Happy Birthday Prince George

Prince George Alexander Louis of Cambridge was born on July 22nd, 2013 at St Mary's Hospital in Paddington. George is the first child and eldest son of the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge and upon his birth became third in line to the British throne after grandfather Prince Charles and dad Prince William.

George was several days overdue prompting media and well-wishers to dub the lead up as the "Great Kate Wait". On the hottest day of the summer, George arrived and he left hospital the following day with his dad William and mum Catherine. 

George's early weeks were spent at Catherine's parents' home Bucklebury Manor in Berkshire. Grandparents Carole and Michael Middleton offered their daughter seclusion and much needed hands on support. The Cambridge home at this time was Nottingham Cottage (now home to Prince Harry), Kensington Palace. It is quite small and the family's new home,  Apartment 1A was still being renovated.

The couple was determined to eschew a nanny and intent on being hands on parents. After a few months it became clear that help would be needed if the Duke and Duchess were to undertake their royal duties and also William's role as RAF Search and Rescue pilot in Wales. William and Harry's childhood nanny Jessie Webb was enlisted to help the couple on a part time basis. 

By February the following year, a full-time nanny Maria-Teresa Turrion Borrallo was hired and has been with the family ever since. Maria has been a huge support as the family has grown and the Cambridge's royal roles have evolved

At the age of 2 1/2 George commenced nursery school in Norfolk, near the family home Anmer Hall. Anmer became their main base from the time Charlotte was born until last July when the family returned to London.

George started formal school at Thomas's Battersea in September and has now completed his reception year. The prince has loved all forms of transport since he was little and in particular helicopters which he sees quite often coming and going from royal homes. 

George has joined his parents on royal tours to Australia, New Zealand, Canada, Poland and Germany.

 Happy Birthday Prince George! 

 

Catherine Back In London

George at 24 hours

The Duchess of Cambridge has returned to London to await the birth of baby number three. 

Prince George attends Thomas's Battersea and Princess Charlotte goes to nursery school in Kensington. Prince William, Duke of Cambridge is busy along with the other senior members of the Royal Family supporting The Queen at Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting events.

Charlotte only a few hours old

Catherine, William and the young family spent Easter with her parents in Bucklebury, Berkshire. The Cambridges then went to their country home Anmer Hall on the Sandringham Estate. Catherine was photographed by fellow shoppers at Waitrose in Norfolk.

So now the entire Cambridge family is settled in Apartment 1A, Kensington Palace no doubt finishing preparations for the arrival of the new prince or princess in the next week or two. 

Aunty Pippa Weds

The Duchess of Cambridge's sister Pippa married James Matthews on Saturday. The service was held at St Mark's Englefield near the Middleton family home in Bucklebury, Bershire.

Prince George ( almost 4) and his sister Princess Charlotte (aged 2) were pageboy and flower girl respectively along with a group of other children. 

Catherine took charge of the children at the church and could be seen making a "shushh" gesture as the group approached the church doors. 

Enjoy the lovely photos of the day.

Charlotte & George To Star At Pippa's Wedding

The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge's children Prince George and Princess Charlotte will be the stars of their aunt Pippa's wedding next month. 

Catherine's younger sister Pippa will marry banker James Matthews at St Mark's Church, Englefield near the Middleton home in Berkshire on 20th May. George will be a pageboy and Charlotte who will turn two next week will be a flower girl. The Duchess will not have a formal role on the day but is expected to give a reading at the church.

It has been confirmed that Prince Harry will also be present at the wedding. He will most likely join the Cambridges who will be staying as guests of Carole and Mike Middleton at their family home in Bucklebury. 

It will be a very busy time for the bride's parents who will host the reception in a marquee on their grounds. 

Heads Together 

Catherine, William and Harry have been undertaking several speaking engagements in the last few weeks to promote their organisation Heads Together.

