Prince William and Kate Middleton are celebrating their youngest son Prince Louis’ birthday today (April 23) and are reportedly focused on protecting him from the “curse” of being the royal spare.
According to sources, the couple wants to make sure Louis feels equal to his siblings in order to avoid the ongoing drama between Prince William and his brother Prince Harry.
“They are both determined to avoid the traditional ‘heir and spare’ dynamic by emphasizing that Prince George is the ‘first among equals,’ so that Princess Charlotte and Prince Louis are treated as his equals,” royal expert Hilary Fordwich tells Fox News. “This ensures they all feel valued and included, rather than sidelined or overshadowed.”
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It looks like part of the plan is making sure the kids have a “normal” childhood where everyone helps out.
“William and Kate accomplished this by working as a family unit, for household chores, cooking and the like,” Fordwich says. “Previous royal generations relied heavily on nannies, whilst their parents focused on royal duties, thereby leaving little time for hands-on involvement. This resulted in their children feeling emotionally neglected. Both William and Kate, untraditionally for royals, are very involved in their children’s daily lives, from school runs to bedtime routines.”
She also says, “They’ve maintained strong family bonds, a sense of normalcy and are reducing feelings of isolation, as well as favoritism. This is in stark contrast to William and Harry’s childhood, which was plagued by their parents’ highly publicized, acrimonious divorce, as well as the frequent pressures of royal life.”
It’s still too soon to tell if this plan will succeed, but it’s safe to say it’s a much healthier approach than the relationship that developed between Harry and William.