The Windsors’ Royal Christmas is still up in the air. No one knows what the plans will be, only that they’re likely to be very different this year. Ordinarily, the Windsors gather at Sandringham for several days of strictly scheduled holiday events, many of which involve booze, guns and no kids allowed. It’s believed that if the Queen tries to go to Sandringham this year, her staff will revolt, because of the bubble around her and the fact that staff would not be able to see their families for Christmas. It’s possible that “royal Christmas” might happen at Windsor this year, but who knows. Anyway, my guess is that Prince William and Kate will spend the holiday season at Anmer Hall no matter what. Apparently, the kids are already bugging them to put up the tree.
Royal kids: They’re just like Us. Prince William and Duchess Kate’s three children “can’t wait for Christmas,” a source reveals exclusively to Us Weekly.
“It’s their favorite time of the year,” the insider tells Us of Prince George, 7, Princess Charlotte, 5, and Prince Louis, 2. “In fact, they’ve already written their list for Santa and are nagging William and Kate to put up the Christmas tree.”
The source adds that the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge’s kids are all “well-behaved,” but their oldest son is already acting like a future king.
“George is well-behaved. All the kids are, but Charlotte and Louis both have a cheeky streak. Louis is more like Charlotte in personality than George!” the source tells Us before revealing more insight into their personalities. “George is obsessed with helicopters, planes and marine biology. He can’t wait to be old enough to go diving. Charlotte loves gymnastics but has recently taken up kids’ yoga. Lots of the other kids at school do it and she’s teaching Louis down dog and tree pose!”
I felt ready to put up a Christmas Tree in October, but I haven’t done it yet. To be honest, since I live alone with two cats, a tree is usually more hassle than it’s worth, but we are celebrating this year because we survived the pandemic AND the Trump era. Also, I don’t believe most of the personality traits already being ascribed to the kids – from what we’ve seen of them in recent videos, Charlotte is interested in science and spiders and fossils. I also think Charlotte and Louis have already been told (in so many ways) that they’re not “as important” as George, and that affects the sibling-dynamic a lot too. But yeah, most kids love Christmas. It’s a very Katie Nicholl-esque update: “The Cambridge children likely love Christmas, especially Christmas candy. They reportedly love presents and my sources confirm that they especially love the time off from school.”
Photos courtesy of WENN, Avalon Red, Backgrid and Kensington Palace social media.
Maybe I’m reading into it too much but the line of George being well-behaved and Charlotte and Louis seems to me they’re already starting the “responsible heir, fun but naughty spares” narrative and I don’t like it.
But again, that could be me reading into it too much.
I thought the same. They’ve been working on this narrative since they were born and I hate it. Let these kids pursue their own interests and someday have their own careers. This “training to be a king or support your brother, the king” in the 21st century? It can only do them harm in the long run.
If there’s one thing I respect about William, is that he has made clear that Charlotte is just as “cheeky” as George, when he did an engagement with the kids quite recently.
No, no I see it, too. It’s been going on for awhile now. I first noticed it during one of the Christmas walks. The RR’s painted Charlotte as cheeky and the comments were tut tutting about her needing to be put in her place. It starts early and this is one aspect of British society that I don’t understand, coming as it does from what I assume are working and middle class people reading and commenting on those articles.
What is the obsession with “places” and putting people in them. Especially female people and most especially people of color.
I know there’s an aristocratic class to deal with but aren’t the vast majority of Britons free and equal? Or am I projecting too much of my American viewpoint on their non-aristo public?
So if Charlotte and Louis end up non-working royals trying to lead a private life, are they still going to fight a lifetime effort to “put them in their place” below “responsible and mature and sober-minded” George?
I hope the British public just means by all this “place” talk that they don’t like seeing children sass their elders. But even that, well all I have seen poor Charlotte doing with her sass is either be a normal little kid or a besieged kid trying to assert her personal boundaries. God help the child in THAT family with that task.
I don’t think you’re reading into it too much. George is well-behaved, and Charlotte and Louis are “cheeky.” They’re definitely setting up the same dynamic again, even at this age.
I sincerely hope that Charlotte grows up to be as strong a person as Meghan is. She’s going to need it. Poor kid.
Charlotte’s grandma is Ma Midd and her mother is Kate. No wonder if Ma Midd wants not only be the granny of the future future future King (of England), but also be the granny of the Queen (one of the European countries). Charles is cut of his own grandchildren, so I guess Charlotte has no chance.
I got the same vibe when reading it.
No, that stood out to me too. George is the sensible one (regal future king) and Charlotte and Louis are “cheeky” (tearaway spares).
