Prince William and Princess Catherine's three young children have already proven inspiring, joyous, dutiful and impressive. But they have also subtly shown the way to Meghan Markle and Prince Harry, about how a royal's childhood need not be black-out convoys and swathes of security teams on the primary school run.
Contrast in school runs
Since Harry and Meghan made their Megxit U-turn a few weeks ago, with Prince Archie and Princess Lilibet and their two dogs in tow, the family have turned The Cotswolds into the scene of a new soap opera. Complaints from locals in the celebrity-packed enclave of England have included supposed 'diva' behaviour. There was also the farce around the kids' first day at their new UK primary school.
Parents at Harry and Meghan's kids school reportedly were left stunned after the Sussexes "rocked up in blacked-out cars" to do the drop off. Dissatisfaction about the busy nature of the drive to the first school at drop-off time led to them hastily pulling Archie and Lilibet out, and into a second school.
Security and normal childhood
The couple have adopted a 'ring of steel' strategy around themselves and their children, with the long-term hope that taxpayers pick up the bill for them to be allowed Metropolitan Police armed officers 24/7 - as though they were actual working royals, which of course they are not.
Meghan's As Ever website this week launched a new Christmas range of high-priced, alleged 'goodies'. Meanwhile, when it came to drop offs at Lambrook School, in Berkshire, Kate herself was regularly seen ferrying her trio to school and walking them into the gates, clearly to let them have a normal childhood.
Casual names at school
Until 2022, before the family moved to Windsor, Kate was also spotted dropping off Prince George and Princess Charlotte at Thomas's Battersea in London with other parents reportedly noting how she simply blended in easily and never drew much attention.
Now George, Charlotte and Louis ditch their formal royal titles for something a little more casual while at school. According to Hello! magazine, they simply go by George Wales, Charlotte Wales and Louis Wales at school. The surname Wales is a nod to their parents' titles as Prince and Princess of Wales, which they were given following the death of Queen Elizabeth II in 2022.
It is not yet known how Archie and Lilibet are being addressed in school. Maybe they are using the surname Sussex in the form register. But the way Kate and William have raised their children in the glare of the world's media, and the way their children still appear relaxed and grounded - chatting to well-wishers at Sandringham on Christmas Day for example - is a beacon that maybe Harry and Meghan should start to follow as they navigate parenting back in Blighty.
