Margaret Rhodes, the Queen's cousin, has said she expects Prince William and pregnant Kate Middleton's royal baby to have a "jolly" upbringing. "I imagine and hope that the baby's early life, at least until its teens, will be just a jolly, happy, ordinary child's life," said Margaret, speaking to host Christiane Amanpour on CNN International's Amanpour.
When asked if this was possible for any royal child growing up in the spotlight, Margaret remarked that her own cousin, the then Princess Elizabeth, and the reigning monarch's sister Princess Margaret, both had happy childhoods. "The King and Queen in those days made an enormous effort to keep their childhood sort of sacrosanct," said Margaret. "I mean, it was just a time for learning and enjoying. And I think that they have succeeded awfully well. "It is believed that Prince William and Kate will be hands-on parents. The soon-to-be parents have reportedly planned for a modest nursery and while their child will grow up in more privileged surroundings than most, the couple will do their utmost to keep him or her as grounded as possible, much like other children growing up in the royal family.
Princess Diana would often take Princes William and Harry to Centrepoint charity as children, so they could learn about the organisation's work and appreciate how fortunate they were. The beloved "people's princess" was a patron for the charity, and keeping alive Princess Diana's work, Prince William remains an active supporter of the charity.When asked how Kate measured up to Princess Diana, Margaret said, "I think that she's doing very, very well. She's done the jobs that have been given to her to do beautifully. I think she's got a way with her that's going to be very appealing. "Margaret resides in an estate in the Parklands of Windsor Castle, which was given to her as a gift from the Queen. The cousins have remained close throughout their lives often enjoy a Sunday drink together after the Queen pays her regular visit to the chapel in the grounds.
