re off to defend the title, sent on their way with a special visit from the Prince of Wales.

Joining schoolgirls who visited the women’s squad at St George’s Park, the football centre opened by William and Kate in 2012, William was asked if Charlotte is taking after her brothers in loving football.

As it turns out, Charlotte, who is third in the line of succession, is “not quite as into the football as the boys.” However, he has hope this might change, adding that she is “getting there".

Prince George, like his father, is football-mad and has joined William on plenty of game days to watch the England squad and Aston Villa, the Birmingham-based team they both support.

As for Prince Louis, William revealed in 2024 that he "supports five different football teams".

William himself has been a lifelong fan of the game, and he currently serves as the patron of the Football Association.

Explaining why he thinks Charlotte has been slower on the uptake, he shared, "It's again how much they play at school because you've got to create that environment. If their friends don't play then they're like, 'Well, I'm not going to.' It's collective and down to the school."

On this point, William was quick to heap praise on the Lionesses for all they’ve done in championing women’s football to new heights of popularity.

Touching on how many more young girls are getting into the sport now, including those who were there on the day, he said, "You are the reason they have got into football. They are hugely inspired by what you have done – what you have created.

"The fact is that 10 years ago, women's football was barely seen in the light it is today, and those opportunities have changed because of what you've done."

"I have been saying to a few of you, the men's team can definitely learn from your camaraderie and your team environment. You are brilliant together. You create a very unique unit.

"Hold on to that, treasure that, build on it because it's one of your greatest assets."

Perhaps one day soon we’ll see Charlotte joining William in cheering on the Lionesses at the stadium. If she does get into the sport, she'll be taking after another one of her relatives.

It's been widely reported that the late Queen Elizabeth II was partial to the beautiful game, and supported the London-based team, Arsenal.

And even if that never comes to pass, Charlotte, like her mum, Catherine, Princess of Wales, is still known to be sporty and athletic, taking part in the likes of ballet and tennis.

The Wales and Sussex kids are all quite high up in the royal line of succession, but they live very different lives in so many ways. Prince Archie and Princess Lilibet have never gone on a royal visit or attended Trooping the Colour and their faces are rarely seen in any photographs or videos shared by the Duke and Duchess of Sussex.

Their cousins also have a high level of privacy at Adelaide Cottage, though they do take part in certain royal events and appear in plenty of official pictures as they are gradually introduced to royal life. However, all six of them are keeping a royal tradition alive and it strikes me as particularly adorable - and meaningful.

Prince George, Charlotte and Louis and Prince Archie and Lilibet all call their fathers "Papa". It seems like such a small thing, however, it’s a sweet connection to the Royal Family, and I might have expected the Sussexes to use "Dad" instead.

After all, they’re living away from the royal bubble in California and Prince Harry and Duchess Meghan often refer to themselves as just "Harry and Meghan" in public. Meghan has even revealed her husband’s nickname "H" in interviews, whilst he is known to call her "Meg".

This all indicates quite a relaxed approach, so "Dad" might be the obvious choice if you had to guess what Archie and Lilibet call Prince Harry. "Papa" sounds a little more formal and the Duchess explained recently that this is the name they use.

During an appearance on Jamie Kern Lima’s podcast in April, she read out a letter written by her children with a little help from the Prince.

"From Archie and Lili via Papa. We love your cooking. We love your pancakes and we love, love, love your hugs. You're the best mummy and we love you," she said, as per the Evening Standard.

So it seems they do call their father "Papa" and Meghan also remarked on how much she loved that they said "mummy, instead of mommy", noting it’s "very British". "Papa" also sounds quite British, especially given that Prince George, Charlotte and Louis use it too.

In the Wales family’s 2025 Father’s Day photos taken by Josh Shinner the caption referred to the Prince of Wales in this way, stating, "Happy Father’s Day, Papa (before and after!) We love you! G, C & L".

In the past, they’ve also shared glimpses of Father’s Day cards addressed to him as "Papa", showing this isn’t a recent thing at all. It’s adorable that the cousins have this in common but this takes on even more significance as it’s continuing a long-standing royal custom.

Prince William and Harry call King Charles "Pa", which appears to be a shortening of this and King Charles himself called the late Prince Philip "Papa". Meanwhile, in a letter written to her parents describing their coronation, Queen Elizabeth II is said to have addressed the Queen Mother and King George VI as "Mummy and Papa".

"Dad" might be more common nowadays, but for the royals "Papa" has never gone out of favour and the Wales and Sussex cousins are keeping it alive as a tradition.

Trooping the Colour is a highlight of the Royal Family’s summer calendar and unlike last year’s parade, the 2025 event was gloriously sunny. This meant we got to see even more of the Princess of Wales and her children as they travelled by open-top carriage (and not by covered car).

Kate and Princess Charlotte sat side-by-side to travel down the Mall and as soon as I saw them, something struck me. You should never underestimate the amount of consideration that goes into every royal outfit and the Princesses were both wearing turquoise with ivory detailing.

This won’t have been a coincidence and I think the decision to have a mother-and-daughter matching moment at Trooping the Colour signals a return to an old tradition. They abandoned it for several years, but Princess Charlotte has been Kate’s mini-me at the parade surprisingly often.

The first time Prince William and Kate brought their daughter to mark the monarch’s official birthday was in 2016. The future Queen wore a coat dress in the softest shade of petal pink and Charlotte’s outfit and Mary Jane shoes were also blossom-hued.

A year later, the two royals upped the brightness and the Princess of Wales went for a vivid candy pink dress. The then-two-year-old Princess Charlotte wore an adorable bubblegum-coloured dress with puffed sleeves and a scalloped collar.

Just when it looked like they were sold on pink being their go-to tone for Trooping the Colour outfits, in 2018, mother and daughter switched things up and stepped out in soft aqua-blue. This was the last time - until 2024 - that Kate and Charlotte coordinated.

Although the Princess of Wales did have navy blue on her hat in 2022, it wasn’t too similar in colour to Princess Charlotte’s baby blue frock. However, last year the matching looks were back in action in the chicest way.

Kate made a rare appearance at Trooping the Colour amid her cancer treatment and wore an elegant white and navy blue ensemble with a statement bow. Her daughter also went for navy and white, but with the amounts of each shade opposite to her mum’s dress.

