Prince William Reveals the One Chore His Kids Always Forget

Turns out, even a royal dad has to get his hands a little dirty.

Princess Charlotte, Prince William, Prince of Wales, Prince George, Prince Louis, Mia Tindall and Catherine, Princess of Wales attend the Christmas Morning Service at Sandringham Church on December 25, 2023 in Sandringham, Norfolk.
(Image credit: Getty Images)

In a moment of levity as his wife Kate Middleton continues preventative chemotherapy treatments for her recent cancer diagnosis, Prince William has revealed the household chore his children continue to forget.

According to Victoria Ward, the deputy royal editor at the Daily Telegraph, the Duke of Wales dished on his at-home dad duties: Taking care of the family guinea pig when his children forget to complete their chores.

"Prince William said he was so happy stroking Snowflake the guinea pig at Woodgate Valley Urban Farm, just outside Birmingham, that he didn’t want to leave," Ward posted on X, formerly known as Twitter. "He revealed that his kids always forget to clean out their own guinea pig, leaving him to do it."

Ward also shared a video of the prince during his visit, in which the Duke can be heard saying the animals at Woodgate Valley all appear "very well loved" and "extremely cozy."

Prince William, Prince of Wales visits Woodgate Valley Urban Farm, a city farm dedicated to supporting children and young people struggling to access education and those experiencing mental health challenges, on April 25, 2024 in Birmingham, England.

Prince William, Prince of Wales, visits Woodgate Valley Urban Farm, a city farm dedicated to supporting children and young people struggling to access education and those experiencing mental health challenges, on April 25, 2024 in Birmingham, England.

(Image credit: Getty Images)

Prince William is the proud dad of three children—Princess Charlotte, Prince George, and Prince Louis—whom he shares with his wife, Kate Middleton.

Middleton grew up with two guinea pigs, she had previously revealed, appropriately named Salt and Pepper. The Duchess of Wales, knowingly or unknowing, was taking a page out of the late Princess Diana's book, who took her pet guinea pig, Peanuts, with her to boarding school, Hello! reports.

Apparently, Peanuts went on to win the "fur and feathers" competition in the Sandringham show in 1972.

Cleaning up after the family pet is just one of Prince William's non-royal, at-home responsibilities as a parent, especially in the wake of Middleton's bombshell announcement that she has been diagnosed with cancer and is currently undergoing preventative chemotherapy treatments.

Prince William, Prince of Wales visits Woodgate Valley Urban Farm, a city farm dedicated to supporting children and young people struggling to access education and those experiencing mental health challenges.

Prince William, Prince of Wales visits Woodgate Valley Urban Farm, a city farm dedicated to supporting children and young people struggling to access education and those experiencing mental health challenges.

(Image credit: Getty Images)

"William and Kate are trying to keep things as normal as possible for their children’s sake," a source recently told OK!. "They don’t want Kate’s diagnosis to overshadow the children’s lives and their happiness and (they) are very much their priority."

"(William and Kate) will celebrate Louis’ birthday with his friends as usual and make a special effort to celebrate their anniversary together the weekend afterwards in Norfolk," the source added.

Studies have shown that the presence of a family pet—or even interacting with animals—can decrease stress, lower blood pressure, reduce feelings of loneliness, increase feelings of overall social support and boost a person's mood.

In other words, the more guinea pig snuggles, the better!

Danielle Campoamor is an award-winning freelance writer covering mental health, reproductive justice, abortion access, maternal mental health, politics, celebrity, and feminist issues. She has been published in The New York Times, Washington Post, CNN, NBC, Vogue, Harper's Bazaar, Marie Claire, InStyle, Playboy, Teen Vogue, Glamour, The Daily Beast, and more.