Prince William and Kate Middleton’s Strict Parenting Rule Becomes a ‘Tense Issue’ With Prince George

Prince William and Kate Middleton are known for their hands-on parenting style — but one of their strictest rules is reportedly causing tension with their eldest son, Prince George.

The Prince and Princess of Wales have chosen not to give their three children — George, 12, Princess Charlotte, 10, and Prince Louis, 7 — cellphones. While the royal couple believe this rule helps protect their kids from the dangers of the digital world, William recently admitted that it’s become “a little bit of a tense issue” at home.

During an interview with Brazilian TV host Luciano Huck while visiting for the Earthshot Prize awards, Prince William opened up about the difficulty of keeping his children safe from social media and internet exposure.

“It’s really hard to protect them from the harms of social media and the internet,” he said.

“And to be honest, it’s getting to the point where it’s becoming a little bit of a tense issue.”

William explained that Prince George understands the reasoning behind the rule, even if it sometimes causes frustration.

“We communicate why we don’t think it’s right. I think it’s the internet access I have a problem with. Children can access too much stuff they don’t need to see online,” he said.

“Having a phone just for calls and text messages — the old ‘brick phone’ — I think that’s fine.”

The future king also hinted that when George starts secondary school, he may be allowed to have a basic phone without internet access, giving him a little more independence.

Family Life Inside the Wales Household

The 43-year-old royal offered a rare look into his everyday life with Kate Middleton and their three children. William joked that he’s a “taxi driver” for the kids, constantly taking them to school, playdates, and sports practices.

“Oh, yeah — school runs most days,” he laughed. “Catherine and I share it. She probably does the bulk of them.”

William emphasized that both he and Kate are deeply involved in their children’s routines to ensure they have as normal a childhood as possible despite their royal status.

Discussing Kate Middleton’s Cancer Journey With the Kids

In the same conversation, Prince William spoke candidly about the “challenge” of explaining Kate Middleton’s cancer diagnosis to their children.

“It is very individual and sort of moment-dependent as to how you deal with those problems,” he said.

William shared that he and Kate decided to communicate more openly with George, Charlotte, and Louis about what the family has been going through — though he sometimes questions if they’re sharing too much.

“Sometimes you feel you’re oversharing with the children when you probably shouldn’t,” he admitted. “But most of the time, hiding stuff from them doesn’t work. There are a lot more questions when there are no answers.”

Middleton, 43, revealed her diagnosis in March 2024, after undergoing abdominal surgery and stepping back from royal duties. She completed her cancer treatment in September 2024 and later announced that she is in remission, focusing on recovery and adjusting to her “new normal.”

Parenting by Instinct

Despite the royal pressure, Prince William stressed that parenting — even for the future king — comes down to instinct.

“There’s no manual for being a parent,” he said. “You’ve just got to go with it — a bit of instinct.”Prince William and Kate Middleton are known for their hands-on parenting style — but one of their strictest rules is reportedly causing tension with their eldest son, Prince George.

The Prince and Princess of Wales have chosen not to give their three children — George, 12, Princess Charlotte, 10, and Prince Louis, 7 — cellphones. While the royal couple believe this rule helps protect their kids from the dangers of the digital world, William recently admitted that it’s become “a little bit of a tense issue” at home.

photo: social media