After a few years of going for different colours, I wasn’t sure if this was a one-off, so I was excited to see Kate and Charlotte in their turquoise dresses on 14th June. The future Queen’s vibrant coat dress was by one of her favourite British clothing brands, Catherine Walker.

Princess Charlotte’s dress was slightly paler and the neckline was trimmed in white. There was a contrasting white panel at the waist and these details echoed the ivory cuffs and collar on the Princess of Wales’s outfit.

The coordination between the two royals created a lovely sense of cohesion and family unity. It could be seen as a special nod to their bond and perhaps also of Charlotte’s admiration for Kate and her style, as the ten-year-old likely has more of an input into her outfits now than she did as a very young child.

Instead of one particular outfit drawing the eye more than the other, both were in harmony and also worked well with the navy suits and white ties worn by Prince George and Charlotte.

I’m already looking forward to the parade next year and hope that the Princess of Wales and Princess Charlotte’s renewed love for matching outfits will continue.

Each year we only see Prince George, Charlotte and Louis out in public a handful of times, making every anecdote and insight about them even more intriguing. The latest titbit was revealed by Prince William during a visit to the Duchy of Cornwall.

He became Duke of Cornwall after rising to first in the royal line of succession when King Charles ascended the throne in 2022, and he tries to visit part of the vast Duchy once every four to six weeks. These trips are usually private, but Kensington Palace gave permission for The Telegraph to join him for a "Duchy Day" in May.

According to the publication, the future King was given a bottle of home-grown apple juice to take home after visiting an orchard. This is a delicious gift - and one he apparently joked he’d "have to drink before" his children could "get their hands on it".

Prince George is particularly fond of apple juice and the Princess of Wales has supposedly described him as "obsessed" with one couple’s homemade batches. Speaking to Express.co.uk in 2023, radio host Roman Kemp claimed that his mum Shirlie gave the Princess a "crate" of their apple juice when she visited their home.

Kate and Roman teamed up to create a short film about mental well-being and the gift seemingly went down a storm at Adelaide Cottage.

"My mum and dad have this lovely house that they have been working on and there is a big apple tree and they have started making their own apple juice from it," he said. "My mum gave [the Princess of Wales] a crate of this apple juice that they made and she obviously took it home."

Roman added, "The next time I saw her she was like, 'Oh my God! Please can you say thank you to your mum and we need some more of that apple juice because George is obsessed with it. He keeps saying, ‘Mum, I want the apple juice.’"

Shirlie was reportedly more than happy to help the Prince out, with Roman alleging that she and the Princess and "have been trading" it. Now, two years later, Prince William’s joke seems to suggest that George isn’t the only huge apple juice fan in the Wales family.

Although the Prince’s comment was very light-hearted, it hints that Prince George, Charlotte and Louis would all be quick to finish his present if they had the chance.

They are currently enjoying the last few days of their half-term break and both the Prince and Princess of Wales traditionally pause engagements during school holidays so they can spend as much time with their children as possible.

The Prince of Wales’s "Duchy Day" visit reportedly took place in the "middle of May", as per The Telegraph, and he’s determined to be a "positive force for good" and "make people’s lives better". He wants to be "more" than the "traditional landowner".

“The core part of the Duchy works on its people... what it stands for,” he declared. “The key point of the Duchy for me is about social impact. People, places and planet, those are the key things we’re working on.”

Much has been made about the implications of being a 'spare' in the Royal Family - and Prince Harry's explosive memoir made everyone aware of the concept.

Harry, of course, isn't the only 'spare' - a family member who isn't poised to be a direct heir to the throne in the line of succession.

From Princess Anne to now Princess Charlotte and Prince Louis, there are plenty. And it doesn't have to be seen as a negative. Something two dedicated royals are setting an example for Charlotte and Louis to follow, according to a royal expert.

The Duke and Duchess of Edinburgh were two senior royal family members who stepped up and stepped in after the Royal Family's tough year in 2024, with Kate Middleton and King Charles both battling highly publicized illnesses.

And although they have been working royals since 2002, the BBC’s former royal correspondent, Jennie Bond, believes that the couple are finally getting the "recognition" they deserve, stepping up to the plate when they were needed more than ever before.

According to Jennie, Prince Edward and Duchess Sophie proving themselves and taking on more duties also helped set an example on how to flourish as a "spare", something that could influence their great-niece and nephew, Princess Charlotte and Prince Louis.

Speaking to OK!, Jennie stated that the Edinburghs "thoroughly deserve the recognition they are now getting... They have always been quietly devoted to their various causes, but their work has been overshadowed by other royals," she continued. "I suppose every cloud has a silver lining… and as the King calls on them to take a more prominent role, Edward and Sophie are showing they are very much up to the task."

Jennie then reflected that the couple are "serving as excellent role models to their great nephew [ ] and niece" as they are "showing that you can be a 'spare' or even a 'spare to the spare' and make a real success of working as a valued member of the Royal Family".

Not only will the Duke and Duchess be a good example, it's been rumored that Sophie enjoys a great bond with Charlotte, and they offered a rare glimpse into their dynamic during the 2025 VE Day celebrations.

The Duchess no doubt stepped in to help with Princess Charlotte and her brothers after Kate completed her cancer treatment in 2024.

Sophie being an asset to the family has other benefits, according to another royal expert.

Royal correspondent Katie Nicholl has previously claimed in her book The New Royals: Queen Elizabeth’s Legacy and the Future of the Crown, as per Express.co.uk, that the Princess of Wales is "said to admire" Prince Edward and Duchess Sophie’s approach with their own children. She apparently appreciates how they're raising Lady Louise Windsor and James, Earl of Wessex "in the bosom of the Royal Family but prepared for life in the real world."

Whether or not Princess Charlotte and Louis go on to become senior working royals or pursue separate careers, it seems Prince Edward and Duchess Sophie and their family are setting an example of "success" that could inspire them.

Prince William might be the future king, but when it comes to the family household, he revealed he's stuck with the chores his children often forget.

The Prince of Wales has shared plenty of relatable parenting moments over the years, including the massive fights he's had to deal with between his children.

And during an appearance at Woodgate Valley Urban Farm near Birmingham in the UK in 2024, he revealed more insight into the family pets at Adelaide Cottage - including the newer additions - and how he's left to clean up the mess.

During his appearance, which included grooming some guinea pigs, William revealed that they'd welcomed two new pets alongside their family cocker spaniel, Orla.