I really worry for the two of them once they get to the teenage years.
It’s US Weekly — Karen from the watercooler (aka: palace source) threw in some generalized kid stereotypes. I don’t know what else there is to read into it.
Yes I am aware of what magazine it is. But the fact these stereotypes were used at all does not sound good to me especially as the older child is said to be good and the younger ones are cheeky.
Starts like this but as we’ve seen, it turns into something quite damaging
I looked up cheeky just to see what all of the pearl clutching was about (it’s not a typical American term I use).
adjectiveBRITISH
impudent or irreverent, typically in an endearing or amusing way.
So the younger children act like children…in an endearing or amusing way.
Yes it’s children acting like children but I’m saying that I don’t like the fact that George, also a child, isn’t being described that way yet his siblings are.
It’s not the kids being called cheeky in itself. Its the direct comparison to George and how this seemingly simple and cute comment about the kids sets up the heir vs spare narrative we have seen played out in the BRF for generations.
What’s funny is that George used to be the cheeky one, the terror. The older he gets, the more younger siblings he gets, the better behaved. It’s certainly possible, but what’s the likelihood his personality changed so much?
I feel like in America, “cheeky” has a different connotation. Not quite “naughty,” but maybe closer to “precocious.”
Either way, we don’t have to rely on US magazine; William and Kate have made many of these comments themselves in public.
Correction. The kids already bugging Mummy and Gramma Carole to put up the tree. Dad is in charge of garland and roses.
Tell Carole to get those servants hopping and put that tree up!
That’s right. Chop chop servants and do try not to give us the Covid while you are breathing our air won’t you? Uugh you are spot on
Sure, right, I can just see William schlepping up the boxes up from the basement and helping Kate put up the tree.
The kids are “nagging” their parents to put the tree up. There’s always this little underlying tone in these articles that make it sound like Will and Kate don’t really like their kids all that much. There was the thing about how they’re all spending so much more time together since Covid hit, and there was some stuff in there too about how it’s different and also “difficult” to be home all day, spending so much time with the children. And now the kids are “nagging” their parents to put up the tree. Not “asking for the tree to be put up,” or “excited for the tree,” or “have been ready for weeks for the tree to be put up,” no. They’re “nagging their parents.” Like do Will and Kate not like Christmas trees and they only begrudgingly put on up because their kids whine about it so much that it wears them down? For something that’s meant to be a cute, fun look into a young royal family preparing for the holidays, it just comes off like mom and dad resent their kids.
I think that may say more about the writer of the article than the subjects.
Eh…maybe for *this* article we could just blame the writer, but the other story Amy Too is referencing came from People, which the Cambridges have frequently gone to for fluffy PR stories. I remember that piece too; it was a weird mix of boasting about family time and quiet complaining about being around the children more often than usual. It’s also one of the few instances that subtly noted how neither parent was accustomed to being around their kids for extended periods of time. William already outed himself on that topic, but Kate’s always pushed the image of being hands-on and super focused on raising her children as an excuse for her low engagement numbers.
I’m sorry but LOL if they think that tidbits like this are going to keep the press happy enough to continue giving the Cambridges only glowing coverage for years and years.
Also, I didn’t think it was possible for me to dislike the Queen more, but the way she’s treating her staff during the pandemic is atrocious. She could scale waaaaayTF back on the number of employees that she generally has working at any given moment so that the majority of these people could be with their families for Christmas, but it doesn’t seem as if making a personal sacrifice is something that would even occur to her. She could start by staying in only ONE of her many residences instead of hopping from palace to castle.
PS I’d like to hear some more details about how a seven-year-old child is already “acting like a future king.” 😂Good lord this stuff is insipid.
That’s the thing though, at least in my opinion – she thinks she IS making a personal sacrifice by not going to Sandringham. She thinks being forced to stay at Windsor is a huge sacrifice.
It is mind blowing to me how many people overlook things like this because of the “dutiful, cute little granny” image they have of this cruel, selfish woman.
Young children are excited for Christmas?!!?! How on earth did Us Weekly get this scoop?!?!?!
I am sure the Cambridges will hunker down at Anmer for the holidays and that Carole and Mike will join them there – maybe Pippa and her family as well? Could I be the inside source?? I’ll never tell!
Here is where I admit that for the first time ever, we got a fake tree because I wanted it up for a really long time and we put it up the weekend before thanksgiving and decorated this past weekend. It makes me so happy this year lol.
Maybe you are – spill more tea?!?!?!
Her family camp out at Amner pretty much every year since they got married – wonder if they will have another cut price hunt like the one Carole organised a few years ago.
