Since entering the royal family, Kate Middleton has become extremely popular among the public. Today, the mother of three is taking on many royal duties and engagements while also raising her and Prince William’s three children, Prince George, Princess Charlotte, and Prince Louis.
Royal life can be stressful, and even though they have much help from nannies and aides, it can still be too much. Even as royals, the family has to come first.
Now, Kate has decided to take a break from her royal activities and, according to The Mirror, it is because of one very special person.
It’s been a very hectic year for the royal family. When Queen Elizabeth passed away in September last year, everything changed, as the senior royal family members suddenly had to take on new responsibilities.
William and Kate understandably do their best to juggle family life and royal duties. However, the last year has meant more than just long hours.
Kate Middleton has dealt with anxiety and stress, royal expert claims
According to royal correspondent Jenny Bond, their workload was crazy following the queen’s death.
“It’s been a brutal [work] schedule for William and Catherine and they’ve got a very young family,” Bond told OK!, adding, “I think the work-life balance must have been difficult these past few weeks and, let’s face it, it’s not going to get any easier with their new responsibilities.”
Royal expert Katie Nicholl, author of the new book The New Royals, said it hasn’t just had an effect on William and Kate’s work-life balance. In fact, she claims that the workload, the move to Windsor, and the queen’s passing caused William and Kate significant anxiety and stress.
“They’ve said that themselves… that this hasn’t been the settling period that they had hoped for,” Nicholl said on TalkTV’s show The Royal Tea.
“Of course, they made that big move just after the summer holidays to move to Windsor. A significant and pretty bold move leaving Kensington Palace, enrolling the children in new schools, and setting up a new life for themselves in Windsor,” she added.
“I think, really, so that they could be below the radar and have this normal family life which they are pretty successful in having. Of course, no one could have expected that the queen would have died just at the start of all of that. Very, very difficult times. I think behind the scenes there is a fair bit of stress and anxiety for all of the family.”
William & Kate criticized for “not pulling their weight
While this year has been very special, with new routines and duties to fulfill, some say that Prince William and Kate Middleton aren’t doing enough. According to OK! Magazine sources, the Prince and Princess of Wales have been accused of “not pulling their weight” after being put in a “difficult position.”
King Charles and Queen Camilla went abroad not too long ago, and there is a big plan for a tour of the Commonwealth, including a trip to Australia. Meanwhile, according to the news outlet, tensions are growing over what role Prince William and Princess Kate will play in overseas visits.
“There’s a growing feeling that William and Kate aren’t pulling their weight. They are the future of the monarchy and are themselves senior members of the Royal Family,” a source told OK!.
Another source said that the couple is in a problematic spot not because of their duties but because they have to juggle royal responsibilities and raise their three children, Prince George, Princess Charlotte, and Prince Louis, simultaneously.
“William and Kate have been put in a very difficult position of choosing between the right path for their family or the future of the monarchy. Both are very important to them, but they have decided to put their children first while they are so young,” a source told the magazine.
When Prince William, Kate, and their children moved to Windsor and their new home of Adelaide Cottage, it was also time for the kids to change schools.
Where do the royal children go to school?
Previously, Prince George and Princess Charlotte attended Thomas’ Battersea school, while Prince Louis spent his days at Willcocks Nursery School. Now, all three children attend Lambrook School, located only a 15-minute walk from George, Charlotte, and Louis’ home.
Before leaving London, William and Kate visited several top schools in the Windsor area. They finally decided on Lambrook, which has plenty of fun extra-curricular activities for the students to engage in.
The school – which has a tuition of £21,000-a-year per student per year – has a 42-acre cricket ground, rugby and football pitches, an art building, and even a golf course at its grounds.
It should go without saying that Lambrook is a prominent school with high tuition fees. Of course, the Royal Family can afford the expense, but that doesn’t mean William and Kate want their children to become spoiled.
At Lambrook, if pupils want to go on a school trip, they have to raise the money themselves and not get it from their parents. It’s those values that the Prince and Princess of Wales want to instill in their children growing up, thus helping to keep them grounded.
While at the school, Prince George, Princess Charlotte, and Prince Louis can engage in various activities, including joining the debate team, horse riding, and caring for the school’s pigs and chickens.
Some months ago, George, William, and Kate were spotted looking around Eton College. Prince William and Prince Harry attended the prestigious boarding school in the past, and soon, it might be the young prince’s turn.
“They’ve been such hands-on parents”
Eton’s tuition is around £46,000 ($59,000) a year. Though Prince George won’t join the school until he turns 13, children have to be registered for the school during the year that they turn ten, according to the school’s website.
Meanwhile, royal expert Jennie Bond claims the Eton visit could also tell us something about Princess Charlotte’s future. According to her, William and Kate wouldn’t send only one of their children to boarding school.
“I imagine it will be all or nothing. In other words, all three will go away to school, or none of them,” Bond told OK!.
“The choice of school for the children will tell us a lot about William and Catherine. So far, they’ve been such hands-on parents. And, personally, I think it would be sad to see them send their children away to boarding school.”
The former BBC Royal correspondent added, “I would applaud a decision to keep them as day pupils at schools nearby their home. But I think both William and Catherine were happy at boarding school. I suppose it’s what they know, and perhaps they will want to pass this experience on to their children.”
At home, Prince William and Princess Kate have plenty of work raising their three children while performing their royal duties. Of course, they have the help of a nanny, but when it comes to dropping off and picking up their children from school, the royal couple prefer to do it themselves.
Kate and her husband have been doing plenty of royal work since the summer holiday ended. However, now, it appears that the Princess of Wales will take some time away from engagements and public life.
Reason why Kate Middleton is taking a break from royal life
According to The Mirror, Prince George, Princess Charlotte, and Prince Louis are on their autumn half-term holidays from school. The royal children now have their first break of the school year, which began on October 13. The students are set to return on Monday, October 30.
Therefore, Kate has decided to keep her engagements to a minimum to spend time with her children instead.
Meanwhile, Prince William is set to attend the Earthshot Prize Award. Prince George is said to have exams in just a few weeks and will likely use some of his spare time during the school break to study. Kate has always been very keen on her family and will not attend her husband’s Earthshot Prize Award because she wants to support her son before his exams.
“The Princess will not be attending. Prince George has exams that week, and the Princess wants to be at home to support him,” a source told The Mirror.
Even though George, Charlotte, and Louis will be away from school, there is one thing that they certainly won’t be doing at home: Playing games on an iPad.
Sure, William and Kate want to give their children a normal childhood. And that includes – what some children would say is cruel – a complete ban on electronics like iPads.
An insider told Us Weekly that William and Kate have focused their parenting style around creative activities and playtime rather than just handing their children an iPad to sit and watch on the couch.
“They’re very much seen as mummy and daddy’s toys, not for children,” the source told Us Weekly.
“As two people who grew up without gadgets for entertainment themselves, William and Kate are firm believers in toys, outdoor play and encouraging an active imagination.”