He said, ”These guys are pretty cool. We've got guinea pigs at home and they're not like this. I spend my life cleaning out the guinea pig cage because the children forget to do it."

William also gave a glimpse of the routine his own pets have at home, who aren’t as well behaved as the docile ones on the farm.

He added, "The ones we've got at home, they're off. You have to keep them constantly stroked and looked after."

Prince William, Princess Catherine, Prince George, Princess Charlotte and Prince Louis are also known to be owners to a beloved cocker spaniel called Orla - and they have a controversial sleeping habit when it comes to the cocker spaniel.

As well as taking time with the animals, William spoke with volunteers and staff at the city farm, who work to support children and young people through their education and those struggling with their mental health.

Alongside the animals, the National Lottery funded farm also therapeutic programs for the children to help improve their well-being through one-to-one support and community-focused activities.

The cute insight into life at Adelaide Cottage came after William got back into the swing of things, after taking some time out to focus on helping Kate recover from her cancer treatment.

One of his first appearances saw him make a special visit to see 12-year-old Freddie Hadley, who had written to him last year to discuss his school’s Matrix Project and the campaign #AmIManlyEnough, which supports male students with their mental health.

In a candid talk to the students at St Michael’s Church of England High School in Rowley Regis, William spoke about how he got into mental health campaigning and co-founded Heads Together with his wife, Kate and his brother Prince Harry.

"It started really when I was doing lots of charitable work, I never set out to look out into mental health, particularly male mental health," he began.

"I was interested in homelessness, depression, addiction, all these separate areas and I hadn't really put them altogether as a jigsaw - what are we looking at? What are we trying to fix? It all came together as a mental health piece.

"My passion, if you like, has moved now into male mental health because of the stats you [James] mentioned at the beginning, about the suicide rate in young men is just terrifying, and I wanted to do something about it."

Princess Charlotte is only ten years old but whenever we see her she radiates confidence - and isn’t afraid to tell her brothers off on occasion too. We’ve seen her seemingly remind Prince George of protocol and ask little Louis to put his hands down during their balcony appearance at Trooping the Colour.

She’s a very responsible royal - but she has her "naughty" side too. Prince William once said that she and George were as "cheeky as each other", but according to royal expert Ingrid Seward, another family member is now Charlotte’s "partner in crime".

According to The Sun, Ingrid has suggested that Zara and Mike Tindall’s 11-year-old daughter Mia brings out Princess Charlotte’s mischievous side when they’re together.

"Princess Charlotte and Mia Tindall have become best friends, when the cheeky pair are together that is," the Editor-in-Chief of Majesty Magazine claimed to Fabulous. "Charlotte is known for being super responsible for both of her brothers, telling them what to do and when to do it at royal occasions."

Comparing the personalities of the second cousins, she described Mia as "much more adventurous". However, she thinks that despite them being "total opposites", Princess Charlotte and Mia "become as one as children do" when they’re around each other.

The last time we saw the two of them in public together was on Christmas Day and they looked just as close as they did the year before. In 2023 photographers captured some wonderful pictures of Charlotte and Mia giggling and chatting together as the Royal Family made their way back to Sandringham House after church.

On its own this is very sweet, but I find it even more touching because of how it seems to be history repeating itself. Ingrid noted this and reflected that Prince William and Zara Tindall had a similar relationship as children and were "trouble".

"Prince William and Zara were also partners in crime when they were young. Nannies would dread the two of them being together as they were super naughty, noisy and loved getting into trouble," she alleged.

Nowadays we don’t get to see a lot of naughtiness from them in public, but as Ingrid added, they are "still good friends today". Whenever the future King and equestrian step out at the same event they always look so genuinely delighted to see each other and spend a lot of time chatting.

This cousinly bond is something Ingrid hopes their daughters will have for "as long".

She said, "It makes royal get-togethers much more fun and at their age they can still get away with being cheeky and naughty. In fact when they get together they can be double trouble but everyone loves them."

Princess Charlotte and Mia Tindall’s friendship is something that I suspect means a lot to Prince William. In 2021 he revealed that seeing Prince George, Charlotte and Louis with his cousins’ children when the family comes together is a highlight of Christmas.

"We're quite spread out doing our things a lot of the time throughout the year. We get very few moments to actually come together," he said on Radio Marsden. "When I see my children meet up with my cousin's children, and they all have a wonderful time playing together, it's very special. I look forward to that a lot."

Prince William gave hope to parents everywhere when he revealed even future kings have to deal with stroppy children.

The Prince of Wales shared there's often a "massive fight" between Prince George and Charlotte "most mornings" - and judging by the hilarious mimicking from Prince Louis, it won't be long until he's squabbling with his siblings too.

Over the years fans have been treated to many adorable insights into the bond between Prince George, Princess Charlotte and Prince Louis, including the indulgent dinner the kids like to make for mom, Kate Middleton.

And even though they largely get on great, it's a fact that all siblings bicker every now and then, and according to Prince William there’s often a reason for a “massive fight” between George and Charlotte.

Speaking in an episode of Apple Fitness + series Time to Walk in 2021, the Prince of Wales explained that music is a huge passion his children share, but they don’t see eye-to-eye on songs. So much so, that their determination to have their own choice of music played apparently leads to frequent arguments.

"What I've been amazed by is how much my children already have inherited my family's love of music. Most mornings there's a massive fight between Charlotte and George as to what song is played in the morning," the future King explained.

He then went on to share the solution he implemented to minimize this, revealing that he has to "basically prioritize" that on one day someone gets to choose the music and then someone else takes a turn on another day.

Prince William said, "So George gets his go, then Charlotte gets her go. Such is the, the clamour for the music."

"One of the songs that the children are loving at the moment is Shakira, Waka Waka. There's a lot of hip movements going along with a lot of dressing up," Prince William continued. "Charlotte particularly is running around the kitchen, in her dresses and ballet stuff. She goes completely crazy with Louis following her around trying to do the same thing."

Since Prince William revealed the reason there was often a "massive fight" between Prince George and Charlotte it’s possible that the bickering has stopped, thanks to him deciding they should take turns. Although now Prince Louis is older they will perhaps be having to adjust their morning routine at Adelaide Cottage to ensure he gets a say too.

During his time in Singapore at the Earthshot Prize Awards, the Prince of Wales reportedly told One Republic, who performed at the ceremony, that Prince Louis is a huge fan.