I can also confirm that there will be chutney.
LOL, Becks1, that was my first reaction: Kids LOVE this time of year??? They LOVE presents and Christmas candy???? They want the tree up??? NOOOOOOOOO…the empire is DOOMED! Feh!
They. Are. Kids. They. Are. Excited. This. Time. Of. Year. Even Royal ones LIKE candy and toys. They are most likely seeing Christmas commercials and Christmas shows starting on tv; their friends are talking (are they still in school in London?).
Eh… I put up my blue and white fairy lights around my balcony railing and on my mantle early this year. I needed the cheer. And I “officially” turned on my lighted Hanukkah wreathe (above the fireplace) when Joe and Kamala won the vote. To me, it was all part of seeing “the light at the end of this dark 4 yr tunnel” we’ve all been in. Silly? Maybe. But DAMN it’s pretty, and makes me feel joy watching them sparkle.
So yeah, I can believe how excited the Cam kids are to have their decorations up and going!
I have no idea if this is simply made up or not, but it remains disturbing to throw this future king stuff on a child, whether it’s done by the Cambridges or the media it’s just setting up more problems as we have seen with William and his entitled assy attitude.
And yes the well behaved heir vs misbehaving spares narrative is starting already.
I can’t but think the George maybe exhibiting some of William’s sassy childhood ‘tude. I recall the stories of him as a child (around George’s age) going around telling people he was going to be King one day and that they need to do whatever he wants.
There were many stories of him behaving badly as a child.
I remember those stories, too, DU. They were putting out the “kingly” shizz when PwBT was about 3 yrs. old. They were putting out stories about how he was saying that to Harry, who was ONE. Yeah…started VERY early.
That was my first thought when reading that line – acting like the future king by lording it over his brother and sister, and having his every whim catered to immediately. Being told how special he is, and treated accordingly. On the reverse side of the statement – he’s seven. I’m sure he’s been told of his future role, but I remember things I’ve read about Charles and his reaction to the news of his future life around that age, and how it weighed heavily on him. Diana tried to treat her sons as the children they were, as much as she could, given their birth, but William learned early on about his station in life, too. If George is taking after his father when he was that age, that child is already terribly spoiled, arrogant, and willful. No pun intended.
William was poisoned by the Queen mother as much as Charles was with the future king stuff and her extreme longevity and the Queen’s passivity to her behaviour is a large reason why several generations of Windsor are super fucked up. I don’t know what is being done for George, but I don’t hold out much hope that the Middletons are providing a counter balance to that future king nonsense, especially as Carole is desperate for acceptance in that circle and was prepared to cater to William at every point.
Isn’t there anything William can do with his hair besides keep it SO short, with those short little sideburns? It’s really not flattering at all. Maybe a bit more volume on the sides would help? Add some mutton chops? Something! Please!
He should just give up and shave it. Shame he can’t have a stubbly beard… it would definitely help.
Not sure he could pull off power balding with that head and jawline, but maybe it’s worth a try. Anything besides his current squaresville do. So boring!
I wish somebody in that family had an expertise in child development because it would be helpful for them to realize that each kid has his or her own disposition and personality. It’s not that uncommon for a firstborn child to be a bit more serious and disciplined. That’s not being “kingly”; that’s normal development. It’s also not that uncommon for second and subsequent children to be a bit more free-spirited and cheeky. That’s not being naughty; that’s normal boundary pushing and being a child. And even if the roles are completely reversed and it’s the firstborn who’s sassy and free-spirited, guess what? That’s okay too! They are kids and going through their own developmental stages at their own pace.
Oh Noodle, you are absolutely right but as we see it play out time and time again there’s no hope or help for these people. We can only hope the children somehow manage to cultivate intellectual curiosity and free themselves from that toxic royal bubble they’re in. I know the courtiers will do everything they can to try to stifle that curiosity now that Harry has actually done it and we know these people can’t bear to see positive progress be repeated. Which is why they did their darnedest to ensure they got Kate and not another Diana.
If only someone took an interest in early years.
BP has just announced that the Queen and her husband will stay at Windsor this Christmas. As for the royal children bugging their parents to put up the tree. That may be true but it will be servants who will decorating their KP apartment and Anmer Hall.
I read that too, and what I relief it must be to everyone. Sandringham at Christmas, with all the outfit changes and stuffy “royal protocol”, sounded miserable.
They have very cute kids, that’s all I’ve got.
I’ve go that I wanted to put up the tree on Nov 1st but I remembered a veteran saying that it made him sad that people werent waiting until after remembrance day (nov 11 in canada) to rejoyce for the holidays, so I couldnt do it. The tree was up the weekend after remembrance day.
