Kate Middleton’s ‘radical new way of parenting’ has taught Prince William ‘how to be a different kind of parent’

Kate's charity work around 'early years development' is changing how many parents view raising children

Prince William and Kate Middleton
(Image credit: Chris Jackson/Getty Images)

Kate Middleton's interest and charity work in the sector of early childhood development has not just influenced how she parents Prince George, Princess Charlotte and Prince Louis, but has also shown Prince William ‘how to be a different kind of parent,’ a royal expert has claimed.

  • Kate Middleton's research into early childhood development has influenced how she and Prince William plan to raise their three children Prince George, Princess Charlotte and Prince Louis.
  • According to a royal expert, the Princess is championing 'quite a radical new way of parenting' that has taught her husband Prince William ‘how to be a different kind of parent.'
  • In other royal news, The best parenting rules we’ve learnt from Prince Harry and Meghan Markle.

Kate Middleton has taken to her role of The Princess of Wales with apparent ease, filling those big boots left by Princess Diana with a variety of charity work, successful royal engagements and a general air of charm that has royal fans across the globe gushing with delight. 

In particular, she has made a name for herself with her interest in children's early years development by launching The Royal Foundation Centre for Early Childhood in June 2021. The foundation is undertaking trailblazing research into the importance of a child's first five years of life that is influencing not just how Kate sees parenting, but how 'young mothers around the country' view it, according to one royal expert. 

Former BBC Royal Correspondent Jennie Bond has been vocal in her praise for Kate's undertaking, saying she 'admires' the work and believes it will help Prince George, Princess Charlotte and Prince Louis prepare for their future royal roles.

She told OK! Magazine, "The whole ethos of early development is something that a lot of young mothers around the country are taking on and learning alongside Catherine and it is really quite a radical new way of parenting.

"It is an idea built on mutual respect, understanding, patience and allowing the child to lead the way and very often is about exploring the child's own feelings, confusions and anguish. It is about letting them express those emotions and and sitting down to discuss them with the child, rather than ignoring the turmoil that growing up so often involves."

Prince William, Kate Middleton, Prince George, Princess Charlotte and Prince Louis

(Image credit: Yui Mok - WPA Pool/Getty Images)

Bond explained how she believes Kate's interest in and work around childhood development means that Prince William's parenting style will have likely been influenced by his wife who is teaching him what she has learnt. 

She said, "It is fantastic and I believe Catherine will very much be the leader in this and William will be the follower, he will have been learning from Catherine how to be a different kind of parent."

Kate and William's new parenting style may also work to quash the 'worries' Prince Harry has previously shared he holds concerning the Wales children. He previously revealed that he worries about 'young kids' within the royal family 'filling his shoes' and having their future partners get the same 'treatment' as his wife Meghan Markle. But Kate's appreciation for 'expressing emotions' and and 'sitting down to discuss' things properly with her children will likely work to reduce the possibility of that ever happening, or at least reduce the emotional toll that may take should it ever happen.

Talking about how Prince George, Princess Charlotte and Prince Louis will benefit from Kate and William's parenting style, Bond said, "I think they've been bringing them up with mutual respect, good manners, but explaining why good manners are important and that kindness begets kindness and that inclusivity should be natural.

Prince William, Kate Middleton, Prince George, Princess Charlotte and Prince Louis

(Image credit: Jonathan Brady - Pool/Getty Images)

"But perhaps most importantly giving her children all of the time that she can. We're all pressed, we're all rushing, and she has a huge job, but she gives them as much time as she can to sit down with them, discuss their problems and play with them and just be with them.

"It's all about positivity and the building blocks of becoming a rounded young person. The other important word is is preventative, which Kate has used a lot, and she she believes in so strongly.

"I concur with her that it is in these early years where you can prevent so much mental anguish, turmoil or addictive habits or various troubles that might come along in adulthood."

Charlie Elizabeth Culverhouse
Royal News and Entertainment writer

Charlie Elizabeth Culverhouse is royal news and entertainment writer for Goodto.com. She began her freelance journalism career after graduating from Nottingham Trent University with an MA in Magazine Journalism, receiving an NCTJ diploma, and earning a First Class BA (Hons) in Journalism at the British and Irish Modern Music Institute. She has also worked with BBC Good Food and The Independent.