The Prince and Princess of Wales are set to take a short break from royal duties as they enjoy the Easter holidays with their children Prince George, Princess Charlotte and Prince Louis
The Easter holidays are in full swing – and now taking a break from their royal duties are the Prince and Princess of Wales.
The couple nearly always block out their schedules when their children Prince George, Princess Charlotte and Prince Louis are on their school holidays so they can spend quality time together. The Easter break comes after a much busier start to 2026 compared to the previous year, with both William and Kate travelling up and down the country for engagements – and in the prince’s case, a trip to Saudi Arabia too.
There’s been state visits at Windsor Castle, attending the installation of the new Archbishop of Canterbury, outings in both London and Wales, all while being forced to navigate the Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor crisis.
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The couple also brought their children to the royal’s annual Easter Sunday service at Windsor Castle yesterday, joining the royals for the ceremony for the first time since 2023. But as royal expert Jennie Bond exclusively tells the Mirror, all this is will now be put aside for a few weeks so they can fulfill their other important role – being parents to their three children and enjoying precious time together.
The former BBC royal correspondent explained: “Both William and Catherine have put in quite a shift in recent weeks and months. They’ve been out and about, up and down the country. So I think they’ll feel justified in taking as much time as they can over the Easter holidays to be with their children. I know people say ‘Well, I work hard too, but I don’t get to ring-fence the school holidays’.
“But the fact is that William and Catherine have a job for life: there is no retirement age for a King and Queen. So I don’t begrudge them taking this valuable time to be with their young children as much as they can. Their holiday plans are always private, but the chances are they will spend most of their time at their home in Norfolk, Anmer Hall.
“I’m sure they’ll welcome the chance to get away from the scandal surrounding William’s disgraced uncle, Andrew – who, of course, is now living just a few miles from Anmer Hall. Meanwhile, the children will always enjoy having their granny and grandad around, and the Middletons are also very easy and welcome company for William and Catherine, who adore them.”
Of course for William and Kate, keeping three energetic children of differing ages and with differing interests may not be easy. But it seems the couple have managed to strike a balance with their ‘holiday rules’ focusing on the likes of outdoor activities, getting their hands dirty and being with their two beloved cocker spaniels, Orla and their new puppy – while school work is temporarily cast aside.
Jennie added: “William and Kate are sure to be encouraging their children to enjoy all the outdoor activities they love as a family: romps on the beach, long walks with the dogs, barbecues if the weather is good enough and all sorts of sports.
“Especially after her cancer diagnosis, the princess relishes every moment she can spend outdoors – no matter what the weather. And she has always encouraged her children to do the same. They love the wide open spaces in Norfolk, the freedom they have to explore the Sandringham estate and also to play, pretty unhindered, on the beaches.
“It must be so liberating for them to be able to leap over the sand dunes or walk the dogs, almost like any other family. The Sandringham farm also offers an opportunity for all sorts of fun for the children, tractors to watch, animals to feed and fruit to pick.
“I wouldn’t be in the least surprised if the children were given a few household chores such as tidying their rooms, filling the dishwasher, brushing the dog and cleaning up after the puppies.
“William and Catherine have both lived life outside the Palace walls, shopping, cooking and cleaning when they were at university and, afterwards, when they lived on Anglesey. They will want their children to understand that, even if you’re royal, you can still treat your home and parents with respect – and pull your weight.”
However, one strict holiday rule George, Charlotte and Louis will also seemingly have to abide by is a limited amount of screentime. Like parents everywhere, William and Kate are having to raise their children in a new digital world – and in recent months, both have been vocal about their wariness when it comes to smartphones and other devices.
Last October, Kate publicly flagged her caution about the problems posed by modern technology at the expense of family life in an essay written in collaboration with Professor Robert Waldinger, director of the Harvard Study of Adult Development. The princess, who took the lead in the article, said that focusing on good connections with family and friends was the key to a healthy and happy life.
The essay read: “When we check our phones during conversations, scroll through social media during family dinners, or respond to e-mails while playing with our children, we’re not just being distracted, we are withdrawing the basic form of love that human connection requires.
“The challenge is particularly acute for today’s babies and young children who have been born into a world immersed in digital technology.”
Meanwhile, in an interview during a trip to Brazil for his glittering Earthshot Prize Awards, Willliam too spoke out about how they don’t allow their children to have smartphones, saying: “‘I think children can access too much stuff they don’t need to see online.”
But he admitted it had become a tricky situation, especially with 12-year-old George. And Jennie added: “We know there’s a bit of tension over George wanting a smartphone and also about screen time, but, like a growing number of parents, William and Catherine seem determined to hold the line on this for as long as they can. The compromise will probably turn out to be a ‘brick phone’ without access to social media.”
It comes as the Easter holidays will mark somewhat of a turning point for George, who officially turns a teenager in July when he celebrates his 13th birthday. When he returns to Lambrook School after the break, he will be in his final term at the school before heading off to secondary education in September.
At some point in the coming months, it is expected that William and Kate will announce which school George will start at when the new school year commences in September. Both Eton and Marlborough College, his parents’ former schools, are said to be frontrunners.
With the second-in-line to the throne growing up fast, it could be that school holidays with an emphasis on outdoor pursuits become more a thing of the past. But for Jennie, she believes William and Kate will continue to encourage all of their children to get involved family-focused time, even if it means adapting their current plans in future years as their children get older – and becoming even more adventurous.
She added: “I think they’ll go on having these sort of rugged, outdoor activity staycations for sometime to come. “But, as the children grow older, I’m sure William and Catherine will want to show them more of the world. A safari in Africa must surely be on their bucket list in the coming years.”
