Although Princess Diana died long before they were born, Prince William’s three children reportedly know much about their grandmother thanks to their father. Speaking in the 2017 documentary ‘Diana, Our Mother: Her Life and Legacy’, William, now 43, said he talks about “Granny Diana”, who would have celebrated her 64 birthday today, to his children.
In the interview, which took place before Prince Louis was born, the Prince of Wales said he tells Prince George, now 11, and Princess Charlotte, now 10, about Diana before bed. It is likely William also does this with his youngest son Louis, who is now seven. William said in the 2017 documentary: “We’ve got more photos up around the house now of her (Diana), and we talk about her a bit and stuff.”
He continued: “It’s hard because obviously, Catherine didn’t know her, so she cannot really provide that level of detail.
“So, I do regularly, putting George or Charlotte to bed, talk about her and just try and remind them that there are two grandmothers, there were two grandmothers in their lives, and so it’s important that they know who she was and that she existed.”
It is believed that although they never met their grandmother Diana, who died in a tragic car crash in Paris in 1997, they feel affection towards her.
In 2021, Kensington Palace revealed that the three children make cards for Diana on Mother’s Day each year.
As well as talking about Diana to his children, Prince William also mirrors some of his mother’s own parenting skills, including addressing difficult topics such as homelessness to his children.
Like Diana did with him, William said he talks to his children about homelessness on the school run.
William said in a documentary last year: “When I was very small my mother started talking about homelessness – much like I do now with my children on the school run.”
It is also believed that as his children get older, he will take them to homeless shelters like his mother did with him. He said in the Prince William: We Can End Homelessness documentary: “She (Diana) made sure when we grew up that the life outside the palace walls was real.”
