Prince William and Kate Middleton are ‘hands on’ parents says parenting expert

The Prince and Princess of Wales were ‘calm and natural’ with their children Prince George and Princess Charlotte at the Queen’s funeral despite being heavily monitored, a parenting expert claimed.

Royal fans praised Prince William and Kate Middleton for being ‘wonderful’ parents after the nine-year-old heir to the throne and his seven-year-old sister behaved impeccably at Monday’s historic event.

George and Charlotte cut solemn figures as they joined the royal family for Her Majesty’s funeral at Westminster Abbey and her Committal Service in Windsor, where Charlotte taught her older brother a lesson in royal protocol as she told him to “bow.”

Meanwhile, William and Kate’s youngest child, Prince Louis, four, was not present at the funeral as he was likely considered too young.

Speaking to FEMAIL, parenting expert Stephanie Wallis explained how the Princess of Wales took on a more ‘dominant parental role’, allowing Prince William to focus on his position as son, grandson and heir apparent.

She said the couple had used “gentle touches” to interact with their children and guide them through the day, as well as to inform the young people that they were there for support.

“William and Kate interact with each other as loving and caring parents, parents whose every move is closely monitored, just like their children’s,” Stephanie said.

“As parents we want to protect our children as much as possible from situations where life control is limited when you are part of the royal family, you have to work very carefully on your public interactions.

Kate seemed to take on the more dominant parental role at the funeral, staying closer to the children and giving them careful directions when needed.

“This allowed William to fully focus on his role, not only as a father, but also as a son, grandson and, of course, his dutiful role as prince.”

She continued: “Both parents remained calm and natural, both in their own behavior and towards their children.

“There were no forced interactions with their children and they took it all on gracefully.

‘You really have the feeling that they have managed to find the fine balance between being personally present at the funeral with their children and also in their professional capacity.’

Stephanie, founder of Safe and Sound Childcare Events, continues, “They are definitely hands-on, something they both really wanted to do.

“They attach great importance to the education of their children and show that they are a truly hands-on family where ‘family’ is at the core of their values ​​as a married couple.

“Kate and William have shown us many times before how much fun they have with their kids too and we’ve seen them really connect with their kids through fun playful behavior that acts as a great bond with the family.

“Kate and William are also great leaders as parents, consistently teaching and mentoring their children, exploring the world, new cultures, new hobbies with them, and encouraging their children to adopt a can-do attitude.”

Kate, 40, provided a comforting presence throughout the emotional day, holding her daughter’s hand tightly as they arrived at Westminster Abbey and placing her hand on her son’s knee as they sat for the service.

Meanwhile, William, 40, was seen gently touching George’s shoulder as he and Charlotte joined the procession behind the coffin.

Stephanie explains: ‘In the specific situation of the funeral it was very difficult for William and Kate to get to eye level with the children as they normally would, although they looked directly at their children when they were able to do so.

“So a guiding hand was the loving touch, and the unspoken word of support, ‘I’m here’, ‘everything is fine’, ‘I will protect you’, ‘this is what you need to do now’. ‘

It comes after Charlotte was spotted and George told him to bow as the Queen’s coffin began its journey to Windsor.

The young royals exchanged words as the coffin passed them, as Charlotte told George, “You must bow.” When he seemed to be listening to his sister, he saw George lower his head.

Charlotte wore a black mourning coat and matching wide-brimmed hat, while George was dressed in a navy suit with a black tie.

Stephanie says Charlotte’s gesture to her brother shows that she was “excellently guided and prepared by her parents.”

She says: “We saw many moments yesterday where Charlotte and George’s behavior was a beautiful reflection of their parents teaching them how to act and behave.

“For example, we saw a moment yesterday where Charlotte smoothed her skirt after being in the car, a seven-year-old wouldn’t normally do that, so we can see she’s been well trained on how to behave.

“They were very serene in their demeanor. Even when Prince George forgot an important moment when he was expected to bow, his sister Charlotte reminded him, unsolicited by one of her parents, demonstrating that she had been excellently guided and prepared by her parents.”

After George and Charlotte performed at the service, many fans took to social media to applaud Kate and William for their parenting skills.

One wrote: ‘So proud of the children of the Prince and Princess of Wales, George and Charlotte. They behaved impeccably and are a testament to their parents’ excellent teachings.’

Another wrote: ‘Prince George and Princess Charlotte were amazing today. What brave little children and what wonderful parents the Prince and Princess of Wales are. Today was beautiful, but also so sad. May you now rest in eternal peace Queen Elizabeth II.’

A third said: ‘I would like to acknowledge the exemplary conduct of Prince George and Princess Charlotte on such a long and difficult day for them. What an example of the effects of good parenting.’

It’s clear that the couple thought “long and hard” about whether their two oldest children would come along.

“As parents, of course, they have thought long and hard about whether their children should come along,” said a source. “Of course little Louis is too young, but they think George and Charlotte can handle it.”