How relatable Kate Middleton gets George, Charlotte & Louis school ready, from parenting hacks to special shopping trip | The Sun

LIKE millions of parents around the country, the Princess of Wales will be preparing to send her kids back to school this week.

This is the second year Prince George, Princess Charlotte and Prince Louis will be heading to the swanky, £7k-a-term Lambrook school, Berkshire, for their studies.

The royal trio settled in well to their new educational establishment last year and will be “looking forward to being reunited with their school friends”.

Although the Prince and Princess of Wales have Norland-trained nanny Maria Borrallo, Kate is said to be “hand-on” with helping her kids get ready.

A royal source told Fabulous: “Kate enjoyed an idyllic tight knit upbringing in the Berkshire village, and follows her indispensable mother Carole's parenting tips for raising her kids.”

Here’s how the royal mum-of-three will be getting her three children ready for term beginning on Wednesday…

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Lets Charlotte choose hair accessories

While Kate has a team of helpers with her wardrobe, including PA and stylist Natasha Archer, she does let her kids have their own say in their school accessories and supplies.

The source revealed: “To get the Wales children prepared, the Princess has been known to take the children as a treat to Peter Jones department store the weekend before shopping for new stationery for the autumn term.

“To give the children independence and help with learning the value of things, Kate lets the children go to choose their pencils, pens, colouring and writing pads, and pencil cases.

“Charlotte is also allowed to choose some new hair accessories. 

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“The young princess is still 'in love with pink'.

Meanwhile, they share that George and Louis are obsessed with “helicopters”, “tractors” and all things wildlife, adding: “I can reveal wildlife wallpaper with impalas on it was bought for the children's bedroom.”

Prepares questions for the kids to ask teachers

Life in the public eye can’t be easy when you are a child, but Kate tries to communicate with her brood about what’s coming up for them – including upcoming school topics.

The source added: “She will also take time to talk to the children about what they will be learning in the new term at school.”

And the kids also won’t be short on conversation in the classroom, and the Princess is also said to help with that.

“[She will] try and think up some interesting questions to ask their teachers when they go back”, added the insider.

Gets them to pack their own bags

As well as being independent with choosing their own supplies, Kate makes sure her adorable tots don’t rely on staff for the first day back.

The royal source added: “The children are also asked to help to pack their school bags the night before and hang their new uniforms out, before an early night's sleep.

“The number one piece of advice Carole imparted to her eldest was the value of discipline and routine from the start.

“Kate has taken on the importance of structure with her own three and teaching them politeness.

“But as parents everywhere will understand, getting youngsters into a school routine after weeks of waking up late, no homework, and no uniforms, can sometimes take a bit of effort and patience.

“Something Princess Catherine has in spades when it comes to her gorgeous family.”

Prepares new school uniforms

As we saw on their first day at Lambrook, the royal kids have to wear blue uniforms for their studies at the Berkshire prep school  – and Kate will be stocking up ahead of term starting.

Hopefully it’ll go more smoothly than one year, when Kate reportedly had a very relatable shopping fail when she was buying new school shoes, a source claimed to Hello! Magazine.

In 2018, Kate reportedly took a visit to Peter Jones in London but forgot one essential item – a pair of socks.

Instead, the children, who were wearing summer sandals at the time, are thought to have borrowed a pair from the department store so they could try on their new shoes to determine whether they fit properly.

Kate previously revealed that Prince George had to learn a new skill when he started at the co-ed prep school: doing his own tie.

Before Lambrook, George and Charlotte previously attended Thomas' School in Battersea, south London, while Louis went to Willcocks Nursery in South Kensington, west London.

But after Wills and Kate moved the family from Apartment 1A Kensington Palace to four-bed Adelaide Cottage, George and Charlotte and their younger brother Louis will receive a top education together, complete with mandatory Saturday lessons.

Kate befriends teachers

Kate is said to be “keen on supportive networks” and wants to maintain a good relationship with other Lambrook school mums and teaching staff.

The source added: “She comes from a supportive family so she’s very keen on family networks and networks of friends and organisations.

“As parents they are also very good at rolling up their sleeves and helping out with school events; sports days, fundraisers and that sort of thing. 

“They try to be just like normal parents with normal parenting challenges. 

“No-one ever jumps the queue for anything. They just try to fit in. 

“Kate and William are also very, very supportive of the staff.”

In the past, Kate has even snuck into drinks with other mums from the school at the pub.

She experiences mum-guilt 

Suffering from parental guilt is experienced by numerous mums and dads as term begins, and it also applies to royalty.

During an interview with Giovanna Fletcher for her podcast Happy Mum, Happy Baby, Kate spoke about her life as a parent with William, as she opened up about details on their family life.

When asked if she felt mum guilt, Kate replied: "Yes absolutely – and anyone who doesn't as a mother is actually lying."

She explained that being a parent is "a constant challenge" and she feels guilty when her children ask her why she does not always drop them off at school.

She said: "Even this morning, coming to the nursery visit here – George and Charlotte were like 'Mummy how could you possibly not be dropping us off at school this morning?'

"It's a constant challenge – you hear it time after time from mums, even mums who aren't necessarily working and aren't pulled in the directions of having to juggle work life and family life."

Encourages her kids to make friends

While they are three of the most famous kids in Britain, Kate is keen for them to have a normal experience during their schooling years.

This is partly why they ditch their Prince and Princess titles in school and simply use Wales as their surname.

The source claimed “all the children are popular at school and have lots of friends, in London and also near Anmer.

“There’s never a shortage of friends around for tea. Kate and William insist on no special treatment for any of them. 

“George might be a future king but for now he’s just another little boy. 

“They are always at great pains to make sure the three of them have as normal a childhood as possible.”

The royal insider said Kate in particular is very hot on manners. 

They added: “Table manners, thank you letters, little courtesies are being drilled into the children so they become automatic.

“If George has been naughty, and he has been on occasion, Kate and William are good at explaining to him the rights and wrongs of what’s happened”.

Preps her ‘mum uniform’

Kate always manages to look pristine, whether she’s on star-studded red carpets or doing the school run to Lambrook – where she’ll adopt a more relatable look.

A friend told the Daily Record: "There are no blow-dries – it's always hair up in a ponytail.

"She's either in her gym clothes, or a dress and sneakers, very little makeup, apologising as she's late for the school run before dashing off. 

“It's the life of a working mum with three young children – just a different sort of day job to most."

In fact, when George and Charlotte attended their previous school of St Thomas' in South London, it was reported that parents barely gave Kate a second glance during drop off and pick ups.

One parent told the Daily Mail : "No one really gives Kate a second glance when she does the school drop-off.

"We have a Victoria's Secret model doing the school run, too, and the dads are far more interested in her."

Encouraging kids to stay creative 

In order to keep George, Charlotte and Louis creative, Kate is said to be “encouraging both George and Charlotte to write, sketch, photograph and paint weekly journals.”

The source added that these are “admired and encouraged by Charles and the Middleton family.”

And Kate also insists they spend as much time as possible outdoors after being in classrooms all day.

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The source added: “The Wales are big believers in outdoors play for children to help burn off energy and curb excesses – Prince Louis actively asks to be outside playing – so Kate will take the children to see their adored Granny and Grandpa Middleton for a blast around their stunning 18 acres of garden in Bucklebury to tire them out.”

The private school is a nine-mile drive from their new abode near Windsor Castle.

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