Prince William and Princess Catherine Apparently Took Private Parenting Classes Before the Birth of Prince George

Prince William and Kate Middleton introduce baby Prince George to the world — (Image credit: Getty)

Royal or not, becoming a new parent is a daunting task. (And, let’s be honest, even if you took a dozen classes on the subject pre-baby, you’d still not be ready for what’s coming.) To prepare for the arrival of their first, Prince George, back in the summer of 2013, The Daily Express reports that the Prince and Princess of Wales (then the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge) took private parenting lessons, attending a series of special lessons carried out by an expert at her home.

“The lessons were reportedly carried out by the late obstetric physiotherapist, Christine Hill, who died last year, in the conservatory at her West London home,” the outlet writes.

Kate Middleton during her pregnancy with Prince George in 2013

Catherine reportedly attended several of these special lessons, while William was present for one.

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Hill once told The Telegraph, when speaking of Catherine, that “Kate is a delightful girl. What you see is what you get.” She also added that William and Catherine are “a very strong team.”

It’s unclear exactly what was taught at these classes, but one lesson might have been about the process known as “hypnobirthing,” which Catherine chose to do after her well-documented struggles with hyperemesis gravidarum (a form of morning sickness that forced her to announce her pregnancy with George earlier than she intended). Catherine, speaking on the “Happy Mum, Happy Baby” podcast, said that hypnobirthing might not be for everyone, but it worked for her: “It was through the hyperemesis that I really realized the power of the mind over the body,” she said. “I’m not going to say that William was standing there sort of chanting sweet nothings at me. He definitely wasn’t. I didn’t even ask him about it, but it was just something I wanted to do for myself.”

Hypnobirthing, by the way, seeks to reduce fear, pain, and anxiety during childbirth and involves learning calm breathing techniques, guided meditation, visualization, and positive affirmations. “It was hugely powerful,” Catherine said.

As Marie Claire previously reported, before giving birth to George, the couple were understood to have had a number of lessons from experts. Knowledge is power, after all.

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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.