In an iconic and relatable moment from when Prince William and Prince Harry were young, their mother, Princess Diana, took them to McDonald’s—showing that yes, while the boys were royal, they were also just kids who wanted a Happy Meal from time to time.
Though the Princess of Wales wants as normal of an upbringing for her own three children as possible—as normal as a childhood can be when the eyes of the world are upon you—The Daily Mail reports that she wouldn’t dream of, say, taking them to Mickey D’s or rocking the royal protocol boat in any way, shape, or form. Think normal—but not too normal.
In his new book, Gilded Youth, Tom Quinn explores Kate’s parenting style, writing that she wants to be involved in her children’s day-to-day lives, but that she is also happy for her children—Prince George, Princess Charlotte, and Prince Louis—to have the “luxuries and privileges of a royal upbringing.”
“Kate makes no effort—unlike Diana—to bring the children down to earth, because she doesn’t want them to have a ‘normal’ childhood in the sense that Diana wanted it for William and Harry,” Quinn says.
Quinn says Kate feels that Diana’s modern parenting style created issues, “most especially with Harry,” by seemingly adding to his “dissatisfaction with his royal role.”
The book also quotes a former member of the Palace staff, who said “Diana enjoyed slumming it and was in many ways downwardly mobile—she wanted to escape her aristocratic childhood. Kate wants to escape her middle-class childhood. She dislikes burgers and chips and wouldn’t dream of taking her children to McDonald’s, and she doesn’t rock the boat when the vast weight of traditional royal pursuits bears down on her children.”
And for William and Harry, the McDonald’s visit wasn’t just a one-time situation: Paul Burrell, Diana’s butler, recalls that every Saturday, the princes would down a Big Mac and fries slumped in front of a trash television show. And, remembers a Kensington Palace kitchen chef, despite having a team of top chefs at their disposal, the boys would regularly seek out fast food.
Stay In The Know
Marie Claire email subscribers get intel on fashion and beauty trends, hot-off-the-press celebrity news, and more. Sign up here.
“I remember the Princess came into the kitchen one day and said ‘Cancel lunch for the boys. I’m taking them out. We’re going to McDonald’s,'” chef Darren McGrady says. “And I said ‘Oh my God, Your Royal Highness, I can do that. I can do burgers.’ And she said, ‘No, it’s the toy they want.’”
McGrady added “Yeah, the boys loved McDonald’s, and going out to pizza, and having potato skins—sort of the American foods. They were royal princes but had children’s palates.”
Burrell agreed: “The three of them would nip to McDonald’s for burger and fries before coming back to watch Blind Date,” he said. “All three of them would squat on this massive, stuffed hippopotamus Diana had in her sitting room.”
Rachel Burchfield is a writer, editor, and podcaster whose primary interests are fashion and beauty, society and culture, and, most especially, the British Royal Family and other royal families around the world. She serves as Marie Claire’s Senior Celebrity and Royals Editor and has also contributed to publications like Allure, Cosmopolitan, Elle, Glamour, Harper’s Bazaar, InStyle, People, Vanity Fair, Vogue, and W, among others. Before taking on her current role with Marie Claire, Rachel served as its Weekend Editor and later Royals Editor. She is the cohost of Podcast Royal, a show that was named a top five royal podcast by The New York Times. A voracious reader and lover of books, Rachel also hosts I’d Rather Be Reading, which spotlights the best current nonfiction books hitting the market and interviews the authors of them. Rachel frequently appears as a media commentator, and she or her work has appeared on outlets like NBC’s Today Show, ABC’s Good Morning America, CNN, and more.
-
These Hand Creams Made My Skin Incredibly Soft
Silky, smooth.
By Gabrielle Ulubay Published
-
I'm Curating My Spring Outfit Wardrobe—Here's What I'm Buying From the J.Crew Sale
From crisp white button-downs to breezy linen dresses.
By Lauren Tappan Published
-
Kristen Stewart Says She’ll Only Star in a Marvel Movie Under One Condition
She said what she said.
By Danielle Campoamor Published
-
If Prince Harry Does Attend the Coronation, He Will Avoid Bowing to Queen Consort Camilla
Plans are being drawn up to avoid the potentially awkward moment.
By Rachel Burchfield Published
-
Prince George and Prince Louis Are "Protective" of Mom Kate in Mother's Day Photos, Body Language Expert Says
They have such a sweet relationship.
By Iris Goldsztajn Published
-
Royal Family Would “Collapse” Without Catherine, Princess of Wales, As the “Future Rests on Her”
No pressure!
By Rachel Burchfield Published
-
Paris Hilton Calls Princess Diana Her Idol, Says She’s Rooting for Prince Harry
Hilton and Harry both released memoirs this year.
By Rachel Burchfield Published
-
The Next Royal Adjacent Wedding Is Coming Up—Soon
Let us (re)introduce you to the bride, Lady Amelia Spencer.
By Rachel Burchfield Published
-
Catherine, Princess of Wales’ Daring Erdem Look from This Week Has a Deeper Backstory
A British fashion label apparently became a divisive element in her relationship with sister-in-law Meghan Markle.
By Rachel Burchfield Published
-
Sarah Ferguson Says She and Princess Diana Were Once Arrested for Impersonating Police Officers, After Getting Kicked Out of a Club
Excuse me while I pick my jaw up off the floor.
By Iris Goldsztajn Published
-
While the Royal Family Skipped Princess Lilibet’s Christening, Princess Diana’s Two Sisters Were There
Prince Harry did have family at the event, even though there were no royals.
By Rachel Burchfield Published