King Charles 'wants William's children to grow up as normal as possible' to avoid 'making mistakes he made'

21 May 2023, 23:47 | Updated: 22 May 2023, 01:29

King Charles wants Prince William and Princess Kate's three children to "grow up as normal as possible" so they avoid making the "same mistakes he made", a royal expert has claimed.

Chandrika Kaul, Professor of Modern History at the University of St Andrews, made the comments in new documentary The Fab Five: The King's Grandchildren, which explores the monarch's relationship with the children of his two sons, William and Harry.

In the programme, which aired on Channel 5 last night, the expert claimed that Charles is keen for Prince George, nine, Princess Charlotte, eight and Prince Louis, five, to have more normal lives, and be in touch with their emotions.

Professor Kaul said: "I think King Charles is very keen that his grandchildren don't make the mistakes that I think he feels he made, particularly when it came to matters of the heart."

In 1994, Charles sparked headlines around the world when admitted to being unfaithful to his first wife Princess Diana with Queen Camilla after the marriage had "irretrievably broken", in an interview with Jonathan Dimbleby.

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The expert said the monarch has learnt from his past and wants his grandchildren to have the confidence to follow their hearts.

"What I think he wants to do is try and help these young grandchildren grow up in as normal a way as possible and create more fully rounded human beings who are unafraid of their emotions and who are able to have the confidence to marry whom they want," she continued.

"And to have a happy, successful and fulfilled personal life.".

Meanwhile, Scottish Broadcaster and political commentator Ayesha Hazarika said it's important that Charles makes them feel valued.

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Prince Harry's bombshell memoir Spare laid bare his resentment about his position in the royal family, and said he understood his role to be a "diversion" or "distraction" from his brother, who is the heir to the throne.

"Charles, as a good grandfather, will have to explain to the other two that they're not just spares, they're not just surplus to requirement," she said.

Majesty Magazine editor-in-chief Ingrid Seward poured praise on Princess Charlotte, and said the young royal has "an absolute terrific personality".

She added: "She's brave, she's quite forceful, she certainly lords it up over her older brother."

5News' royal correspondent Simon Vigar added that the princess is beginning to show older brother George who's in charge.

"I remember George being quite bossy but I think the dynamic's changed," he said. "Recently during public events, we've seen Charlotte taking charge and ordering George around."

All three of the young royals were in attendance as Charles was formally crowned at a ceremony in Westminster Abbey on May 6.

Prince George featured prominently as a Page of Honour and stood close to the King as he was crowned, as Louis and Charlotte watched on with their parents from the pews.

The Cambridges now reside at Adelaide Cottage on the King's Windsor estate, having moved from their Kensington Palace home in the summer of 2022.