Princess Charlotte, the youngest child of Prince William and Princess Kate, is already showing signs of following in her mother’s footsteps, not just in poise and public presence, but in her personal interests as well. At only nine years old, Charlotte has reportedly developed a deep love for reading, much like her mum.
Former nanny, Caroline Redgrave, who worked for the Prince and Princess of Wales for five years, has described the Wales kids’ bedtime routine as "beautifully ordinary". As reported in The Sun, Ms Redgrave said: "It was all about slowing everything down."
She added that Prince George liked to play with building blocks after his bath, Princess Charlotte liked to read quietly, and Louis often curled up with a stuffed toy.
About an hour before lights out, the royal kids would all have a cup of warm milk (never cold) and sometimes a slice of banana or half a plain rice cake.
She added: "The routine was the same, no matter what had gone on in the day.".
Princess Kate has long championed the importance of early childhood development and literacy. Through her royal work and public appearances, she’s emphasised the critical role that books and reading play in nurturing.
She also once read a CBeebies Bedtime Story titled 'The Owl Who Was Afraid of the Dark' by Jill Tomlinson on February 13, 2022, as part of Children's Mental Health Week.
It follows the story of Plop, a baby owl, who is helped by others to grow in confidence and overcome his fears.
Princess Kate is not the only royal to be a fan of reading, as Meghan, the Duchess of Sussex, penned a picture book titled 'The Bench' in 2021.
The story is inspired by a poem Meghan wrote for Prince Harry, on his first Father’s Day, just a month after their son Archie was born.
Exploring the bond between father and son, from a mother’s perspective, the book reflects on the different ways that love is expressed in a modern family, as well as how their relationship develops as the little boy grows up and it all revolves around the bench they share together.
Although this is Meghan’s first children’s book, it’s not the first time she’s been published. Following the Grenfell Tower tragedy in 2018, she was involved in Together: Our Community Cookbook, a charity cookbook helping families affected by the devastating fire.
