Former royal staff members have revealed that Catherine, Princess of Wales had to teach Prince William a common parenting practice he never experienced as a child: giving his children a piggyback ride. The revelation comes from a newly published book, Yes Ma'am: The Secret Life of Royal Servants, written by author Tom Quinn.
Piggyback Ride Revelation
According to a former Kensington Palace maid quoted in the book, Kate found herself needing to show Prince William how to give his children a piggyback. The maid told Quinn: "Kate had to explain many of the things that parents outside the royal family do with their children as a matter of course. She had to show him how to give the children a piggyback, for example. William said very quietly, 'My father never gave me a piggyback.'"
Prince William and his younger brother Harry grew up in the public eye, accompanying their parents King Charles and Princess Diana on tours. Despite their privilege, the constant scrutiny brought challenges. The maid's account offers a glimpse into how the couple navigates parenting differently from William's own upbringing.
Family Dynamics and Kate's Role
The book also provides other candid insights into palace life. One former staff member told Quinn: "[King Charles and William] both get irritated very quickly. They are very picky. It comes naturally to them." In these moments, Catherine frequently steps in to promote calm. The insider added: "I don't know where William would be without Kate - she hasn't had everything done for her throughout her life, so she calms him down when he gets a bit fractious. She said he sometimes has to be treated as her fourth child."
Kate has also been praised for how she handled the complexities of palace life and the initial "snooty" attitudes from some staff. A former Kensington Palace employee told Quinn: "Kate is someone who slowly and carefully absorbs the atmosphere of a place, the relationship between people and the rules. She doesn't jump in straight away and try to change everything to suit her way of thinking. She bides her time and is very intelligent and intuitive about other people, what they do and how they behave."
Coaching and Adaptation
The employee added: "She was also coached - not just by William, who wanted Kate to avoid the problems his mother had encountered, but also by the staff. Kate was always happy to accept advice both from the lower staff, with whom she got on very well, and from the courtiers, even though some of them were initially very snooty about her."
Kate married Prince William on April 29, 2011, at Westminster Abbey after being in a relationship since 2003. Following their marriage, she became the Duchess of Cambridge, and on September 9, 2022, she assumed the title of Princess of Wales after William was appointed Prince of Wales by King Charles III. Diana, William's mother, held the same title before her death in 1997.
