Princess Kate Middleton made a triumphant return to Wimbledon on July 14, arriving to her seat in the Royal Box at Centre Court at the All England Lawn Tennis and Croquet Club to a standing ovation by the crowd. Accompanied by her 9-year-old daughter, Princess Charlotte, Kate — looking elegant as ever in a purple Safiyaa dress — was beaming as she and Charlotte waved to fans and shared a few sweet giggles during the match.
On the same day, 700 miles away at the Olympiastadion in Berlin, Prince William and son Prince George, 11, took in the UEFA Euro 2024 final between England and Spain. When England scored a goal toward the end of the game, the father-son duo — who wore matching navy blue suits and ties — jumped to their feet and embraced each other in a spirited hug.
Kate and William, both 42, have a great deal on their plates these days. The mom of three (she and William also share Prince Louis, 6) has been undergoing treatment for cancer since February, while William’s been busy fulfilling his loyal duties — and stepping in for his ailing father, King Charles III, 75, who’s also contending with a cancer diagnosis. But it’s clear that for the Prince and Princess of Wales, few things come before making their children happy.
Putting family first is a mandate William and Kate live by — and, according to the new book Catherine, the Princess of Wales (out August 6) by royal expert Robert Jobson, it’s a directive Kate boldly laid out for the late Queen Elizabeth II back in 2015, when she was pregnant with Charlotte.
“[Kate] established some fundamental life rules that she would stick to when she joined The Firm,” Jobson writes. “Her ‘terms’ were in fact presented to Queen Elizabeth and Prince Charles … She was clear from the outset that she would not be pigeon-holed into carrying out particular duties … her priority, she emphasized, would always be her family.”
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Since then, Kate and William have paved new ground, managing to honor their royal responsibilities while prioritizing their 13-year-marriage and their children. They’re hands-on parents who drive the kids to school and attend extracurricular events. (And, occasionally, bring them to the hottest shows in town: On June 21, William took Charlotte and George to see Taylor Swift’s Eras Tour in London.) They’ve shared relatable parenting content about tantrums, sibling rivalry and the challenges of homeschooling during lockdown.
“The royal couple will of course carry out their fair share of royal duties,” writes Jobson, “but they both believe that being good parents is their most important role.”
Defining Moments
Kate’s stance has a lot to do with her own history, growing up with her sister, Pippa Middleton, 40, and brother James Middleton, 37, in a middle-class family setting. Jobson writes that life at home at Adelaide Cottage — Kate and William have no household staff at the “modest” four-bedroom property they settled into in 2022 — “has evoked memories of a very happy childhood being raised in a quiet Berkshire village, surrounded by her mum and dad and siblings.” It’s not easy to strike a balance between being a busy working royal and a dedicated mom, but “[Kate] remembers how her parents were always there for her,” Jobson writes, “[and] she wants her children to experience that same level of security.”
The future queen has been open about how much motherhood changed her. “Your very essence undergoes a profound transformation overnight,” she said at the Royal College for Obstetricians in 2017. “You transition from primarily seeing yourself as an individual to suddenly assuming the mantle of motherhood as your foremost identity.” Much of her work centers around mothers and children — in March 2023, she launched a task force dedicated to Early Childhood Development. She doesn’t shy away from talking about the challenges of parenthood, including mom guilt (“Anyone who doesn’t [experience it] as a mother is lying,” she’s said) and the general stress of parenting, noting, “It is perfectly acceptable not to find it easy.”
Day to Day Lives
Jobson says Kate and William have employed a nanny since 2014 but are notably involved parents. “Wherever possible [Kate] will do the school run and drop, she makes a point of being there for the school plays and sports days too,” a source told the author. “The princess believes it’s so important to do the little things and do them consistently.”
Kate said it’s “the simple family moments” that she cherishes most in a letter shared on social media to mark U.K.’s Children Hospice Week in 2019, and during a talk at a school in 2023, she spoke of what she hopes her kids remember most from their childhoods. “Is it that I’m sitting down trying to do their math and spelling homework over the weekend? Or is it the fact that we’ve gone out and lit a bonfire and sat around trying to cook sausages that hasn’t worked because it’s too wet?” she said.
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William gave a peek into their daily lives during a 2021 podcast interview, revealing that most mornings “there’s a massive fight between Charlotte and George as to what song is played.” He painted a picture of controlled chaos. “Charlotte, particularly, is running around the kitchen in her dresses and ballet stuff and everything. She goes completely crazy, with Louis following her around trying to do the same thing. It’s a happy moment where the children just enjoy dancing, messing around, and singing.”
During the pandemic, they lamented the trials and tribulations of homeschooling. “The children have got such stamina,” said William. “You get to the end of the day… You’ve pitched a tent, taken the tent down again, cook, bake. It’s amazing how much you can cram into one day.” Jobson tells Us: “It seems to be very much a normal family with them.”
Keeping It Real
Despite the formality of their royal titles, they are refreshingly candid about parenthood, including their shortcomings. When Kate was asked about how she handles tantrums during a social media Q&A, she said: “That’s a hard one. I’d also like to ask the experts!” (Who could forget when she attempted to control a bored Prince Louis — who passed his time making silly faces — at the Platinum Jubilee Pageant in 2021.) Notes Jobson, “It’s wonderful to see that they’re not the perfect parents.”
Kate and William are determined to give George, Charlotte and Louis as normal of a childhood as possible. “Yes, they are privileged children,” Jobson tells Us. “They go to the top schools and all that, but William and Kate keep them grounded. [They don’t want the children to be] overwhelmed by what’s ahead of them,” he adds, “particularly George,” who is third in line to the crown. Jobson says their approach is similar to that of William’s late mother, Princess Diana, who introduced William and his brother, Prince Harry, to McDonald’s and Disney World. “Diana was there showing them another side of life.”
A New Day
Kate’s dedication to her kids has never been more obvious. In March, as rumors and conspiracy theories about her well-being reached a fever pitch, she and William held out on making her cancer diagnosis public in an effort to shield George, Charlotte and Louis. “It has taken us time to explain everything to [them] in a way that is appropriate for them, and to reassure them that I am going to be OK,” Kate said in her video statement. Jobson tells Us that “her children’s mental health and their understanding of what’s going on is much more important than everything else that’s going on around her.”
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With William, she’s ushering in a new era for the royal family, one that incorporates regular family life into their story. “Kate will be very important in shaping the monarchy into an institution that’s relevant to modern people and not just looking over its shoulder at past traditions,” Jobson says, noting that there’s more to her than meets the eye. “She’s a really stylish, incredibly graceful and beautiful lady, but she’s got a steely core, and that enables her to say what she believes. She’s not afraid of giving her input,” Jobson adds, “and she influences a lot of people that make the decisions.”
Her husband relies on her tremendously. “They are a team,” Jobson writes, “valuing each other’s opinion above all, no decision made without consulting the other, since before their marriage. The prince knows that Catherine has practical solutions, even to complex problems.” The support goes both ways, with William stepping up to the plate in the midst of Kate’s diagnosis. “They are very much close friends and partners,” Jobson continues, “as well as husband and wife.”
What’s Ahead
There’s been speculation that when Kate finishes her treatment and ultimately returns to work, she’ll scale things back. “Yes, she will do her duty and support the crown,” says Jobson, “but people understand she’s got young [children], and that has to be her priority.” The family of five is said to be heading to Balmoral Castle in Scotland for a summer holiday in early August along with Charles and Queen Camilla, 77.
“Kate was always determined to put her family first,” Jobson adds, “and there’s no doubt she will do that now.”
