Like all parents around the world, Kate Middleton has once again returned to homeschooling duties with Prince George and Princess Charlotte, while the UK are under harsh lockdown restrictions.
There’s no doubt that homeschooling is not for everyone, and let’s be honest, most of us are struggling with it right now. Luckily though, Kate has a few nifty tricks which might help the youngsters become more excited about learning from home, and her secret is a hands-on approach.
According to royal expert Katie Nicholl, who penned Kate: The Future Queen, the Duchess has a profound interest in how outdoor learning can benefit her children, after meeting other children who had their lessons outside, and seeing the results first-hand.
“Kate is aware of screen time and tries to limit the children being exposed to too much. When the children have a break, she takes them outside, come rain or shine,” Nicholl explained to OK! Magazine.
“She wants them to get fresh air and be in nature. She loves to pick vegetables with them in the gardens. If they are learning about rivers or the sea, she and William try to incorporate that into their walks.”
“Charlotte is a massive fan of spiders and loves looking at them and learning about them, so they go on spider hunts so that she can see them up close and then let them go,” Nicholl added.
When it comes to the children’s art classes, apparently Kate is the one to lead the way, as Nicholl says, “Kate is also a great painter and loves art. She’s the more creative of her and William and loves to paint with the kids. She’s not afraid for the children to get messy with it.”
When it comes to Kate and William’s hands-on home learning approach though, it’s not quite so much of a choice, as it is expected. Royal expert Katie says that Thomas’s Battersea, the prestigious school which seven-year-old George and five-year-old Charlotte both attend, “expects a hands-on approach from parents, that’s part of the reason they [Kate and William] picked it.”
“George and Charlotte are studious and love to learn, so they are pretty self-sufficient when it comes to Zoom learning. But the school likes the children to do practical projects too,” Katie notes.
However, no stress-free homeschooling set-up would be complete without your trusty nanny to pitch in, which is exactly what the Duke and Duchess have. Maria Teresa Turrion Borrallo, who nannies for George, Charlotte and two-year-old Louis, will be nearby to give a helping hand with homeschooling whenever duty calls.
