The loving way Prince William channels Diana, as royal expert reveals she fought for “normalness” for her boys
Raising children in the spotlight is something they’ve both had to manage
In his latest royal autobiography, Russell Myers touched on Princess Diana’s approach to raising Prince William and Prince Harry. Myers is The Mirror’s royal editor, with nearly a decade’s worth of experience covering the couple, and so he has developed a deep understanding of the family.
In the book William and Catherine: The Monarchy’s New Era: The Inside Story, which was released in February, Myers described how “Diana smothered the boys with affection, equipping them with her sense of humour, her appetite for fun, and her appreciation for the privilege she enjoyed—the qualities that she became renowned for throughout the world.”
With such strong family values instilled in him from a young age, it’s touching to see Prince William honour his late mother by taking on similar parenting rules when raising his own children.
For example, Prince William recently went on The Reluctant Traveller documentary, and told host Eugene Levy that “None of our children have any phones, which we’re very strict about”. Not only this, but he explained how “extremely important” he believes it is for them all to sit at the table for dinner.
These are exactly the kinds of things normal families up and down the country deal with every day, and the kind of thing Myers would have meant when he explained how “Diana believed this sense of normalness, no matter how small the gestures, would equip these boys for what lay ahead when they became central figures within the institution.”
Diana’s maternal intuition was also touched upon, as Myers further revealed Diana’s strong belief “that William was a deep thinker, capable of assessing situations in ways that were wise beyond his years.” We can see this clearly in Prince William’s approach to his royal duties, especially in the past year as he’s had to step up amid King Charles’ health concerns.