"I can't thank you enough. You were amazing. What a way to start the show. That was incredible," he is understood to have said. "Louis, my youngest, loves your songs."

Meanwhile, Prince George supposedly enjoys a slightly different genre of music. Per the Daily Mail, the Prince of Wales spoke with people during a walkabout over the coronation weekend including Caroline Mulvihill, a member of the Rock Choir.

"We were talking about the kind of music we do in Rock Choir and Will was telling us in their household they have a very diverse music taste and George is very much into AC/DC and Led Zeppelin," she declared.

Princess Charlotte joined her brothers, parents and other family members to take part in the 80th anniversary of VE Day (Victory in Europe Day), marking the end of World War Two.

And while the young princess - who recently celebrated her 10th birthday - was all smiles sitting with her mum, the Princess of Wales, it was a rare moment between her and great-aunt Sophie, the Duchess of Edinburgh, that melted fans hearts.

As the family made their way from their royal box on the Mall towards Buckingham Palace, Duchess Sophie - dressed in a chic pink-and-white gingham dress - and Princess Charlotte were all smiles as they walked side-by-side.

Charlotte looked completely at ease with Sophie - the aunt to her father, Prince William - and the two appeared to break into laughter several times.

Sophie’s own children, Lady Louise Windsor and James, Earl of Wessex were not at the VE Day celebrations. It is likely Lady Louise, who is studying at St Andrew's University and James, at a school in Surrey, couldn’t make it back, but luckily Charlotte was on hand to be Sophie’s sidekick.

It’s long been reported Duchess Sophie has formed a strong, tight knit bond with Kate Middleton and her children following the turbulent years they’ve faced, from the death of Queen Elizabeth II to Kate’s cancer diagnosis.

Previously, a senior royal source reportedly confirmed there was a “really warm connection between Sophie and her great-niece” which included shopping trips, and Princess Catherine “loves” the bond being formed.

It's expected many senior royals will come together again on Thursday 8 May to take part in a Service of Thanksgiving for VE Day at Westminster Abbey - though Duchess Sophie might have to do without having Charlotte by her side as the young princess will likely be at school.

Princess Charlotte recently turned ten and the day she was welcomed into the world back in 2015 was history-making in several ways. The Prince and Princess of Wales’s second child became the first British Princess who would never be outranked by a younger brother, thanks to the Succession of the Crown Act 2013.

Charlotte was also her parents’ first daughter and the first granddaughter for King Charles. His Majesty was "thrilled" to become a grandpa to a little girl and a few days after she was born he shared his hope that she’ll do something for him one day.

As reported by The Telegraph, the King was visiting Poundbury in Dorset when he revealed that he’d "really" been "hoping for a girl". He described the Princess as "beautiful" and explained that he wishes she’ll be there for him in his old age.

"I was hoping for a granddaughter - someone to look after me when I am very old," he declared, telling researchers at the Poundbury Cancer Institute "I am really rather thrilled."

His Majesty was just as delighted when he was presented with a Charlotte Rose by Lucy Simpson of Poundbury Gardens and said it would be "marvellous" to have it in his own gardens. Her first name is also connected to her grandfather as the feminine form of ‘Charles’.

It’s clear that from the moment she was born King Charles was besotted with his new granddaughter. His hope that she’ll be a source of support and care for him in later life is so sweet and given their bond it’s possible his hopes will be granted - and not just by her.

Prince George, Charlotte and Louis are all understood to have a close relationship with the King, who they used to affectionately call "Grandpa Wales". Former BBC Royal Correspondent Jennie Bond believes that this is the monarch’s "dearest wish".

Opening up to OK!, she previously claimed, "When you’ve had a wonderful experience in life, it’s natural to want to replicate it for your children and grandchildren."

"Charles had a magical relationship with his grandmother, the Queen Mother," Jennie added. "And I’m sure his dearest wish is to give George - and his other grandchildren (Prince Archie and Princess Lilibet) - a similar strong and loving relationship."

The royal expert expressed her view that King Charles is "quite a soppy old thing really" and "hugely values the time he has available" to spend with his grandkids.

This might not be quite as much as he’d like, due to his busy schedule and them living at Adelaide Cottage in Windsor whilst he’s based at Clarence House in London.

They most likely still make as much time as they can for family gatherings, alongside some public reunions. George, Charlotte and Louis have regularly attended the monarch’s official birthday parade, Trooping the Colour, since they were born.

We would expect them to do so again on 14th June and to join their parents, King Charles, Queen Camilla and the other working royals on the Buckingham Palace balcony. It’s a special moment for so many reasons and is one of the only times all year that fans can get a glimpse of the monarch with his Wales grandchildren.

As everyone expected - and hoped - the Prince and Princess of Wales have just released a special picture to mark Princess Charlotte turning 10 on 2nd May. Unlike her brother Prince Louis’ recent seventh birthday snap, this one was taken by the future Queen.

Alongside a message wishing their daughter a happy birthday, she and Prince William posted the photo of Charlotte sitting on a hillside under rolling clouds.

The young royal is beaming at the camera and wearing a leaf-print, camo-esque jacket that blends in with her picturesque surroundings. On her back is a practical blue rucksack and multiple reports have claimed that the picture was snapped in Cumbria earlier this year.

This isn’t the only thing that’s been suggested about the adorable photo. According to the BBC, Princess Charlotte’s tenth birthday picture was apparently taken by Kate on her iPhone. This ties in with my main takeaway from the snap - which is just how low-key and personal it is.

We’ve seen Prince William and Kate share personal snaps before, from the Father’s Day picture of the Wales kids all joyfully jumping on their dad, to the future King jumping above the sand dunes in Norfolk with them in his 2024 birthday photo.

But Princess Charlotte’s photo feels very different to me. The collared shirts and cardigans we’ve seen her wear so many times for birthday portraits have gone and have been replaced with the very casual Jack Pyke Junior Jacket and rucksack.

Even in Prince Louis’ picture just days ago he was wearing a smart shirt and jumper, but his sister’s outfit is so off-duty. It was clearly taken on some sort of family holiday and it feels very natural and un-staged.

It’s exactly the kind of photo I could imagine any mother taking of their child during a trip away and having on their phone. The fact that Kate and Prince William chose to release it as their daughter’s official picture is enlightening.

