It is quite easy to think that the Prince and Princess of Wales hold immunity from the parenting challenges faced by millions up and down the country.
With their wealth, status and staff it is easy to fall into the trap of believing that the Wales’s household is somehow different, in parenting terms from any other.
Of course, in many ways it is, nobody else is bringing up the future King of England and few other households are forced to teach their children how to greet members of the public whom they have never met.
But one thing evident from public glimpses of the parenting of William and Kate is their attempt at normalcy, to provide their children with a pinch of ordinary amidst the most extraordinary of upbringings.
On a visit to the BAFTA Headquarters in 2022, William shared the common headache for parents across the country of monitoring children’s screen time.
Echoing the battles of parents across the UK, William said: “We’re trying to regulate their gaming, that’s the thing at the moment.
“We watch their screen time; you have to be careful about that. They do definitely like gaming, they’re fascinated by that.”
From cheering them on in sport, to using public toilets in pubs, it is heartening to see the children are able to act like regular kids.
At a recent event held by the NFL Foundation, Prince William remarked on his gratitude at being given a ball to take with him, as he tries to “never go home empty handed.”
He added: “That’s a crucial motto of being a parent. That’s very kind of you, thank you very much. They’ll love that.”
This year, the prince explained how the children fight over the TV remote after sharing a photo of Charlotte and Louis watching the European Championships wearing their England shirts.
Normalcy seems to extend to the brother/sister relationships, with Louis maintaining the centuries-old tradition of annoying your older sister by stealing her stuff.
During a visit to a primary school in Llanelli, west Wales, in September, William was given some friendship bracelets by pupil Ruby Davies to give to his children.
The prince was delighted and said: “Thank you so much Ruby. They’re going to love those, you’ll see them out and about.
“I’ll keep them away from Louis because he’ll try and steal all his sister’s bits.”