Heads Together is an umbrella for the mental health charities that the royal trio support:

• Best Beginnings
• CALM – The Campaign Against Living Miserably)
• Contact (a military mental health coalition)
• Mind
• Place2Be
• The Mix
• YoungMinds
• The Anna Freud Centre

 Last weekend's London Marathon chose the organisation as this year's beneficiary. 

Prince Harry spoke about his struggle to process the grief for his mother, the late Princess of Wales who died 20 years ago. Harry was just 12 when he lost his mother and bottled up his feelings because he didn't see the benefit in dredging up sadness. 

From express.co.uk

"The fifth in line to the throne said he sought help when he was 28 after his brother the Duke of Cambridge intervened. Harry, 32, said he had "shut down all my emotions" for almost two decades after losing his mother but often felt anxiety during royal engagements and on the verge of punching someone.

The Prince, now a much calmer individual, admitted he took up boxing to try to control his aggression but for a long time felt that lining in the public eye he could be "very close to a complete breakdown on numerous occasions".

In an interview with the Daily Telegraph journalist Bryony Gordon, he said he had spent his teenagers years and early twenties determined not to think about his mother after losing her when he was 12.
“I have probably been very close to a complete breakdown on numerous occasions when all sorts of grief and sort of lies and misconceptions and everything are coming to you from every angle," he said.

Asked whether he had been to see a 'shrink' to offload his thoughts, he said: “I’ve done that a couple of times, more than a couple of times, but it’s great.”

I have probably been very close to a complete breakdown on numerous occasions. Harry admitted that he had turned to boxing as an outlet for his frustration.

My way of dealing with it was sticking my head in the sand, refusing to ever think about my mum, because why would that help?
“During those years I took up boxing, because everyone was saying boxing is good for you and it’s a really good way of letting out aggression,” he said.

“And that really saved me because I was on the verge of punching someone, so being able to punch someone who had pads was certainly easier.”

He eventually asked for help with the encouragement of William, 34, and others close to him, who told him: “Look, you really need to deal with this. It is not normal to think that nothing has affected you.”
Since learning to talk honestly about his feelings, he said, he now feels able to put “blood, sweat and tears” into making a difference for others.

Prince Harry said he turned to boxing following his mother's death

“The experience I have had is that once you start talking about it, you realise that actually you’re part of quite a big club,” he said.
He said he counted himself lucky that it was "only two years … of total chaos" before he learned to talk about his mental health problems. "I just couldn’t put my finger on it,” he said. “I just didn’t know what was wrong with me."

He had even found himself battling a "flight or fight" reaction without understanding why when he was on official royal duties.
He insisted it was all about Diana and nothing to do with his experiences serving two two tours of duty in Afghanistan."

George And Charlotte Visit Middletons

Prince George and his baby sister Princess Charlotte have recently spent time with their maternal grandparents Carole and Michael Middleton. 

People magazine reports that Carole was seen carrying Charlotte in a baby carrier strapped to her at an artisan market in the Middleton's home village of Bucklebury. The baby princess was wearing a white cardigan. 

George didn't miss out on the fun though. Carole took George to a Bucklebury cafe for a slice of cake and he was busy playing with his toy plane. A customer told People magazine:

"He was running around the tables flying his little red airplane going 'brrrrr' to all the people having a cup of tea."

In the recently released Christmas photo of the Cambridge family, a red train engine could be seen. No doubt the toy was to encourage George to cooperate for the photo session. 

Last year Catherine and William took toddler George to the Thursford Christmas Show near their home Amner Hall in Norfolk. Perhaps George and his new sister will visit Santa again this year?

George's Fun Outings

Friday 26th June, 2015

Bucklebury Farm Park

Despite becoming a big brother in May, Prince George has continued to have fun outings with family. 

As I wrote in an earlier post, George and his mum went to London's Holland Park a few weeks ago for a low key play one Sunday morning. 

The young prince has also recently visited a cafe and farm shop in Holt, not far from the Cambridges' country residence, Anmer Hall. Catherine bought George a meringue as a yummy sweet treat.

And Carole Middleton, Catherine's mum, has been on grandma duty. Carole took George to Bucklebury Farm Park near the Middleton family home in Berkshire for a visit with the farm animals and petting zoo. 

