Prince William is protecting his children after enduring pain and drama in his past.
The claim was made by multiple royal experts after Brazilian TV host Luciano Huck interviewed the Prince of Wales during his trip to Brazil for the Earthshot Prize awards.
During the conversation, the heir to the British throne shared that he and his wife, Kate Middleton, spoke openly with Prince George, Princess Charlotte and Prince Louis about her cancer diagnosis and treatment.
“Hiding stuff from them doesn’t work,” said the 43-year-old.
Royal experts told Fox News Digital they aren’t surprised that William is rewriting the royal rulebook — raising his children with honesty and unity.
“A young Prince William carried the burden of his parents’ unhappy and destructive relationship,” British broadcaster and photographer Helena Chard explained.
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“Their relationship had broken down and, as a result, Prince William and Prince Harry — but more so, William — felt sad and helpless and, I imagine, insecure. Prince William and Princess Catherine are working hard to keep their children abreast of everything.”
“They do not want their children hearing what could be devastating news from anyone else,” Chard shared. “They are right in the way they handle their affairs in an age-appropriate manner. They are bringing up a strong, resilient, self-assured and respectful young family, which bodes well for the future of the monarchy.”
In 2024, both the king, 76, and Kate, 43, were diagnosed with cancer. William, who acknowledged that every family has its own “challenges,” said, “I think it is very individual and sort of moment-dependent as to how you deal with those problems.”
The prince noted that he and Kate “chose to communicate a lot more with our children.”
“Now, that has its good things and its bad things,” William explained. “Sometimes you feel you’re oversharing with the children — you probably shouldn’t. But most of the time, hiding stuff from them doesn’t work.”
William noted that it’s important for them as a family to be open with each other so that the children aren’t left feeling “anxious” about unanswered questions.
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“There are a lot more questions when there are no answers,” he said. “But it is always a balancing act — every parent knows that. It’s, ‘How much do I say? What do I say? When do I say?’ There’s no manual for being a parent — you’ve just got to go with it, a bit of instinct.”
Chard said that William, even as he prepares to be king someday, has always been determined to give his children “balanced, happy and healthy lives” while in the public eye.
“He is aware that parents need to be open with their children, no matter how sad and upsetting the situation may be,” she said. “It builds trust, respect and self-esteem.”
Royal expert Richard Fitzwilliams told Fox News Digital that the past has taught William many lessons about family. Growing up, he witnessed the public breakdown of his parents’ marriage. In 1995, his mother, Princess Diana, appeared on “Panorama” and famously declared, “There were three of us in this marriage, so it was a bit crowded,” referring to her husband’s infidelity.
“William’s attitude has been influenced by his childhood and the public nature of the war between his parents, especially the ‘Panorama’ debacle,” Fitzwilliams claimed.
“William was aghast at what his mother had done when he was at Eton. He was also affected by her tragic death in a very different way than Harry. From the start, he has tried to bring his children up as normally as possible. He is also fiercely protective of their privacy.”
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“We knew that he and Catherine had decided to share the news that she had cancer appropriately,” said Fitzwilliams. “It would not have been possible to hide it anyway, and, since the king was also a sufferer, the difficulties of two senior royals fighting it at the same time were considerable, especially given the enormous scrutiny to which the monarchy is subjected.”
“The purpose of sharing this was to offer a guide to others in a similar situation,” Fitzwilliams continued. “The way that Catherine has handled her illness — communicating with moving and uniquely intimate videos — has been truly amazing. They have clearly worked out a plan in circumstances that are ‘brutal,’ as William has said.”
And like many parents, William isn’t in a hurry to watch his children grow up. He’s savoring the small, ordinary moments that make them feel like a normal family.
William admitted to Huck that it’s “really hard” to protect his children from the harms of social media and the internet.
“Our children don’t have phones,” he said. “I think when George moves on to secondary school, then maybe he might have a phone that has no internet access. And to be honest, it’s getting to the point where it’s becoming a little bit of a tense issue. But I think he understands why.”
“We communicate why we don’t think it’s right,” William continued. “And again, I think it’s the internet access I have a problem with. I think children can access too much stuff they don’t need to see online, and so having a phone and text message, the old sort of ‘brick phone’ as they call them, I think that’s fine.”
William even joked that he was like a “taxi driver” for his kids. He brings them to their playdates and sports games and tag-teams with Kate on school drop-offs and pick-ups.
“Prince William’s forthright approach is no doubt derived from his wish to avoid the obfuscation prevalent in his childhood, which resulted in even more pain and royal dramas,” said British royals expert Hilary Fordwich.
Charles and Diana separated in 1992. Their divorce wasn’t finalized until 1996, a year before Diana’s sudden death at age 36.
“William sees facing adversity as a family together, as a ‘normal family,’” said Fordwich.
“It’s of paramount importance to him. Having openness with his children is a far better way to build trust, develop emotional resilience and forge family unity. He seeks to answer all the issues his children raise, welcoming their curiosity and questions, ensuring that they feel included and united as a family.”
When Kate announced her cancer diagnosis, the princess noted that she and William took time to “explain everything to their children” before she went public. Kate completed her treatment in September 2024 before announcing she was in remission early this year.
During a recent appearance on Eugene Levy’s series, “The Reluctant Traveler,” William admitted that 2024 was the “hardest year” he’s ever experienced.
“Everyone has their own coping mechanisms for these sorts of things, and children are constantly learning and adapting,” said William.
“We try to make sure we give them the security and the safety that they need. And we’re a very open family, so we talk about things that bother us, and things that trouble us, but you never quite know the knock-on effects that it can have. And so, it’s just important to be there for each other and to kind of reassure the children that everything is OK.”
