The Queen 'can't stand' how Kate and William parent their children on holiday
The Queen was reportedly shocked to discover Kate and William breaking royal tradition at their holiday home
The Queen 'can't stand' this parenting habit favored by Kate Middleton and Prince William, according to a royal insider.
- The Queen was shocked to discover how Kate Middleton and Prince William parent their children while at Anmer Hall, a royal source has revealed.
- The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge are known to be relatively relaxed with Princes George and Louis and Princess Charlotte, allowing them more freedom than the royal youth of past generations.
- In other royal news, Prince Harry requested BBC documentary remove this 'misogynistic' phrase about Meghan from final edit.
She may be the Royal Matriarch, but when it comes to controlling the day-to-day running of Britain's first family, the Queen has far less say than you'd imagine.
Her Majesty was reportedly stunned to discover how much time Prince William and Kate Middleton spend with their kids in their kitchen, having never viewed the room as a suitable environment for socializing.
According to a 2018 report from Express UK, the Queen's great-grandchildren, George, Charlotte, and Louis, love to convene with their mum and dad in the culinary space at their holiday home of Anmer Hall in Norfolk. It's understood that the Cambridges use the lavish kitchen as their 'main base' —a habit the 95-year-old monarch "struggles to get her head around."
"For the Queen, she can't stand that, because she is used to having a set room for that sort of thing," the source explained.
For Her Majesty, the kitchen—no matter how grandiose—is simply not an acceptable meeting point for the future King of Britain.
"The kitchen she never goes down to when she’s at Balmoral, for instance," the source explained. "In her mind, that is where all the kitchen staff work."
Sign up for the woman&home newsletter
Sign up to our free daily email for the latest royal and entertainment news, interesting opinion, expert advice on styling and beauty trends, and no-nonsense guides to the health and wellness questions you want answered.
These differences in household geography point to an intergenerational shift in the Royal Family, with its younger members opting to lead a slightly more casual lifestyle than its elders. Kate and William are known to be particularly hands-on parents, regularly dropping their kids off at school and playing with them on the weekends.
They also prefer to keep family life as normal as possible for their three tots, limiting the amount of staff milling around their homes to cultivate a more relaxed atmosphere.
"Of course, they have their help: the nanny and the housekeeper," the source added. "However, they don’t have the same level of staff as Prince Charles or the Queen."
Sounds like pretty good parenting to us!
Hailing from the lovely city of Dublin, Emma mainly covers the Royal Family and the entertainment world, as well as the occasional health and wellness feature. Always up for a good conversation, she has a passion for interviewing everyone from A-list celebrities to the local GP - or just about anyone who will chat to her, really.
Emma holds an MA in International Journalism from City, University of London, and a BA in English Literature from Trinity College Dublin.
-
Amal Clooney has worked it out – here's how to style the daring sheer trend with class and elegance
Amal's sheer red dress delivered an elegant and sophisticated take on the sultry trend
By Charlie Elizabeth Culverhouse Published
-
Our experts explain why all five of us love the Magimix Powerblend 4 for a family home
The Magimix Power Blender 4 is the best quality blender on the market: it can handle hot and cold foods, boasts immense power - it is a firm woman&home favourite
By Laura Honey Published
-
The royal Christmas tradition that Prince William and Kate Middleton could change when they’re King and Queen
The Prince and Princess of Wales might change 'a lot' of royal customs one day and a royal expert suspects this will be one of them
By Emma Shacklock Published
-
Princess Charlotte in 'floods of tears' after Prince William made appearance change - but he convinced her it was 'going to be ok'
The Prince of Wales has explained how Princess Charlotte reacted when he first introduced a new change to his appearance
By Emma Shacklock Published
-
Prince William shares new update on Kate Middleton since she 'completed' cancer treatment
The Prince of Wales shared an insight into the Princess's wellbeing after he travelled to Cape Town for the 2025 Earthshot Prize Awards
By Emma Shacklock Published
-
Kate Middleton and Prince William's divisive sleeping set-up at Adelaide Cottage won’t be for everyone
The Prince of Wales has reportedly revealed his and Kate's sleeping set-up and they've made a decision that might divide the crowd
By Emma Shacklock Published
-
Kate Middleton’s favourite dessert is a decadent classic that she enjoys at cosy Berkshire pub
The Princess of Wales is said to love an indulgent British dessert and Prince William seemingly just confirmed it's her 'favourite'
By Emma Shacklock Published
-
Prince William's excuse to get out of 'competitive' game night with Middletons
Prince William is reportedly not a big fan of the Middleton family's 'favourite' fast-paced card game and he used this excuse to get out of it
By Emma Shacklock Published
-
Kate and William thought Prince George would 'freak out' trying their 'adored' hobby - but he loves it!
The Prince and Princess of Wales have introduced their eldest son to an adventurous hobby and Prince George has become a big fan
By Emma Shacklock Published
-
Prince Louis’ hilarious habit revealed by Prince William - and Princess Charlotte probably isn’t a huge fan
Prince William shared a relatable confession about Prince Louis and Princess Charlotte during his visit to a school in Llanelli
By Emma Shacklock Published