Tom Quinn's book Gilded Youth explores the princess' parenting style. Photo / AP
Tom Quinn's book Gilded Youth explores the princess' parenting style. Photo / AP
Kate Middleton loves to be involved when it comes to her children and their day-to-day lives. However, the Princess of Wales “wouldn’t dream of taking them to McDonald’s” and “doesn’t rock the boat” when it comes to royal protocol, unlike her predecessor Diana, a new book claims.
In Gilded Youth, written by royal author Tom Quinn, a chapter explores the princess’ parenting style - such as Kate’s easy-going attitude with regards to her children having the luxuries and privileges of a royal upbringing, according to Daily Mail.
Prince William, Princess Charlotte and Kate, Duchess of Cambridge watch the swimming events on day five of the 2022 Commonwealth Games in Birmingham on August 2. Photo / AP
The author adds: “Kate makes no effort - unlike Diana - to bring the children down to earth, because she doesn’t want them to have a ‘normal’ childhood in the sense that Diana wanted it for William and Harry.”
He went on to say that Kate believes her late mother-in-law’s modern approach to parenting created problems, “most especially with Harry” by supposedly adding to his “dissatisfaction with his royal role”.
The book also includes a statement from a former member of staff at Buckingham Palace, who claimed that: “Diana enjoyed slumming it and was in many ways downwardly mobile – she wanted to escape her aristocratic childhood.
“Kate wants to escape her middle-class childhood. She dislikes burgers and chips and wouldn’t dream of taking her children to McDonald’s, and she doesn’t rock the boat when the vast weight of traditional royal pursuits bears down on her children.”
The Princess of Wales holidaying with her sons Prince William and Prince Harry on Necker Island in the British Virgin Islands. Photo / Getty Images
On the flipside, the author is adamant that the mum of three wants to be involved in her children’s day-to-day lives.
A former royal family aide revealed in 2019 that Diana would commonly take Prince William and Prince Harry to McDonald’s in order to raise her children in a relatively “normal” way.
Diana’s butler, Paul Burrell, said that every Saturday, William and Harry would gulp down a Big Mac and chips while lazing in front of the TV watching trashy shows.
A chef at Kensington Palace recalled the princes regularly being treated to fast food, despite having a kitchen of top chefs at their disposal.
“I remember the princess came into the kitchen one day and said ‘cancel lunch for the boys, I’m taking them out, we’re going to McDonald’s,’” Darren McGrady revealed to Marie Claire magazine.
She was the most photographed woman on earth, and now 25 years later a new generation of Gen Zs have grown up aware of the power of the lens. Photo / Getty Images
“And I said, ‘Oh my god your royal highness, I can do that, I can do burgers.’ And she said, ‘No, it’s the toy they want.’
“Yeah, the boys loved McDonald’s, and going out to pizza, and having potato skins - sort of the American foods. They were royal princes but had children’s palates.”
McGrady’s revelations about the boys’ love of junk food is supported by Burrell’s recollections of their youth.
The former butler told the Mirror: “The three of them would nip to McDonald’s for burger and fries before coming back to watch Blind Date.
“All three of them would squat on this massive, stuffed hippopotamus Diana had in her sitting room.”
Prior to her untimely death in 1997, Diana was globally adored for being a hands-on mother to Harry and William.
