Princess Diana sought to provide William and his brother Prince Harry with a sense of normalcy during their childhood. She would split the young royals’ days into “work days,” in which they dressed as princes, and “play days,” in which they could dress more casually away from the royal household’s formalities. Even though his eldest son Prince George is third-in-line to the throne, William has managed to maintain a sense of normalcy as he raises his own children.

“I love my children the same way any father does and I hope George loves me the same way any son does to his father, so we are very normal in that sense.”

He said that there would be a time and place for him to teach George about his “place in the world,” but for the time being, he desired to maintain a “secure stable environment around him.”

The Cambridges try to instill a sense of normalcy in their children. Princess Diana did exactly that, introducing them to McDonald’s and amusement parks, among other things.

Prince William discussed how Princess Diana influenced their lives in a 2012 interview with Katie Couric. “She very much wanted to get us to see the rawness of real life. And I can’t thank her enough for that, ’cause reality bites in a big way, and it was one of the biggest lessons I learned is, just how lucky and privileged so many of us are — particularly myself,” he said at the time.

Similarly, William is said to be smitten by his in-laws, the Middletons, due to their normal, happy lifestyle.

Kate, his wife, grew up in Berkshire, away from the spotlight and aristocratic circles.

The Middletons, according to royal author Phil Dampier, have “provided a middle-class haven for him” that “helps keep him grounded.”

Prince Harry and Meghan, Duchess of Sussex may have left the royal family in order to live a “normal” life, but Prince William and Catherine, Duchess of Cambridge are evidence that a “normal” life is possible within the monarchy. Despite their responsibilities, they’ve tended to avoid the more ostentatious aspects of royal life, raising their children as normally as possible.

Neil Sean, a royal commentator, clarified how the Cambridges have used Diana’s tactics. “She [Diana] sort of made sure that William and Harry had normal lives if you like. There was a very famous picture of them queuing in McDonald’s in Kensington and then there was the other picture of them at funfairs and amusement parks. Well, Kate has done the same thing, she has taken the same route,” he told Australia’s Today Show.

The Cambridges’ attitude to living a simple life has earned them a lot of admirers. “According to a royal source, she wants her children to experience the reality of life. There was actually a picture of Kate shopping for Halloween treats with George and Charlotte in a local supermarket near to where they were staying,” Sean explained. “This really endears people not just to William and Catherine but to the royal family in general.”

“Although people weren’t allowed to take pictures, you’ve got to appreciate — and I think Kate is very clever at this — that the royal family has to modernize. By that, they have to get within the people, and I think that’s a good trade Diana has given to William who passed it on to Catherine.”

Princess Diana was also “very unstuffy” and wanted William and Harry to “fit in with their school friends and experience normalcy.”