Kate Middleton's 'strict rules' for kids as Prince George gets 'guiding hand'

The summer holidays are upon us - and for the Prince and Princess of Wales, fresh from their surprise Wimbledon appearance, royal duties will take a back seat for the next few weeks, as they spend precious time with their children.

Like youngsters across the country, Prince George, 11, Princess Charlotte, 10, and seven-year-old Prince Louis are all now on their summer break from Lambrook School before they head back to class in September. The family will likely retreat away to enjoy their time together, possibly decamping to their Norfolk home, Anmer Hall, where they can immerse themselves in country life and possibly even enjoy a holiday elsewhere too.

Kate, who previously spoke about her 'rollercoaster' recovery from cancer treatment and its life-changing impact, has been a huge advocate for spending time outdoors.

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And former BBC royal correspondent Jennie Bond tells OK! that as Kate, and indeed William, come up with ways to keep their brood occupied over the long holiday - there are seven golden rules they'll most likely abide by...

Ring-fenced private time

Kate may still be gradually returning to public duties following her cancer treatment, but even before her health scare, spending school holidays with the children seems to have always been a non-negotiable for the princess.

And for Jennie, this summer will be no exception, making the break a stark change from the holidays Prince William once enjoyed at his children's age, which were very much played out in the public eye.

She explained: "The truth is that school holidays are ring-fenced as private time for the Prince and Princess of Wales and their young family. And, these days, that means that their plans remain confidential and they are pretty much left alone.

"It’s a massive change from the days when William was a boy. Back then, the paparazzi and mainstream media regarded Diana, William and Harry as public property, no matter where they were. Thankfully, after the death of the Princess, things changed. And that must be a huge relief to the Waleses."

Down-to-earth activities

But even though, as royals, William and Kate could choose to take their children anywhere in the world for the holidays, flying on private jets and enjoying luxury hotels, Jennie doesn't believe this will be the case.

In fact, she thinks their summer time spent together will be a lot more down-to-earth - outside in the Great British countryside and possibly even getting their hands dirty on the farm near their country retreat.

She said: "They love the wide open spaces in Norfolk, the freedom they have to explore the Sandringham estate and also to play, pretty unhindered, on the beaches. The Sandringham farm offers an opportunity for all sorts of fun for the children, tractors to watch, animals to feed and fruit to pick. The family is also very fond of the Scilly Isles, and I wouldn’t be surprised if they spent a week or two there.

"William and Catherine are doing their best to give their children as down-to-earth an upbringing as possible, given the extraordinary place they’ve been given in the world."

Restricted screen time

However, one major issue facing parents everywhere this summer is how much screen time to allow their children, something William and Kate will be painfully aware of as they navigate raising their kids in a digital world.

In recent times, on a trip to the Lake District with the Scouts, Kate has talked about getting out into nature and using traditional paper maps rather than relying on phones to plot walking routes. Meanwhile, William has also warned youngsters about the importance of putting down their devices.

Jennie added: "William has spoken about George’s love of video games, and they have both talked about 'regulating' their children’s screen time. Even TV watching can apparently be problematic, with battles over who should be in charge of the remote.

"But, especially with Catherine’s expertise in children’s development, I’m sure they’ll be pretty rigorous about monitoring who watches what - and for how long."

Household chores

But it's not just screen time that Jennie believes Kate will be keeping an eye on; she also thinks that the princess will be encouraging her children to pull their weight around the house with household chores.

When at their Adelaide Cottage home in Windsor, the Wales family do not have any live-in staff, as they strive to maintain a normal, family atmosphere.

And even though it might be the summer holidays and a time for fun, Jennie believes simple chores might still remain for the children, set by Kate and William. She explained: "I wouldn’t be in the least surprised if the children were given a few household chores such as tidying their rooms, filling the dishwasher, brushing the dog and cleaning up after the puppies.

"William and Catherine have both lived life outside the Palace walls, shopping, cooking and cleaning when they were at university and, afterwards, when they lived on Anglesey. They will want their children to understand that, even if you’re royal, you can still treat your home and parents with respect - and pull your weight."

School work cast aside

But despite the screen-time restrictions and chores to get done, it doesn't mean it will be all work and no play.

That's because Jennie believes any school work for George, Charlotte and Louis will be firmly pushed to one side in favour of quality family time in a true break from class.

"There may be some school projects to get on with – particularly for George and Charlotte – but these long holidays are really a time to put their studies on one side and just enjoy being kids", she said.

"William, Catherine and the children will have plenty of time to be just the five of them – in Norfolk and wherever else they choose to go."

Royal tradition observed

The summer usually means no royal engagements for the Wales family during their heavily protected family time. After William, Kate, George and Charlotte's surprise outing at Wimbledon last week for the men's singles final, it is likely official appearances will now dry up until September.

However, Jennie is almost certain there will be one royal tradition Kate, William and the kids will be eager to take part in - the annual trip to Balmoral.

The Scottish Highlands estate was the favourite home of the late Queen and was once described as her happy place. Since becoming King, Charles has continued the tradition of inviting his family members for a long weekend all together at the estate each August, something the Wales family have very much been a part of.

"It's a long-standing tradition that the family gather in Scotland to catch their breath, enjoy the peace of the countryside and just have fun being together", Jennie said.

"Charles relishes spending time with his grandchildren. Camilla has talked about how good he is at reading stories and putting on all the appropriate voices. Of course, George and Charlotte might feel they are a little old to be read to, but I’m sure Louis will still enjoy his grandfather’s storytelling. Then there’s the fishing, the picnics, the ponies - and lots of cousins coming and going, as the castle hosts the extended family.

"I doubt whether Charles has continued his mother’s tradition of leaving gifts for the children, but he’s much more likely to play practical jokes or have a romp around the house and gardens with them. And I’m sure he also enjoys teaching them about the wildlife and the countryside up there.

"It may also be a time when, perhaps on the walk across the moors, he chooses to offer a guiding hand to George about what lies ahead."

Middleton meet-ups

But it's not just their royal relatives that the Wales family will spend time with, Jennie believes time will also almost certainly be carved out for them to all spend time with Kate's family, including her parents, Carole and Michael. The future Queen's mum and dad have been a rock for their daughter as well as their grandchildren during Kate's cancer treatment.

And in a telling move last year, they were the only ones other than Kate, William and the children to appear in an emotional video released to mark the end of the princess's chemotherapy treatment.

Their closeness to their grandchildren was also evident at Christmas at Kate's annual carol concert, where Louis hung a handwritten note on a kindness tree thanking his 'Grannie and Grandpa' for "playing games with me".

And Jennie added: "They adore their granny and granddad Middleton and now have lots of little cousins on that side of the family to enjoy spending time with."