Princess Diana's 65th Birthday Highlights Her Lasting Influence on William and Harry's Parenting
Updated
Updated · E! NEWS · Jul 1
Princess Diana's 65th Birthday Highlights Her Lasting Influence on William and Harry's Parenting
3 articles · Updated · E! NEWS · Jul 1
Summary
At what would have been Diana's 65th birthday on July 1, a new look at the royal family says her approach to raising William and Harry still shapes how both men parent their five children.
William, 43, has said he keeps Diana present by "constantly" talking about "Granny Diana" with George, Charlotte and Louis, while Harry has said he feels "grandma Diana" guiding him as he raises Archie and Lilibet.
That influence traces to Diana's effort to give her sons a more normal childhood—taking them to shelters and hospitals, sneaking them to the cinema and stressing life beyond palace walls.
William and Kate have echoed that model with school runs, playdates and limits on phones, while Harry has tied Diana's legacy to his push for a more independent family life after leaving royal duties in 2020.
The portrait casts Diana's legacy less as ceremony than as a parenting template centered on empathy, normalcy and protecting family relationships despite the brothers' long-running rift.