Kate Middleton Shares What She Reminds Herself to Do with Prince George, Princess Charlotte and Prince Louis

NEED TO KNOW

• Kate Middleton gave rare insight into her childhood in the countryside and how she’s raising Prince George, Princess Charlotte and Prince Louis

• The Princess of Wales revealed “something I think we lose touch with as adults”

• Princess Kate shared her reflections in a conversation with writer Robert Macfarlane for Country Life magazine

Kate Middleton is passing on her love of the outdoors to her three children, Prince George, Princess Charlotte and Prince Louis, by giving them the “freedom to explore.”

In a conversation with Robert Macfarlane for a special edition of Country Life magazine — the Nov. 11 issue that was guest edited by her husband, Prince William — the Princess of Wales was asked about her early love of nature.

“I remember from a very early age spending a lot of time in nature, playing in streams, walking in the countryside, blackberry picking or simply time alone in my own world, enjoying the simplicity of ordinary things, such as digging under the laurel bush for what I thought was treasure,” Princess Kate said about her upbringing in Bucklebury. “There was always a sense of freedom I felt in nature, something about being outdoors that is hard to find elsewhere.”

To that, Macfarlane remarked, “Exactly, as a child you don’t need big scale. You just need a patch of ground and a laurel becomes a wild wood. Children are made for wonder.”

The Princess of Wales said, “When we are little, we seem to notice things more. Like the changing light through the trees, the sound of water, the joy of crunching leaves or finding a feather. These moments can seem ordinary, but often, they’re the things we remember most. Sadly, this is something I think we lose touch with as adults.”

Princess Kate then shared how she’s allowing George, 13, Charlotte, 11, and Louis, 8, to take things in at their own pace.

“We are often so busy we simply forget to pause, slow down and notice the detail in life,” she said. “It is something I remind myself to do with my own children — to give them freedom to explore, rather than constantly telling them what to see or what to think.”

Princess Kate’s chat in Country Life also touched on the comfort she finds in the natural world, especially amid her cancer diagnosis, treatment and recovery. She revealed her cancer diagnosis in March 2024 and completed chemotherapy in September of that year. In January 2025, she announced that she was in remission and began returning to her fuller schedule of royal duties.

“I was told in hospital that my recovery would not be linear,” she said. “There will be good days and bad days, that it will take time. This is the same in nature. It shows us that periods of rest, reflection and renewal are equally as important as moments of growth.”

When asked about the role the outdoors played in her recovery, Kate said the two were “definitely connected.”

Never miss a story — sign up for PEOPLE’s free daily newsletter to stay up-to-date on the best of what PEOPLE has to offer, from celebrity news to compelling human interest stories.

“It is about listening and paying attention. What I feel really passionate about, having had first-hand experience, is approaching illness and recovery through a whole-person approach. Yes, serious illness creates a lot of physical challenges, but there is also a deeper part to all of us,” the mom of three continued.

“Nature has allowed me to find a deeper connection to my mind, body and spirit. I think that’s because nature offers something unique,” Kate added. “It doesn’t ask anything of us. It doesn’t judge us or expect us to perform. It simply allows us to be. It really has been my sanctuary and a place I’ve instinctively wanted to go.”

Read the original article on People