The couple have been taking a more down-to-earth approach to royal life since becoming Prince and Princess of Wales. This has only become more of a focus for them following the Princess’ cancer diagnosis and treatment last year.

In January she confirmed that she was in remission and since then, family and nature have been at the heart of a lot of Waleses’ decisions and posts. The day before Charlotte’s birthday they shared a video on Instagram in honour of May Day and teased something exciting coming up.

The clip features beautiful snapshots of nature and Kate also changed up her Mother’s Day post for 2025 and used it to celebrate Mother Nature. Princess Charlotte’s 10th birthday photo showed her out in the Cumbrian countryside.

The Princess recently described the natural world as being a “sanctuary” and last year, when Kate confirmed she had completed cancer treatment and shared a video by Will Warr, she spoke about how her perspective had slightly changed.

"This time has above all reminded William and me to reflect and be grateful for the simple yet important things in life, which so many of us often take for granted. Of simply loving and being loved," she declared.

Family time and time out in nature has never been more important to Prince William and Kate than it is now. I think the new photo of Princess Charlotte reflects this pretty perfectly and helps to showcase their priorities going forward.

Royal fans often point out just how similar Princess Charlotte is to her mom Kate Middleton - and that includes the foods they enjoy.

Like many moms and daughters, the Princess of Wales and her daughter Princess Charlotte share a very close bond. The youngster is often called her mom's 'mini-me' and they've been spotted sharing many sweet moments, from twinning in matching sunglasses at Wimbledon to coordinating silver headpieces at King Charles's coronation.

But the sweet similarities go beyond their fashion choices. Charlotte, who is third in the royal line of succession, also takes after Kate when it comes to her favorite foods, too, with Kate Middleton once sharing that her daughter has inherited her love for a delicious Mediterranean snack.

You might think that a nearly ten-year-old like Princess Charlotte would be asking for chocolate bars, candy and chips in their packed lunch box, but it's olives that Charlotte really loves to snack on.

The Princess of Wales revealed as such back in 2018, when she paid visited London's Great Ormond Street Hospital. While meeting young patients and sitting to chat with them, Catherine told four-year-old Rafael Chana some rare details about her and her children's favorite foods.

When little Rafael told Kate about his love for eating olives, the future Queen Consort revealed that both the her and her daughter also love the snack - and it's not just this foody item that's a family favorite at Adelaide Cottage, either.

Pasta is another go-to on the menu for the Wales family, Kate revealed.

"I used to eat lots and lots of olives when I was little as well," she said, adding, "Charlotte likes pasta too."

Later that day, royal journalist Rebecca English took to social media to share more details of what Kate, who was known as the Duchess of Cambridge at the time, said during her visit.

"The Duchess of Cambridge revealed today that her daughter, Princess Charlotte, loves olives and she encourages both her and Prince George to cook with her," the reporter penned.

While Princess Charlotte is snacking on olives, Catherine revealed that her youngest son Prince Louis is tucking into a different, but no less unexpected, snack.

During her appearance on Mary Berry's Christmas special, A Very Berry Christmas, back in 2019, Catherine shared that little Louis, who has become known for his bold and energetic nature, is big on his vegetables - with one somewhat unlikely pick being a favorite.

As she shared details of the produce the Wales family grow in their own garden, Kate said, "We grow our own vegetables. We’ve got carrots, beans, beetroot - a massive favorite - Louis absolutely loves beetroot."

They might be the King’s grandchildren but according to a former royal nanny, Prince George, Charlotte and Louis are incredibly "grounded" and this really becomes clear in the evenings.

Opening up to The Sun, Caroline Redgrave, who is understood to have worked for the future King and Queen when their children were younger, has claimed that this time of day was when they were "most relaxed".

"You get to know them in those quiet evening hours. That’s when they’re most relaxed. And it’s also when you see how grounded they really are; polite, playful and full of personality," she alleged. "We always kept to a familiar structure of a warm bath, quiet play, stories and then bed."

Caroline went on to suggest that this night-time routine remained the same "no matter what had gone on in the day". When you consider that Prince George, Charlotte and Louis have been making public appearances since babyhood, this becomes even more remarkable.

Keeping to a clear routine that was reportedly "designed to help them unwind slowly" might well help to make them feel "grounded" amidst all the scrutiny they face as young royals. The former nanny added that screen time was a no-go for the evenings.

Instead, the routine was "about slowing everything down" and creating a tranquil environment before they went to sleep. Caroline, who is now a private childcare consultant, revealed to the publication that bedtime was "beautifully ordinary" in the Wales household.

"There were cuddles, books, the occasional giggle fit," she claimed. "It was beautifully ordinary. People imagine strict formality, but the truth is, it was warm, loving, and very normal."

Prince George, Charlotte and Louis have grown up a lot since then and the routine has likely evolved as a result. However, it wouldn’t be surprising if many elements of their "normal" night-time routine have stuck around and are upheld at Adelaide Cottage.

We know that books have remained a key part of the Wales family’s evening ritual over the years. In 2020 during a visit to Mumbles, Prince William spotted someone holding a copy of Julia Donaldson’s Room on the Broom and excitedly shared it was a popular choice in his house.

"I read this to our children all the time," he exclaimed, as per the Daily Mail, before adding that he’d met Julia when she received her CBE for services to literature.

He continued, "I said, "do you realise how many parents you have saved at bed time?". David Walliams also does good books for children - for a little bit older children I think. I've read one and it was really, really good."

The Princess of Wales has another book that she, Prince George, Charlotte and Louis love too. In 2023 she visited Sebby’s Corner and reportedly donated 50 copies of The Owl Who Was Afraid Of The Dark to the charity, which supports families in need in London and Hertfordshire.

Bianca Sakol, the founder and CEO of Sebby’s Corner told People that this was "so lovely" and that this was a book "she said she enjoyed reading with her children".

The future Queen also read this Wales family favourite book as her CBeebies Bedtime Story to mark Children's Mental Health Week in 2022.

Prince George, Charlotte and Louis apparently found the Princess of Wales’s discovery near Anmer Hall absolutely "fascinating".

The Princess of Wales can seemingly turn her hand to almost anything, from tennis to piano playing and drawing. Over the years we’ve seen her showcase so many skills but she’s still adding new ones to her repertoire alongside her royal role and being a hands-on mum to Prince George, Charlotte and Louis. Although the Wales family are based at Adelaide Cottage in Windsor during term time, their Anmer Hall home in Norfolk holds a special place in their hearts and Kate recently revealed the discovery she made nearby that was "fascinating" to her kids.

