King Charles reportedly regretted that he was not more strict with his children Prince Harry and William. The monarch, who was recently diagnosed with cancer and is reportedly undergoing treatment, was apparently not happy with the way his ex-wife, the late Princess Diana raised their children. He reportedly preferred a more traditional upbringing to set some boundaries.
Princess Diana was known to have revolutionized parenting for the Royal Household and reportedly prioritized emotion over duty. She spent a lot of time with her children and was very hands-on with their upbringing, making them more people-friendly than Royal-friendly. King Charles and Prince Harry currently have a strained relationship after the latter left his royal duties to live in California with his wife Meghan Markle.
King Charles Reportedly Regretted Not Being Strict With His Children
In her book, My Mother and I, author and royal expert Ingrid Seward reportedly wrote about King Charles’ relationship with his mother and his upbringing by Queen Elizabeth II. Many secrets of the Royal family and their relationship with each other were reportedly spilled in the book, especially the monarch’s feelings about his children’s upbringing.
Prince William and Prince Harry were born two years apart to the then Prince Charles and Princess Diana. Diana was reportedly known for her people-friendly persona and did not usually subscribe to the Royal family’s typical conduct. The princess was known as the ‘People’s Princess’ due to her relatable off-screen persona.
Ingrid Seward wrote in her book that King Charles was reportedly regretful about not raising his children in a strict environment and did not agree with Princess Diana’s unorthodox methods. He reportedly believed that a stricter upbringing would have given the boys more boundaries. Seward said,
“I think Charles probably regrets that he wasn’t strict with Harry and [his older son] William…He went on with [Princess] Diana’s freestyle of bringing up children. Diana allowed them to do, more or less, what they wanted, which was very fashionable in those days…I think Charles probably regrets that he wasn’t a bit stricter, because it might’ve given both boys a few more boundaries.”
Seward also mentioned that King Charles and Prince Harry were quite close before he left his royal duties and moved to California. The Prince reportedly disagreed with the Royal media’s intrusiveness and racist attitudes(via Fox News).
Princess Diana Had A Revolutionary Parenting Style
While King Charles regretted his ex-wife’s less formal parenting method, many reportedly considered Princess Diana’s style to be revolutionary at the time. Child psychologist Dr. Alison McClymont reportedly mentioned to Express UK that Diana championed emotion and connection over duty and authority, the latter of which was a norm in Royal families.
McCylomont mentioned how Diana would be more involved with her children and even bring them to her formal visits rather than them be raised by nannies. Dr. Alison McClymont said,
“[She was] more akin to what we now know as parenting that is informed by attachment theory – where the primary caregiver devotes the early years of a child’s life to forming a bond through physical comfort, and close attention to the baby’s needs”
Princess Diana also reportedly made sure her children were not home-schooled but actually had a proper school routine. She also scheduled impromptu trips and took her children to Walt Disney World and other places to make them more aware of the world.
