How Does Kate Middleton Talk to Prince George and Princess Charlotte About Coronavirus Lockdown?
Like parents everywhere, Kate Middleton and Prince William have found it difficult to explain the complexities of the coronavirus lockdown to their kids. But Kate, 38, says she thinks it’s important to present it in a way that her young children — Prince George, 6, Princess Charlotte, 5, and Prince Louis, 2 — will understand.
“It’s been ups and downs, like a lot of families self-isolating. George is much older than Louis is and things, but they are aware, I’m always surprised,” Kate told the BBC. “And although you don’t want to scare them and make it too overwhelming, I think it is appropriate to acknowledge it in the simple ways and age-appropriate ways.”
The family of five has been isolating at their country home of Anmer Hall in Norfolk (about 112 miles north of London) since March. While the royal parents have been keeping their kids busy with homeschooling, baking and tent-making, they’ve tried to explain their current situation to them.
“It is difficult, it’s hard to explain to a 5 and a 6, nearly 7-year-old, what’s going on," Kate told ITV’s This Morning. "But the schools are being great at supporting them as well. Hard times, but we’ve got the support out there I think.”
Samir Hussein/WireImage Prince Louis, Prince William, Kate Middleton, Prince George and Princess Charlotte
They also have support from their family, who they’ve been in contact with more than ever since the lockdown began.
“We’ve been talking to all the family online. And it’s been a really good way of keeping in touch and seeing each other,” William told the BBC.
Kate added, “It’s so true. And I think your father and my parents and our families . . . have really loved keeping in touch with the children because it’s really hard. It gets a bit hectic, I am not going to lie, with a 2-year-old.”
“We try and check in daily with family members and speak to them about news and things like that," she continued. "In some ways I suppose we’ve got a lot more contact and a lot more face time than perhaps we would’ve done before.”
Prince Louis
In between homeschooling, the royal siblings have been getting creative around the house. Louis did some colorful finger painting in support of National Health Service (NHS) workers and other essential workers tackling the coronavirus pandemic across the country, and Charlotte helped her mom make homemade pasta for their neighbors.
The Duchess of Cambridge Princess Charlotte
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“The children have got such stamina, I don’t know how," Kate said. "Honestly, you get to the end of the day and you write down the list of all the things that you’ve done in that day. So, you pitch a tent, take the tent down again, cook, bake. You get to the end of the day — they have had a lovely time — but it is amazing how much you can cram into one day that’s for sure.”