According to Hello!, the Princess of Wales reportedly explained to a group of volunteers at Meadow Street Community Garden and Woodland that she’s learning to forage as a new hobby. She visited the garden in Pontypridd with Prince William on 26th February and shared that she found a "huge" puffball mushroom near Anmer Hall.

"The children thought it was fascinating," Kate apparently added during the visit, which saw her learn more about how the volunteers worked to restore the garden in the wake of Storm Bert and Storm Darragh’s devastation last year.

Foraging isn’t restricted to mushrooms and the Princess of Wales could end up being able to safely identify and enjoy plenty of edible goodies from the Norfolk countryside, from nuts to seeds and other plants. Wild garlic foraging season is also now in full swing and given how intrigued Prince George, Charlotte and Louis were about her mushroom finding efforts already, it’s possible that they could join her for a family foraging trip sometime.

Foraging is a Royal Family favourite hobby already as both King Charles and Queen Camilla are avid mushroom foragers. Writing in his book Cooking and the Crown: Royal Recipes from Queen Victoria to King Charles III, Tom Parker Bowles described wild mushrooms as an "obsession" for his mother and stepfather who are "deeply competitive about their hauls".

"They’re both very keen mycologists, and both know their mushrooms very, very well. This time of year, depending on rain, there’s ceps and chanterelles… I go with my mother and there’s a lot of fantastic mushrooming in Scotland. It’s a shared pleasure," Tom said, as per The Independent.

His Majesty is understood to have set out on a solo mushroom foraging trip in August 2011, so if Kate needs any extra tips she has the perfect person to turn to. Whether or not she’ll bring her children along at some point, Kate and Prince William prioritise spending time outdoors with Prince George, Charlotte and Louis and the young royals love it.

Speaking on the 2020 ITV documentary, Prince William: A Planet For Us All, the future King declared, "Seeing my children, seeing the passion in their eyes and the love for being outdoors… They find a bug or they love watching how bees are forming the honey. George particularly, if he's not outdoors he's quite like a caged animal. He needs to get outside."

The Princess of Wales keeps bees at Anmer Hall and it was near her Windsor home that Prince Louis took a special photo of his mum out in nature released to mark World Cancer Day 2025.

The Princess of Wales’s opinion of Prince William's beard reportedly couldn't have been more different to Princess Charlotte's response.

The royals rarely switch up their looks too drastically and so whilst Prince William’s beard isn’t the most huge change it certainly attracted its fair share of attention when he debuted in August 2024. After having it for a month, the future King then shaved it off before re-growing his facial hair and he’s stuck with this new look ever since. Fans have had overwhelmingly positive reactions to Prince William’s beard, but at Adelaide Cottage his wife and daughter’s opinions reportedly varied massively.

Speaking on a special episode of 60 Minutes Australia this month, the Prince’s former communications secretary Jason Knauf recently expressed how he believes Kate feels about her husband’s choice. He claimed that if she wasn’t a fan, Prince William would shave it off again.

"I love it. I think it's great. But I've talked to him about it or tried to talk to him about it. He's like, 'It's here. I have a beard. No further conversation'," Jason alleged, as per Hello!, and when asked if Kate liked the facial hair he added, "If she didn't like it, it wouldn't be there. I could tell you that!"

If Jason’s remarks are correct, then it seems like Prince William reportedly has Kate’s seal of approval to put his clean shaven days behind him and he perhaps received this important opinion from the very start. However, their daughter Princess Charlotte wasn’t as keen to embrace her father’s new look - at least not for a while.

During his visit to South Africa for the 2025 Earthshot Prize Awards in November last year Prince William revealed in an interview that the nine-year-old royal burst into "floods of tears" after seeing his beard the first time he grew it.

"Well Charlotte didn't like it the first time. I got floods of tears, so I had to shave it off. And then I grew it back. I thought, hang on a second, and I convinced her it was going to be OK," the Prince of Wales explained, according to OK!.

Princess Charlotte’s instant reaction was so strong that her doting dad decided to return to his former clean shaven look for several months. Only after she was "convinced" about it and changed her opinion did Prince William grow his beard back and keep it for good. Now Princess Charlotte and her mother are aligned about the future King’s beard and as Prince William didn’t discuss his sons’ reaction they likely approve of it too.

It’s not entirely clear when Prince William grew it back, although he didn’t appear to have a beard in the video filmed by Will Warr that was released in September alongside Kate’s announcement that she’d "completed" cancer treatment. The still from the video they used as their Valentine’s Day photo this month didn’t show facial hair either. By November, though, the beard was fully back and so many people couldn’t be happier to see it.

Prince Harry has sported a beard himself for many years now and Kate’s brother James Middleton is also a big fan of beards. In 2020 he revealed on Instagram that he hadn’t shaved for 7 years and did so then, because he realised that his then-fiancée Alizée had never seen him without facial hair throughout their relationship.

Prince William reportedly revealed a surprising wish for Princess Charlotte and Louis at a recent engagement as Prince George follows in his footsteps.

The Prince and Princess of Wales enjoyed their quiet Christmas break in Norfolk but after returning to Adelaide Cottage the couple have already resumed royal duties for 2025. Kate’s first engagement of 2025 was incredibly poignant as she visited The Royal Marsden hospital, where she underwent cancer treatment last year. Whilst Prince William attended the inaugural Emergency and Critical Care Conference as Patron of College of Paramedics on 15th January. The future King also undertook another, rather surprising visit before returning home from Birmingham as he joined a group of fellow football fans for a drink.

Prince William has been an avid supporter of Birmingham-based Aston Villa Football Club since childhood and he delightedly talked all things Villa in a local Wetherspoons pub. However, his children weren’t far from his mind and the royal shared his wish for Princess Charlotte and Louis that we didn’t see coming.

According to Hello!, Prince William apparently revealed to another Aston Villa fan, Steve Jones, that he doesn’t actually want all three of his and Kate’s children to support his favourite team.

"It was 95 per cent chat about Villa as that's our shared interest but a bit about his family," Steve claimed. "Young George is a Villa fan but he didn't want all three [children] to be Villa fans. He was massively interested and seemed like a really genuine guy and all he wanted to do was talk about Villa."

