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Charlie Elizabeth Culverhouse

Royal expert reveals the biggest ‘regret’ King Charles has about the way he and Princess Diana raised Prince William and Prince Harry - and you might be surprised by what it is

King Charles, Prince William and Prince Harry.

A royal expert has revealed the one thing they believe King Charles 'regrets' about his and Princess Diana's approach to raising their sons Prince William and Prince Harry.

There has been plenty of discourse surrounding the way royals raise their children and the ways in which their upbringings differ from those of the average child. Of course, there's going to be some pretty considerable differences between the two lifestyles but, majoritively now at least, it seems that royal youngsters who sit high up in the royal line of succession, like Prince George, Princess Charlotte and Prince Louis, as well as Prince Archie and Princess Lilibet, are brought up in not totally different worlds to their peers. 

But while they have all the help they could ever need, with relatives and nannies there to offer support, like many parents, the royals still feel regrets over certain parenting decisions. King Charles III is no different, one royal expert has shared, and has one major 'regret' about the way he and Princess Diana, who passed away in 1997, chose to raise their sons, Prince William and Prince Harry. 

Speaking to Fox News, royal expert and author Ingrid Seward revealed, "I think Charles probably regrets that he wasn’t strict with Harry and William.

Children all need boundaries, and I don’t think they had too many.”

The expert added that the couple had a 'free style of bringing up children' that deviated massively from the formal approach most royals took when raising their children. Diana in particular was known for her love of playtime and the impromptu trips she took with her sons, prioritising their emotions rather than a routine. For Charles, the expert adds, this was hugely different from the traditional environment he was raised in as the future king and often wished to keep a more formal element to their childhoods - but, for the most part, he 'went along' with Diana's approach. 

Seward explained, “Diana allowed them to do, more or less, what they wanted, which was very fashionable in those days. You let children just get on with things. I think Charles probably regrets that he wasn’t a bit stricter because it might’ve given both boys a few more boundaries."

Still, while the father wishes he was more 'strict' with the boys, Seward says they did get on 'incredibly well' and were always 'very, very close' as a family. Even now, one year on from the publication of Harry's memoir Spare and the accusations he made about King Charles throughout it, Seward believes nothing Harry has done could ever stop 'Charles [from] loving him' - though he does wish Harry and William could reconcile. 

"I think he’s very upset by Harry’s behaviour and especially upset by Harry’s remarks about his wife, about Camilla …Charles just has to be there with open arms," she told OK! Magazine. "Otherwise, it’s just going to make things much, much worse. And I’m sure he wishes that William and Harry were on better terms, but there’s nothing he can do about it. It’s between them. But he did say, ‘Please, boys, don’t make my last years miserable,’ which is exactly what they have done.”

With recent news reports suggesting that Prince William and Kate Middleton are ‘enthusiastic’ about reconciling with Prince Harry and Meghan Markle, the King could soon get his wish! 

In other royal news, Princess Charlotte's favourite snack usually requires a 'refined palate' - would your kids choose it? And Prince William and Kate Middleton likely 'sugarcoated' The Princess of Wales' cancer diagnosis for younger son Louis . Plus, the sweet way Prince George, Charlotte and Louis are helping Kate Middleton through her recovery proves they have inherited this important trait from their mum.

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