I don’t get it. Maybe George is calmer and the younger two are cheeky. God knows this dynamic exists in my family. The eldest is calmer is more responsible – the younger ones are climbing the walls.
I don’t like any of these people – but Kate is a good mom. That is extremely clear to anyone with eyes.
Just like bump watch – accusing people of mistreating or sidelining their children leaves a bad taste in my mouth.
She should have treated Archie better. She ignored him when they were a few feet apart on a polo field. She did not even go over to play with him.
Letting a narrative where one child is more important then the other two is bad parenting and Kate has not shut down that narrative in any way. Diana was quite open about not wanting to do that to her kids and it happened anyway because the Queen mum was there enforcing this nonsense along with the Queen. Kate is the only one who is likely to stop this nonsense and she has not so far. So in that regard anyone with eyes can see that in that aspect she is a bad mom. William should stop it too but he’s benefitted so much from being the heir he can’t see how it’s twisted his personality.
Ballet, gymnastcs, yoga, tennis, riding and swimming for Charlotte – and that’s only the things we’ve heard about! I wonder if Kate will remember to include the importance of all these activities for the early years, seeing as how she cares so deeply, right?
Do British families typically put up their Christmas trees closer to Christmas? We always put ours up on the first Sunday of Advent (was this past Sunday this year), and I feel like that’s considered late by US standards these days. So many of my friends had them up for Thanksgiving.
It used to be that Christmas didn’t start until after Thanksgiving. It gets pushed earlier and earlier each year. I blame Big Retail. I get that people especially need any reason to feel celebratory this year of all years, but still, one month is plenty! Call me a curmudgeon if you like – one holiday at a time, please!
W&K know they’re dull dmand boring and uninteresting. So they’re providing as much info about those kids as they feel can get away with without actually having to put them in the spotlight. Sadly those kids will be working royals at a very young age due their short-sighted parents.
Though it appears they’re trying to shoehorn Beatrice and Eugenie into the working royals group. Wonder how Brits will take that?
Do we usually get pictures of royal decorations other than in the Queen’s tv speech? I don’t recall any, but this would be the year to do it, Kate! Give us a tour! Come on, your decorating skills are at least as good as Melania’s, and you could ask a pwyc donation for a local food bank. Do craft a long ornaments or gingerbread house decorating! Parents isolating at home would be all over it.
Oh! The exclamation points! Everywhere!
I get a giggle out of Charlotte taking kids yoga. Isn’t that all sorts of new agey and Hollywood? lol
I would assume yoga became popular in the UK straight from India, no need for Hollywood. Lots of British folk are of Indian extraction.
Way back in the ancient times before graphical user interfaces and personal computers, the very British Beatles went off to India to seek whatever. The word guru entered the language, helped because the Beatles had one. Also they learned something about playing the sitar.
Yoga definitely was popular in the US by the 1970s. Maybe earlier, I just noticed it then. I picked up a book on yoga exercises in the early 1970s and still use the warmup exercises. Had to stop at the headstand exercise because the book said not to do it if you were congested, and I was always congested (allergies to the entire outdoors).
My roommate in grad school had years of dance training and started doing yoga in our living room. My cat did it along with her. She was especially good at the corpse pose and also good at interfering with all of the other poses. I stick with the warmup because I can do it standing without feline interference, especially after two cats were hired when the position held by the original yoga lover became vacant.
Kids yoga is super cute to watch. There are so many youtube videos for it (my boys’ favorite is Cosmic Kids). It’s become pretty popular where I am, I think bc it helps kids to control their bodies and focus.
But, that said – @Jwoolman – I think the comment was more about how Meghan enjoying yoga was just so Hollywood in the eyes of the royal reporters, one more sign that she was “different” from the British people, when as you said, yoga has been popular for a long time and I imagine it’s been popular in the UK for a long time.
Exactly, thanks Becks1. Yoga was weaponized against Meghan AND her mom, which was so ridiculous because like @Jwoolman wrote, it’s been around in Britain for a long time.
British schools have been offering Yoga lessons for quite a long time. My son is 7 and he’s been in Yoga Club since Year 1 and my neighbour’s daughter has been in Yoga club for 5 years now. There’s nothing Hollywood about it.
I am surprised that they didn’t talk about how many homemade ornaments that Kate is making with the kids. Perhaps they are saving that for another week.
I have seen some pinterest pins of button tree ornaments. I wonder if I should pass them on to her.
A seven year old acting like a Future King. Things don’t bode well for his younger siblings. He’s already being treated as more “special.”
Cute babies for sure.