One thing we didn’t expect to hear this year is that Prince William doesn’t want Princess Charlotte and Louis to follow in his and Prince George’s Aston Villa-supporting footsteps. As Steve mentioned, Prince George is definitely a fan of Aston Villa and has joined his dad at matches before.

The two were pictured cheering the team on last April, with the young royal wearing the maroon and blue scarf of Aston Villa around his neck. Given how much they look to enjoy their father-son football matches it’s very intriguing that the Prince of Wales doesn’t seemingly want Charlotte and Louis to both support the same team.

Perhaps it is because the future King doesn’t want to show too much favouritism and wants his children to make their own choice about who to support, especially since counting a royal amongst your fans is likely to be very exciting for a club. Or possibly he just enjoys a bit of friendly rivalry…This is something he and Kate already have when it comes to rugby and Prince George is already in the middle of that.

The Princess of Wales became the Patron of the Rugby Football Union, England’s rugby union governing body, in 2022 and Prince William is the Patron of Welsh Rugby. The couple took Prince George to watch England vs Wales in the Six Nations that year and he was asked which side he was supporting.

As per The Telegraph, he shrugged in response and Prince William laughed and responded, gesturing at Kate, "It’s become quite the thing in the house. She is quite into it, I’m trying to stay out of it."

Despite not wanting to get too involved, Prince William was good-humoured about it and it’s likely that as a future Prince of Wales, Prince George will one day support Wales too. Perhaps Prince William will also want Charlotte and Louis to support a different rugby team to mix things up within the family.

The Princess of Wales is facing a "looming responsibility" and according to a royal expert she could be making sure George, Charlotte and Louis can "deal" with it too.

Navigating the balance of public and family life can’t be easy for the Prince and Princess of Wales, but with their royal roles set to change one day it’s possible this could become even more challenging. Although it’s Prince William and Kate who will bear the responsibility and duties that come with being King and Queen in the future, this will also have an impact upon Prince George, Charlotte and Louis too. The family currently lives at Adelaide Cottage in Windsor treading a considered line between maintaining the children’s privacy and public appearances.

However, royal expert and author of My Mother and I, Ingrid Seward, believes that Kate is well aware of what lies ahead. In her view, she "needs to make sure" that Prince George, Charlotte and Louis can "deal" with the extra pressure and scrutiny that being Queen will bring in its wake.

Speaking to Hello!, she claimed, "Kate knows there is a looming, massive responsibility coming, but she can't do anything about that, so she just needs to make sure that the family she's bringing up are able to deal with it."

The royal expert went on to suggest that despite knowing she must rise to the "responsibility" of being Queen one day, the Princess of Wales might also be eager to put her family first when she can after all she's been through recently. In September Kate shared a heartfelt message and video by Will Warr confirming that she had "completed" her cancer treatment after revealing her diagnosis in March.

"It must have been very difficult for her to deal with her family and her illness at the same time, and she obviously realises that the children have been through a hard time too," Ingrid stated. "I think the illness has made her keen to prioritise her family even more, because they are the future. Obviously, she wants to support her husband and the monarchy, but she's going to make sure that she does it in such a way that it doesn't take her away from the family too much."

"It must have been very difficult for her to deal with her family and her illness at the same time, and she obviously realises that the children have been through a hard time too," Ingrid stated. "I think the illness has made her keen to prioritise her family even more, because they are the future. Obviously, she wants to support her husband and the monarchy, but she's going to make sure that she does it in such a way that it doesn't take her away from the family too much."

As parents Prince William and Kate are both understood to be very hands-on, doing school pick ups and drop-offs and encouraging their children’s hobbies. Whilst it isn’t always possible since they’ve become Prince and Princess of Wales, the couple also try to keep their diaries free from engagements during Prince George, Charlotte and Louis’s school holidays so they can spend as much time together as a family as they can.

Maintaining this sense of normality for them despite their royal titles might stand them in good stead when it comes to handling the impact of the "looming responsibility" Prince William and Kate will have one day. The Wales family’s most recent public appearance was on Christmas Day and George, Charlotte and Louis have now returned to school.

However, they will surely be looking forward to celebrating Kate’s 43rd birthday in some way on 9th January. Precious moments with her loved ones are something which, as Ingrid stated, the mum-of-three does seem to be focusing on even more than ever now and the Princess remarked upon this herself in her message back in September.

"This time has above all reminded William and me to reflect and be grateful for the simple yet important things in life, which so many of us often take for granted. Of simply loving and being loved," she declared.

The Prince and Princess of Wales have shared their 2024 Christmas card photo a little later this year and it features them, Prince George, Charlotte and Louis around one of the most significant moments of the entire year.

Christmas just wouldn’t be Christmas without the Prince and Princess of Wales’s annual festive card which always features a special snap of the family. Over the years we’ve seen Prince William, Kate, Prince George, Charlotte and Louis beaming during a sunny holiday in Jordan in 2021, and sitting happily in front of an autumnal log pile at Anmer Hall in 2020. The future King and Queen usually share their Christmas card photo on social media in early to mid December, but this year they waited a little longer.

Their 2024 Christmas card picture is a still from the heart-warming video by Will Warr that was released alongside Kate’s announcement that she had completed her cancer treatment. The picture shows her, Prince William, George Charlotte and Louis with their arms round each other in Norfolk.

In a perhaps unintentional nod to their 2020 Christmas photo, this one shows them all sitting on a pile of logs in the picturesque countryside on a sunshine-filled day. At first glance this picture is already an adorable snapshot of a special day spent together during Prince George, Charlotte and Louis’s school holidays. However, Kate and Prince William’s choice of this particular photo is particularly significant given the pivotal moment this represents.

Although they could have decided to have a new picture taken or gone for one from a different time, the Prince and Princess of Wales chose this still from the video which publicly confirmed to the world that Kate had completed her treatment. This was such a meaningful video reflecting upon a hugely important moment in her life after all she’d gone through so far in 2024.

In her message, the Princess of Wales expressed "relief" at completing chemotherapy and spoke of how her perspective upon life has evolved.

"With humility, it also brings you face to face with your own vulnerabilities in a way you have never considered before, and with that, a new perspective on everything," she said. "This time has above all reminded William and me to reflect and be grateful for the simple yet important things in life, which so many of us often take for granted. Of simply loving and being loved."

