How Prince William and Kate ensure Prince George, Charlotte and Louis don’t miss out on special moment in their absence

Prince William and Kate ensure Prince George, Charlotte and Louis don't miss out on something the Princess of Wales loved in her childhood

Catherine, Princess of Wales, Prince William, Prince Louis, Prince George and Princess Charlotte attend the Christmas Day service
(Image credit: Photo by Mark Cuthbert/UK Press via Getty Images)

There’s a lovely way Prince William and Kate ensure Prince George, Charlotte and Louis don’t miss out on a special moment in their absence.

Over the years the Prince and Princess of Wales have become experts at balancing their royal responsibilities with their equally full-on roles as parents to Prince George, Charlotte and Louis. This was seen clearly in 2023 when Prince William attended the third Earthshot Prize Awards ceremony in Singapore solo, whilst Kate remained in the UK to support Prince George through his exams. However, there are times where both the senior royals’ schedules likely don’t quite align with certain occasions or activities for their children.

Prince William, Princess of Wales, Prince George, Princess Charlotte and Prince Louis at Lambrook School

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In these cases, Prince William and Kate reportedly ensure Prince George, Charlotte and Louis don’t miss out on a special moment. According to a source, who recently opened up to Hello! about the Wales kids’ experience at school, their sports matches never go unattended - even if the Prince and Princess can’t be there.

"If William and Kate ever can't make a sports match, their nanny goes along and spends most of the time running around the edge of the pitch after Louis. He's a typical little energetic five-year-old,” the source alleged.

The entire Wales family are known for their love of a wide range of sports, from Princess Charlotte’s passion for gymnastics to Prince George embracing learning how to play rugby.

Catherine, Princess of Wales, Princess Charlotte of Wales, Prince George of Wales and Prince William, Prince of Wales, are seen in the Royal Box at Wimbledon 2023

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Outside of royal occasions, sporting fixtures are times where fans get to see the Wales kids out in public the most as Prince William and Kate have taken their elder children to the likes of Wimbledon and the Rugby World Cup. The source’s remark suggests that having someone there to witness and support their kids’ own sporting achievements is also hugely important to Prince William and Kate. 

Instead of allowing a match to go unwatched if they “ever can’t make it”, their nanny Maria Borrallo will be there. The Prince and Princess of Wales’s trust in her to not only look after their children but to ensure they don’t miss out on the special moment of being supported and watched as they play sports matches highlights how important she is.

Maria Teresa Turrion Borrallo attends Prince Harry and Meghan's wedding

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Kate herself previously revealed how much it meant to her when her parents Carole and Michael were there for her matches, indicating she likely considers this a major thing for her own children.

Speaking on Giovanna Fletcher’s Happy Mum, Happy Baby podcast in 2020, she said, “My parents were hugely dedicated. I really appreciate now as a parent how much they sacrificed for us. They came to every sports match, they'd be the ones on the side-line shouting”.

In light of this, it’s to be expected that Prince William and Kate would make every effort to be at as many of Prince George, Charlotte or Louis’s sports matches as possible. It also makes sense that they would consider it important to have Maria there if they couldn’t be. 

Prince and Princess of Wales, Prince George, Charlotte and Louis are greeted by Headmaster Jonathan Perry at Lambrook School

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

The source went on to reflect that the “lovely” Wales kids have settled in well since starting at Lambrook School last year. They described Charlotte as “so kind and friendly”, adding that the “other children adore her” and that she’s “kind to the kids in younger years”. This approach has made Princess Charlotte “very popular”, whilst the source went on to state, “George seems like a nice boy, too, and little Louis just has so much energy.”

The Wales children don’t return to school after Christmas until 10th January and when they do, they’ll perhaps be eager to immerse themselves back into school life and their sporting activities.

Emma Shacklock

Emma is a Royal Editor with eight years experience working in publishing. Her specialist areas include the British Royal Family, ranging from protocol to outfits. Alongside putting her royal knowledge to good use, Emma knows all there is to know about the latest TV shows on the BBC, ITV and more. When she’s not writing about the next unmissable show to add to your to-watch list or delving into royal protocol, Emma enjoys cooking, long walks and watching yet more crime dramas!