Prince William and Princess Kate shared an adorable family photo with Prince George, Princess Charlotte, and Prince Louis to mark Mountain Rescue Awareness Day. Dressed in casual clothes, the family was surrounded by mountain rescuers who were on hand during Princess Kate’s Three Peaks Challenge. It wasn’t a new photo—in fact, it was four months old—but it was a perfect example of Prince William and Princess Kate’s parenting choice to protect their children from the ongoing media “circus.”
In her latest book, Catherine & Diana, royal expert and author Ingrid Seward explained their photography tactic to protect Prince George, Princess Charlotte, and Prince Louis. "In return for photographers allowing the children a measure of privacy, the Waleses have ensured that images of George, Charlotte and Louis are released on a regular, predictable basis, but always on their terms, and always when and how Catherine chooses to showcase them." The careful selection of when, where, and how to share photos of their children keeps the public appetite at bay, while also carefully controlling the narrative.
“Catherine controls the lens herself, or whatever professional she might allow,” Ingrid wrote. "The resultant photographs are her way of presenting the children as she wants them to be seen, unthreatened by the circus that once engulfed their father." Prince William and Princess Kate have learned from Prince William and even King Charles’s childhood experiences, prioritizing a normal-as-possible experience for their children. Appearing in trendy jeans and sneakers, rather than formal suits and collared shirts that Prince William or King Charles might have worn as young children, serves as a "reminder that these are small children, not public property."
These careful choices have shaped how the public perceives the young princes and princess, but also how Prince George, Princess Charlotte, and Prince Louis have experienced their own childhoods. They look like normal kids, with rarely-seen photographs allowing them to live a private life—far, far away from royal gossip and tabloid headlines.