Prince William and Princess Kate are paying close attention to how they are raising their three children, as they are “very conscious” of not giving Prince George special treatment, a royal expert has said.
Robert Hardman, a royal biographer, believes the Prince and Princess of Wales are trying hard not to favour their eldest son, ensuring Princess Charlotte and Prince Louis do not feel “less loved or relevant” than their older brother. By fostering a balanced upbringing, they hope to avoid the “resentment” experienced by recent royal spares such as Prince Harry and Princess Margaret.
Hardman told the Daily Mail: “It is said that the Prince and Princess of Wales are very concerned. Of course, Prince George is the heir, and that's the way it's going to be. It's a hereditary, hierarchical, constitutional monarchy. You can't change that. But there are ways, I think, in which you can try and ensure that you don't leave the younger ones feeling they are any less loved or any less relevant. They're just going to have to accept that their career path is going to be different.”
Hardman highlighted Princess Margaret as an example of a spare who was “subjected to a series of slights” throughout her life, creating a melancholy and “rebellious streak” that remained until her death in 2002. He noted that Margaret resented being excluded from education, military service, and official engagements that her sister Queen Elizabeth enjoyed.
However, Hardman warned that having a controversial sibling can be an asset to the monarch, as they draw criticism away from the heir. He recalled a comment from Lord Charteris, a former private secretary to the Queen, who said it is important for every royal family to have “a wicked fairy to take the flak”.