All this is on top of George reportedly helping Prince Charles plant two trees at the Prince of Wales country home Highrove House in Gloucestershire. No doubt the trees were in honour of Charles' only grandchildren George and Charlotte!

Young William with his family at Highgrove House

George Visits Middletons

Wednesday 22nd April, 2015

The Duchess of Cambridge last week spent some time with her parents Michael and Carole at their home in Bucklebury, Berkshire. 

Catherine and George visited the local children's attraction Bucklebury Farm Park on the weekend. A photo has emerged on the cover of an American newspaper. The farm offer childrens outdoor activities, farm animals, petting zoo on 74 acres. School visits and birthday parties are also catered for. 

http://www.buckleburyfarmpark.co.uk/

It is believed Catherine and George are now ensconced at Kensington Palace with the new baby due any time. Prince William has finished the first phase of his helicopter pilot training course for East Anglia Ambulance and will now be on paternity leave and unpaid leave until early June to enable him to undertake pre arranged royal engagements.

Happy New Year

Saturday 3rd January, 2015

Snippets of news regarding Prince George of Cambridge have been revealed over the festive period. 

Family Christmas
The Cambridge family arrived at their Norfolk home, Anmer Hall a week before Christmas. As reported previously, George was taken to see Santa at the Thursford Christmas fair by his parents Catherine and William.

Catherine's parents Carole and Michael along with siblings Pippa and James also spent the days before Christmas at Amner Hall.

The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge attended the traditional Christmas Eve dinner with the royal family at Sandringham House. The next morning the couple  and the Middleton family joined the royal family at Sandringham's St Mary Magdalene church.

After church, Catherine was asked about Prince George and she commented that he was left at home. "I'm sorry we didn't bring George but you would have heard him in the church."
According to the Daily Mail, Prince William spoke to Kim Dawson from Downham Market. She said: "He said Prince George was really, really well and said that they've left him at the nursery because it's a bit cold, but they were looking forward to going back to see what destruction he had caused."

Maddison Neal, 8, gave The Duchess a gift of chocolates for the young prince. Maddison's mum Sarah revealed that her daughter had met George the previous Sunday at a service at Amner Church. "She helped him with his lantern and he blew her a kiss."

After a gathering at Sandringham House, Catherine and William then returned to George and the Middleton family at Anmer for Christmas lunch. 

Farmers Market
It has now come to light the Catherine's mother Carole took George to a farmer's market in her local village of Bucklebury.

The outing took place while The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge were on an official trip to New York and Washington in early December.

Carole and Michael Middleton

According to People magazine:

Dressed in a little tweed jacket, George toured the stalls of organic vegetables and crafts and was "trying all the food," a villager tells PEOPLE. He even "went back for a second helping of Christmas pudding from one of the stalls. It was wonderful for the girl who makes them. It will make her year won't it?"

"It was just really, really sweet. He was just being like a normal toddler is, running around and exploring – he is such a sweetie. He's lovely. A real bundle of fun," the villager adds.

The hands-on grandmother is like "any other nan – real mother hen," another source says. "She just keeps telling people 'He's gorgeous, isn't he?' like any other grandmother would say about their little one."

Off To Grandma's

Wednesday 24th July, 2013

The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge have left Kensington Palace and will spend time at the Bucklebury, Berkshire home of Catherine's parents.

After meeting Uncle Harry and The Queen, Baby Cambridge was on the move again, strapped into his baby capsule with his Mum in the backseat beside him.

The couple waved to well wishers outside the palace. Catherine's mother Carole will be able to offer her daughter support in these first few weeks with a new baby, especially when William returns to work as a search and rescue pilot in Angelsey, Wales. He is currently on two weeks paternity leave.

Catherine and William do not have a nanny for the baby and plan to do as much hands on parenting as possible.

It is hoped that the names of the baby prince will be announced in the coming days. The Queen was almost certainly told of the choice when she visited earlier.