How William and Kate's parenting tales are very relatable

Despite enjoying a gilded life of palaces and castles, the Prince of Wales often reveals the more down-to-earth moments of his family routine.

On one of these more relaxed occasions, during a visit to the NFL Foundation earlier this month, Prince William, 42, gave away his 'crucial motto' for parenting his three children.

This is just one of the many personal insights the heir to the throne has disclosed to the public. 

At a film and television event recently, William revealed how his youngsters even tussle over the remote. 

And back in June, the father of three divulged how Princess Charlotte, nine, wasn't looking forward to her exams that day.

He also previously let slip how his youngest, six-year-old Prince Louis, tries to steal Charlotte's friendship bracelets.

Read on below to find out the heart-warming stories William has told about his family.

William's 'crucial motto'

William visited the NFL Foundation in London earlier this month and was encouraged to showcase his American football skills by the organisers, whose day-to-day work focuses on tackling challenges faced by young people in some of the most deprived areas of the UK.

After throwing the ball through a series of targets, the Prince of Wales was presented with one to take home to his children.

In response, William said: 'Oh, that's very kind. Never go home empty-handed.

'That's a crucial motto of being a parent. That's very kind of you, thank you very much. They'll love that.' 

Television remote 

Earlier this year, William and Kate shared a photo of Charlotte and Louis watching a Euros game in matching football shirts.

The two children were pictured sat together at home while their father and older brother Prince George, 11, attended the game.

However, family television time may not always be so peaceful in the Wales's household. 

William joked during a BAFTA Bursary Fund event that his three children are 'always wrestling over the remote'.

The prince also hailed the arts as 'an important fabric of our lives'. 

Charlotte's friendship bracelets

Charlotte has been seen wearing friendship bracelets since she attended Taylor Swift's opening night of her Eras Tour stint in London with William and George.

However, it seems as if Louis wants to join in with the trend, too, and William revealed the young prince tries to steal his sister's bracelets.

During a visit to a primary school in Llanelli, west Wales, in September, William was given some friendship bracelets by pupil Ruby Davies to give to his children. 

The prince was delighted and said: 'Thank you so much Ruby. They're going to love those, you'll see them out and about.'

He added: 'I'll keep them away from Louis because he'll try and steal all his sister's bits.' 

Charlotte was spotted wearing two threaded bracelets at Wimbledon, weeks after Taylor Swift's concert, one featuring various shades of pink and another created from green, blue and pink fabric.

In an update video in September, posted by Princess Kate about her treatment for cancer, Charlotte was again spotted wearing bracelets, with about five pastel-coloured pieces on her wrist.

Older brother George also wore one in his 11th birthday portrait, making Louis the only Wales sibling yet to have been spotted with a friendship bracelet of his own.

School exams

Morning nerves about school tests is a scene many parents may be able to relate to, and William recently shared his own experience with Charlotte.

During a D-Day event in Portsmouth in June, a schoolgirl asked the prince where his daughter was. 

William replied: 'Charlotte's at school, Charlotte's got exams'.

He added: 'Yes, she's got tests' before revealing that his middle child, who is a pupil at Lambrook school in Berkshire along with her siblings, 'wasn't looking forward to it this morning'. 

The prince then crossed his fingers and said: 'Hopefully it's all gone well.'

Favourite joke

Back in April, William showed he is just like any other father and showed off his 'dad jokes' on pupils at a secondary school in Rowley Regis, West Midlands.

The father of three made a quip that he claimed is his daughter Charlotte's favourite. 

He said: 'I'm kind of trying to channel Jack Whitehall, because most of his jokes are pretty dad-like.'

The royal then told a knock-knock joke about 'Interrupting Cow'.

As some laughed and some groaned at the gag, William insisted it was the best joke he could think of that was 'clean' and 'broadcastable'.

In a punchline some may have predicted, as the others around the table tried to ask: 'Interrupting Cow who?' the royal let out an abrupt 'moo'.

Screen time

Many parents will be able to relate to the struggles of managing modern-day technology.

The Prince of Wales revealed at BAFTA's headquarters in January 2022 that his children enjoy gaming.

However, the royal explained how he and Kate have to monitor their screen time. 

William said: 'We're trying to regulate their gaming, that's the thing at the moment.

'We watch their screen time, you have to be careful about that.

'They do definitely like gaming, they're fascinated by that.

'George particularly he's more interested in it.

'The other two are a bit too small, but they love the films.

'All that is creative. I adore film and gaming as well, I'm trying to get the next generation interested in it.'

Six going on 16 

Back in 2021, William shared a humorous tale about his middle child's cheeky attitude. 

At an engagement in the Midlands, the prince divulged how Charlotte, who had only just turned six at the time, said she was '16' when asked about her age.

He told how Charlotte would say: 'I'm six now. I'll do what I want.'

William added: 'They grow up very fast.'