When it comes to taking care of his wife Kate Middleton, Prince William is both nurse and bodyguard. At least when it comes to the royal couple’s three kids, Prince George, 10, Princess Charlotte, 8, and Prince Louis, 5. Insiders dished that the second-in-line to the British throne has some special rules for the royal kids amid Princess Kate’s recovery from “planned abdominal surgery,” and it makes a lot of sense.
Surgery + Recovery
ICYMI, the Kensington Palace announced on Jan. 17 that Middleton had completed a “successful” surgery a day before and was to remain in the hospital for up to two weeks to recover, followed by a period of rest at home during which she wouldn’t make any public appearances until at least Easter.
On Jan. 29, the palace announced that Kate “is making good progress” and had returned home to Windsor to continue her recovery with her family. An insider gave a little more details about Kate’s recovery in a Feb. 9 interview with In Touch Weekly.
“She won’t be able to move around freely and no heavy lifting,” the source said. “That’s been the hardest part. Kate isn’t one to stay still.” Of course, as a busy mom of three (and a royal to boot!), sitting still must feel impossible. And her kids aren’t used to the change of pace either.
Rules for the Kids
The insider told In Touch, “William tells [the kids] not to be too boisterous and loud.” Um, good luck with that! “Louis forgets sometimes that she shouldn’t be jostled,” the source added. What else can you expect from a 5-year-old?!
Despite the rough-and-tumble attention from her kids (which brings a whole new meaning to tough love!), Middleton is reportedly very happy being home. “For Kate, it’s good to be home in her own bed, surrounded by her family and other familiar things,” an insider told the outlet. “Though everyone at the hospital was amazing and made sure she had the best care.”
Royal Treatment
While the Princess of Wales recovers, William is treating her like, well, a princess. Along with the family’s nanny Maria Teresa Turrion Borrallo, William is doing school drop-offs and pickups, and handling the kitchen duties. “He’s quite good at it too. He’s whipping up oatmeal and smoothies and roast chicken,” the source gushed. “He even made Kate’s favorite curry.” They added, “William has a new appreciation for everything that Kate does.” As he should! Moms are truly amazing.
When they aren’t being too loud, Prince George, Princess Charlotte, and Prince Louis are reportedly being very sweet to their mom. “They’ve all made her some ‘get well soon’ cards along with some of her favorite snacks,” a source told Us Weeklyearlier this month.
Modern Prince
Royal author Robert Hardman explained how unique it is that Prince William has shifted his schedule to take care of the kids and his wife during her recovery. “I mean, in years gone by, if a senior member of the family was ill, their spouse would not drop everything,” Hardman told Us Weekly, adding that typically the kids would be left with a nanny. He added, “And this time, Prince William has made a very conscious decision he’s going to step back from his duties. He’s putting the family first, and he’s doing that for a very specific reason.”
That reason? To make the kids feel safe and secure during this weird time. Hardman explained, “Everything [William] does is about normalizing royal life [and] normalizing just trying to make everything as unobtrusive for the kids as possible so that being a sort of school-age royal is not something that’s scary. So if Mum’s in hospital, he knows he’s got to be there. Otherwise, it’s unsettling for the children if both parents are out of the house. He’s being a modern dad.”
It sounds like Princess Kate and the kids are in great hands!
Before you go, check out Prince William’s most endearing dad moments.
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