"They don't have phones." Prince William revealed the main rule of raising children and a possible exception for 12-year-old George.
Prince William explained how he and Kate Middleton are raising their three children—12-year-old George, 10-year-old Louis, and seven-year-old Charlotte. According to the Prince of Wales, one of their main principles is a strict ban on phones. This rule particularly complicates their relationship with their eldest son.
William acknowledged that George might be given some leeway when he reaches secondary school. "Our children don't have phones. But when George reaches secondary school, he might get a smartphone with limited internet access. Frankly, it's already getting tense. I hope he understands why we're sticking to these restrictions," the 43-year-old prince said at the 2025 Earthshot Prize awards ceremony in Rio de Janeiro, according to the Daily Mail.
Prince William explained that he and his wife are doing this to protect their children from the harm that social media and unsupervised internet access can cause. "Children can be exposed to too much unnecessary information. But they still need to stay connected. So, a phone that only allows calls and texts—the so-called 'bricked'—is, in my opinion, quite suitable," he noted.
In the interview, William also emphasized the importance of honest dialogue with their children. The prince admitted that this was particularly difficult when they had to tell them about Middleton's diagnosis. However, they still "tried to speak as openly as possible."
"We don't hide anything from our children: we tell them about both the good and the bad. Otherwise, they'll think we're deliberately withholding important things. We explain why certain events happen and why they can be upsetting. Of course, we don't have all the answers—but I think that's how all parents live. No one has yet written a 'How to Be a Parent' manual with clear rules. We, for example, decided to discuss everything, but in simple, child-friendly language," the prince added.
Last year, Kate Middleton announced she had been diagnosed with cancer, after which she disappeared from public view for several months. The palace's lack of comment sparked a wave of rumors and conspiracy theories, with online speculation that the princess was dying or had already passed away (as it later emerged, the royal palace had indeed been preparing a plan in case of her death). However, in September, Kate resurfaced, announcing the completion of chemotherapy, and in January, she announced she had achieved remission. Despite rumors of a relapse, she now makes frequent public appearances and recently even represented the Crown at a British event.
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