Kate and Prince William’s Christmas card for 2024 captures this renewed focus on love and simplicity perfectly. It shines a light on their close family bond during a family day out in nature. This picture is also more candid than we traditionally see from the more official, posed royal Christmas cards and exudes warmth and happiness.

Giving it an extra special feel was the animation they added this year - something that we’ve not seen from the Wales’s Christmas card photo post before. For 2024 the family’s card was pictured displayed on a wooden table in front of a Christmas tree with animated snow falling gently downwards and giving it an even more festive and magical feel.

According to the BBC, the Wales family are already in Norfolk ahead of them spending Christmas Day with the royals at Sandringham House. This will likely be the next time Prince William, Kate, Prince George, Charlotte and Louis are seen in public, although we can’t help hoping they might release another special photo on Christmas Day too like they did last year.

Prince Louis is said to have kept an adorable secret from his big sister Princess Charlotte for weeks despite “bursting” to tell her.

Over the past four years the Royal Family’s Christmas season has in many ways truly begun with the Princess of Wales’s Together at Christmas carol service. This year’s service was filmed on 6th December and the Prince and Princess of Wales were accompanied by their three children to this heart-warming event. Six-year-old Prince Louis joined his siblings and parents for the first time in 2023 and the excitement was likely just as high this December thanks to a secret he apparently kept from Princess Charlotte as an amazing surprise.

According to the Daily Mail, when Kate arrived ahead of the service she spoke with guests and performers, including Paloma Faith, to whom she revealed this sweet anecdote and how her son was “bursting” to tell.

The future Queen was reportedly heard talking about the ballet dancers who performed at Together at Christmas and explained that Louis had found out about them weeks earlier, but that she’d urged him not to say anything to his sister.

She supposedly asked Prince Louis, “Can you keep a secret otherwise it won't be a surprise for Charlotte, who loves her ballet dancing”, before adding, “He has kept the secret for, what, nearly two weeks now.”

After Paloma described this as being “very challenging” for the young royal, Kate said, “For a six-year-old. And then this morning he said, ‘Mummy, please can I tell her - I'm bursting.’ I did drop off and he really wanted to tell her. I think - hopefully - he's kept it.”

Fans will have to wait until Christmas Eve to be able to tune in and see the soloists from the Royal Ballet perform during Together at Christmas, but it sounds like a magical moment in the service and one Princess Charlotte no doubt loved. As her proud mum told singer Paloma, Princess Charlotte is known to be a huge fan of ballet and if Prince Louis’s adorable secret was kept right up to the last moment like Kate believed, it would have been a wonderful surprise.

The two siblings have an incredibly close bond and Princess Charlotte’s love of dancing is something that seems to have been inspiring her younger brother too. Back in 2021 Prince William opened up about his daughter dancing in their kitchen being followed by Louis on an episode of Apple Fitness +’s Time to Walk podcast.

"Charlotte, particularly, is running around the kitchen in her dresses and ballet stuff and everything," he shared. "She goes completely crazy with Louis following her around trying to do the same thing. It's a really happy moment where the children just enjoy dancing, messing around, and, and singing."

The Princess of Wales also previously took her younger children to the set of the BBC’s Strictly Come Dancing in 2023. Head Judge Shirley Ballas claimed to The Sun that the siblings had an “absolute ball” and that Prince Louis had requested a little paper crown like the one they gave Princess Charlotte after initially giving him sweets.

It seems that Prince Louis idolises Princess Charlotte and wants to be just like her - so it’s so heart-warming to think that the six-year-old kept the Together at Christmas secret to give her a dance-focused surprise.

Prince George, Charlotte and Louis could be likely to receive a special festive privilege so they can enjoy their mum Kate’s big moment.

The festive season is all about spending time with your loved ones and it’s around this time of year that we tend to see a few rare glimpses of the Prince and Princess of Wales’s three children out in public. Of course, we can expect to see Prince George, Charlotte and Louis walking to church from Sandringham on Christmas Day, but ahead of this they’ll likely attend their mum’s Together at Christmas carol service. Prince George and Princess Charlotte made their debut at the service in 2022 and last year Prince Louis joined the rest of his family for the first time - providing several cute moments for fans to enjoy in the process!

This year the Princess of Wales’s carol service will be filmed on Friday 6th December and according to Hello!, guests are expected to arrive at 3:30pm for a 5pm start. If this is the case, then Prince George, Charlotte and Louis could receive the special festive privilege of leaving school early to make it.

The Wales children attend Lambrook School near the family’s Adelaide Cottage home in Berkshire, but term doesn’t end for Christmas until 13th December. It’s been suggested that the full day at Lambrook lasts until 5:20pm and even if this isn’t still the case, finishing in mid-afternoon like many schools would still mean a tight turnaround.

If Prince George, Charlotte and Louis do follow the pattern of previous years and join Prince William and Kate at Together at Christmas, they’d have to have time to get ready and travel to London ready for the 5pm start. In light of this, it seems likely that the school might give them some kind of special dispensation to leave slightly earlier. This would be a lovely thing to do and would ensure they definitely don’t miss out on their mum’s big moment.

The return of her annual carol service has been highly anticipated and will be one of the most high-profile public appearances she’s made since she completed cancer treatment. It’s expected that plenty of Royal Family members will be there to show their support, as well as Kate’s parents Michael and Carole Middleton and her siblings Pippa and James, who have all attended in the past.

Each year Together at Christmas has a specific focus and the one for the 2024 service is love and empathy and how much we need each other, especially at the most difficult times of our lives. With such a special and deeply poignant message behind it, it’ll be wonderful for the Princess to have her own beloved family, including Prince George, Charlotte and Louis, with her.

"It’s a date that many of her family, on both sides, will not want to miss,” the BBC’s former royal correspondent Jennie Bond previously claimed to OK!. “And I’m sure they will make it as big a family event as possible. It will also be a chance for the children to see mum back in action, looking well and happy. And that will be the best Christmas present they could hope for.”

Jennie also reflected that the service has become an “occasion when we see quite a large turnout of the Royal Family” that “really marks the beginning of the royal Christmas”.

“This carol concert is Catherine’s way of thanking all those who have supported her and shown her kindness,” Jennie stated. “I think it’s lovely that the congregation will be largely made up of people who’ve helped or been helped."