6 New Zealand Woman’s Weekly
significance,theQueentreats
allhergreat-grandchildrenthe
same,saysformerroyalstaffer
GrantHarrold.“I nevernoticed
favouritism.She’salwaysbeen
likethat.”
TheCambridgesstayover
atWindsor,Sandringhamand
Balmoralquiteoften– and
everytime,theQueengives
eachchilda smallsurprise.
“Sheleavesa littlegiftin their
rooms,”Kateoncerevealed.
“I thinkthatjustgoestoshow
herlovefor[thechildren]and
forthefamily.”
Thepresentsarenotgrand.
OnegifttoGeorgewasa T-shirt
printedwitha pictureofcorgis.
Withinthefamily,George
is knownas“PGTip”– not
becausehelikestea;it’sa play
onhisinitials– andGeorgecalls
theQueen“Gan-Gan”.
Contrarytosomereports,
thisisn’tsomethinghestarted.
PrinceCharlesinventedwhat
is nowthefamilynamefor
great-grandmotherswhenhe
couldn’tpronounce“granny”–
in hiscase,QueenMaryofTeck.
Charles(70)passedthisonto
William,whocalledtheQueen
Mum“Gan-Gan”.Butwhen
Williamwasverysmall,hehad
anothernamefortheQueen.
A retainerrecalls,“Aftera fall
atBuckinghamPalace,theprince
criedoutfor‘Gary,Gary’.When
a guestaskedwhoGarywas,
theQueensteppedin and
explained,‘I’mGary.Hehasn’t
learned to say Grannyyet.’” #
Tony Powellyourlife,”hesays.“The
greatthingis toencourage
them,showthemthings
thattaketheirinterest.My
grandmotherdidthat– she
waswonderful.It is very
importanttocreatea bond
whentheyareveryyoung.”
TheQueenis similarly
enthralledbyhergreat-
grandchildren– “Ithelps
tokeepa grandmother
welloccupied,”shesays.
Sheknowsthatbringingup
a futuremonarchis noteasy- she’ssaidtohaveprivately
admittedshemademistakes
withCharlesearlyon– butshe’s
asdeterminedasWilliamand
Kate(both37)thatGeorge
andhissiblingsCharlotte(4)and
Louis(1)learnthatwithprivilege
comesresponsibility.
“HerMajestyhastickedoff
theyoungprincein thepast
forbeinga bitrude.Nowheis
incrediblypolite– toabsolutely
everyone,”saysa palaceaide.
“She’salsopointedoutthat
staffarenottheretopickup
histoys,sohealwaysputsthem
awayhimself.”
He’sverygentlylearningthe
ropesofbeinga royal,even
bowingeverytimehesees
theQueen(93).
“Hestarteddoingit a couple
ofyearsback.Wethinkhetook
hiscuefromhisfatherand
mother,”saystheaide.
WilliamandKatearetrying
theirbesttobringGeorgeup
tobea regularkid.Theydothe
schoolrunpersonallyasmany
daysastheycan,muckin at
eventsatGeorge’sschool,and
dresshimin $11poloshirts.
Hisparentshaven’teventold
Georgethatonedayhewill
becomeking– thatcomeslater.
“Therewillbea timeanda
placetobringGeorgeupto
understandhowhefitsin,in
theworld,”Williamhassaid.
“Butrightnowit’sjusta case
ofkeepinga secure,stable
environmentaroundhim
andshowingasmuchlove
asI canasa father.”
Despite George’s specialThebirthdayportraits:The
worldhaswatchedthelittle
princegrowfromchubbybub
to proud big-brother-of-two.BY GEORGE!
1
2
3
4
5