Kate Middleton carried on with royal tradition when she chose a Silver Cross baby buggy for Prince George back in 2013. Other royal tots in the past, including George's grandfather Prince Charles, have been cared for using buggies from the same British brand.
With the guidance of her mom Carole, Kate asked for specific features to be included in her son's buggy, and the item, which costs approximately $2,400, was made to her exact needs. One of the extra add-ons that the Middletons requested was an insect net, which has now become a standard feature across all Silver Cross buggies.
"The Duchess of Cambridge is certainly helping us with our product development," said Nick Paxton, CEO of the brand to CNN. "We supplied a couple of extra accessories including an insect net. It was a very good summer when Prince George was born. Our head of design went to the Middleton family home and presented it to the Duchess' mom. We did a full demonstration so that the product was safe and used correctly."
When asked whether it was nerve-wracking to design the future king's buggy, Nick said, "It is. It's a huge honor. Safety is a top concern in all of our products, but obviously for a future monarch. It was made in the same manner as all of our products, it was just made with that extra special ingredient for a special extra customer."
George's stroller was a cross between a traditional buggy for royal babies and a more modern baby carriage. While it came at a hefty price, other heritage editions from Silver Cross can sell for up to $73,000.
Nick would not reveal whether the royal-warranted manufacturer is making the second royal baby's buggy, but it is most likely that Prince William and Kate's little Prince or Princess will be supplied with a Silver Cross buggy.
The first royal to use one was King George VI for his first-born, Queen Elizabeth. The tradition passed down through generations and became popular outside of royal circles. The late Princess Diana also had one.
Dubbed the "Rolls-Royce of prams", the Silver Cross business received a royal warrant in the early 20th century. And Kate seems to be helping the brand so much so that the overwhelming interest appears to have made their website crash.
