Prince William Opens Up About His Kids' Screen Time Battles

Royal children: Just like us.

Prince George, Prince Louis and Princess Charlotte wearing navy suits and a dress waving on the Buckingham Palace balcony
(Image credit: Getty Images)

Any parent can relate to the dilemmas surrounding screen time, but it turns out the Royal Family face the same fights over what to watch...just in a slightly more posh home. During a BAFTA event in London on Wednesday, Oct. 9, Prince William admitted that he faces a common parenting challenge with Prince George, Princess Charlotte and Prince Louis.

While meeting with Erik Scott, a National Film and TV School student involved in the upcoming Film Africa festival, he shared that his kids are "always wrestling over the remote" since there are so many shows to choose from these days.

This isn't the first time William has opened up about managing his children's relationship with screens. In January 2022, he addressed the topic during another BAFTA visit, specifically mentioning Prince George's enthusiasm for gaming.

Kate Middleton, Prince William, Prince George, Prince Louis and Princess Charlotte hugging outside and smiling

(Image credit: Getty Images)

"They're fascinated by it," he said of the kids and technology, adding that he and Princess Kate were working to "regulate" their children's screen time – a familiar challenge for parents everywhere.

While Charlotte, 9, and Louis, 6, were only 6 and 3, respectively, at the time, William said that his youngest kids were "a bit too small at the moment, but they love the films."

Speaking of screen time, fans got a rare glimpse inside the Wales family home during the Euros finals this summer, with a sweet snapshot showing Princess Charlotte and Prince Louis wearing personalized England jerseys as they watched the final (lucky big brother Prince George cheered the team on in person alongside their dad).

George, Charlotte and Louis have largely been kept out of the public eye, minus the occasional royal appearance at events like Trooping the Colour or King Charles's coronation. However, they played a starring role in mom Kate's Sept. 9 cancer update video, which gave an intimate glimpse at the family's laid-back life in the countryside.

In the clip—during which the Princess of Wales said she had completed chemotherapy treatment—the family explores the woods with their dog, Orla, takes part in a picnic and runs across a sunny beach together.

Meanwhile, Kate, William, George, Charlotte, and Louis also engaged in a rousing game of cards with grandparents Carole and Michael Middleton in the video, proving that off-screen time is sometimes the most fun of all.

Kristin Contino
Senior Royal and Celebrity Editor

Kristin Contino is Marie Claire's Senior Royal and Celebrity editor. She's been covering royalty since 2018—including major moments such as the Platinum Jubilee, Queen Elizabeth II’s death and King Charles III's coronation—and places a particular focus on the British Royal Family's style and what it means.

Prior to working at Marie Claire, she wrote about celebrity and royal fashion at Page Six Style and covered royalty from around the world as chief reporter at Royal Central. Kristin has provided expert commentary for outlets including the BBC, Sky News, US Weekly, the Today Show and many others.

Kristin is also the published author of two novels, “The Legacy of Us” and “A House Full of Windsor.” She's passionate about travel, history, horses, and learning everything she can about her favorite city in the world, London.