Princess Kate Told King Charles and Queen Elizabeth She Won't "Be Rushed" When It Comes to Her Kids

"That takes quite a lot of courage."

Prince William, Prince George, Princess Charlotte, and Princess Kate visit Cardiff Castle in Wales on June 4, 2022.
Prince William, Prince George, Princess Charlotte, and Princess Kate visit Cardiff Castle in Wales on June 4, 2022.
(Image credit: ASHLEY CROWDEN/POOL/AFP/AFP via Getty Images)

As the mother of three young children, Princess Kate must be very busy on a daily basis. However, according to one royal expert, the princess told the late Queen Elizabeth II and King Charles III that she would be raising her kids on her own terms.

Robert Jobson, royal expert and author of Catherine, the Princess of Wales: A Biography of the Future Queen, spoke to Hello! magazine about Kate's approach to motherhood. "With her children, she made it very clear to both the late Queen and to the Prince of Wales, as he was—now the King—that she's not going to be rushed into doing things that she doesn't necessarily want to do," Jobson explained. Basically, the princess stood up to the royal family to ensure her kids would be raised the way she wanted. Kate, of course, is raising three children with husband Prince WilliamPrince George, Princess Charlotte, and Prince Louis.

Jobson praised Princess Kate's bravery, as standing up to a monarch is no mean feat. "That takes quite a lot of courage, because you're in a very alien world," he told the publication. "But I think she realizes that she only has one shot at this. She's got three young children, and they have to come first."

Princess Charlotte and her mom Princess Kate attend Wimbledon.

Princess Charlotte and her mom Princess Kate attend Wimbledon.

(Image credit: Getty Images/Karwai Tang/WireImage)

Kensington Palace announced in March 2024 that Princess Kate had been diagnosed with a cancer. Since then, the royal has kept a low profile, but according to Jobson, Kate's focus has remained on her children.

"Her children are very, very young," he told the publication. "This is a time she won't get back again." He also explained that Kate's future as the queen is already mapped out. As a result, it's more important than ever that she spends as much time with her kids as she can, before duty takes over. "The difference between her and other people is that, in your career, you may have different phases," he said. "With her career, it's only going to get more and more official."

Luckily, it looks as though Kate will have the opportunity to spend some quality time with her children in the coming weeks. According to reports, Prince William and Princess Kate are set to spend the summer in Balmoral with their children and the rest of the royal family.

Amy Mackelden
Contributing Editor

Amy Mackelden is a contributing editor at Marie Claire, where she covers celebrity and royal family news. She was the weekend editor at Harper’s BAZAAR for three years, where she covered breaking celebrity and entertainment news, royal stories, fashion, beauty, and politics. Prior to that, she spent a year as the joint weekend editor for Marie Claire, ELLE, and Harper's BAZAAR, and two years as an entertainment writer at Bustle. Her additional bylines include Cosmopolitan, People, The Independent, HelloGiggles, Biography, Shondaland, Best Products, New Statesman, Heat, and The Guardian. Her work has been syndicated by publications including Town & Country, Good Housekeeping, Esquire, Delish, Oprah Daily, Country Living, and Women's Health. Her celebrity interviews include Jennifer Aniston, Jessica Chastain, the cast of Selling Sunset, Emma Thompson, Jessica Alba, and Penn Badgley. In 2015, she delivered an academic paper at Kimposium, the world's first Kardashian conference.