Prince William and Kate Middleton's deep-rooted parenting fears with Princess Charlotte | HELLO! (2025)

The Prince and Princess of Wales have had the eyes of the world watching as they raised their three children, with a particular interest in the future king, Prince George.

With William's own childhood dynamics with his younger brother Prince Harry thrust into the spotlight following Harry's revelations in Spare – his autobiography, which explores his feelings that they grew up as the "heir and spare" – he has a deep-rooted fear of passing these thoughts onto his kids.

In aninterview with HELLO!, global parenting expert Jo Frost, of Supernanny fame, commented on the couple's conscious efforts to ensure Princess Charlotte and Prince Louis are treated equally.

"I think William and Catherine understand the importance of nurturing the sibling relationships between the three of them. Dare I say it, in their family, it would never be the 'heir and spare'. It would be about the importance of all of them.

"The understanding that it really takes a team, with the important roles in upholding the crown and the monarchy. And so, we're seeing these very early seeds now, with respect to what it means to support each other and to nurture together."

Royal expert Sharon Carpenter similarly remarked on the family dynamics toUS Weekly.

"William is trying to avoid the ‘heir and the spare’ dynamic that has haunted the royal family for the previous generations. He and Kate want Charlotte to recognise that she’s her own person with an identity that goes way beyond her place within the royal family."

Harry's comments

In 2023, Prince Harry shocked the world with his revelations in Spare, and one common theme throughout the memoir was how he felt people acted differently around him, compared to his older brother.

This started from the moment he was born in 1984, when his father King Charles reportedly told Princess Diana: "Wonderful! Now you’ve given me an heir and a spare – my work is done."

He was told this anecdote when he was 20, but he had already begun to notice the unjust treatment of the siblings years earlier, claiming the scales always tipped in William's favour.

One example was the bedroom he shared with William at Balmoral, stating: "My half of the room was far smaller, less luxurious. I never asked why. I didn't care. But I also didn't need to ask. Two years older than me, Willy was the Heir, whereas I was the Spare."

He added: "I was the shadow, the support, the Plan B. I was brought into the world in case something happened to Willy… This was all made explicitly clear to me from the start of life’s journey and regularly reinforced thereafter."

According to the Duke of Sussex, even his late grandmother Queen Elizabeth II and grandfather Prince Philip used the nicknames in shorthand, reinforcing his perceived place in the royal family.

Charlotte's behaviour

In an interview published on Substack, Harry revealed his "worries" that William's children would have the same experience.

However, all accounts of Princess Charlotte's behaviour away from the public eye suggest she is the star of the Wales family, even keeping her brothers George and Louis "in good stead."

Sharon described the young royal as "smart, confident and funny girl who knows how to hold her own both in the spotlight and outside of it." Meanwhile, royal historian Marlene Koenig revealed that even Kate sees her daughter as "the one in charge."