Prince William’s First Post-baby Interview
In his first post-baby interview, with CNN correspondent Max Foster, he reveals he’s been changing a lot of diapers, that putting Prince George in the car in front of millions was nerve-wracking, that his wife, Kate Middleton, is doing well, that the little prince is “a little bit of a rascal,” who’s a lot like William and his brother, Prince Harry, were when they were little — and lots more!
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On what it was like in the hospital:
“I think more shock and dauntingness was the feeling I felt (laughing), but it was, the thing is it’s, um, I think I was on such a high anyway, and so was Catherine about George that really we were happy to show him off to whoever wanted to see him. As any new parent knows, you’re only too happy to show off your new child and, you know, proclaim that he is the best looking or the best everything.”
On all the action outside the hospital:
“It’s not somewhere I enjoy being. I know that the position I’m in that’s what’s required of me to do. . . . It’s nice that people want to see George, so, you know — I’m just glad he wasn’t screaming his head off the whole way through [laughs].”
On coming out with the carseat:
“Believe me, it wasn’t my first time. And I know there’s been speculation about that. I had to practice, I really did. I was terrified that I was going to do some, you know, it was going to fall off or it wasn’t going to close properly. So, I had actually practised with that seat, but only once before.”
On the decision to drive off with the family:
“That was the most nerve-wracking thing for me, having my family in the car. . . . Where I can be I am as independent as I want to be. And same as Catherine and Harry. We’ve all grown up, um, differently to other generations. And I very much feel, if I can do it myself, I want to do it myself. And there are times where you can’t do it yourself, and the system takes over, or it’s appropriate to do things differently. But, I think driving your son and your wife away from, from hospital was really important to me. And I don’t like fuss so it’s much easier to just do it yourself.”
On doing things their own way, versus royal tradition:
“I’m just doing it the way I know this, you know, if it’s the right way then brilliant, if it’s not, if it’s the wrong way then I’ll try to do it better. . . . I’m reasonably headstrong about what I believe in, and what I go for, and I’ve got fantastic people around me who give me great support and advice.”
On Prince George:
“He’s a little bit of a rascal, put it that way. So he either reminds me of my brother or me when I was younger. I’m not sure. But, he’s doing very well at the moment. He does like to keep having his *** changed, and…”
On doing the first diaper change:
“I did the first ***, yeah. Exactly. . . . I wasn’t allowed to get away with that. I had every midwife staring at me, ‘You do it. You do it.’ . . . But, he’s growing quite quickly actually. But he’s a little fighter. He kind of, he wriggles around quite a lot. And he doesn’t want to go to sleep that much, which is a little bit of a problem.”
On being up a lot during the night:
“[I'm up] A little bit. Not as much as Catherine. But, um, you know, she’s doing a fantastic job.”
On how Kate’s doing:
“Yes, very well, yeah. For me, Catherine, and now little George are my priorities. And Lupo [the dog].”
On how Lupo is coping:
“He’s coping all right, actually. As a lot of people know who have got dogs and bringing newborn back, they take a little bit of time to adapt, but, no, he’s been all right so far. He’s been slobbering sort of around the house a bit, so he’s perfectly happy.”
On going back to work:
“Well, as a few fathers might know, I’m actually quite looking forward to going back to work [laughs]. . . . Get some sleep. Exactly, yeah. So I’m just hoping the first few shifts I go back I don’t have any night jobs.”
On sharing his passion for saving endangered species in Africa with Prince George:
At this rate I’ll probably whisper sweet nothings in his ear. I’ll have toy elephants and rhinos around the room. We’ll cover it in sort of, you know, lots of bushes and things like that. Make him grow up as if he’s in the bush. . . . At the moment, the only legacy I want to pass on to him is to sleep more and maybe not have to change his *** so many times.”
