Prince William may have grown up surrounded by all the trappings of Buckingham Palace, but according to friends, he loves that Kate Middleton's childhood was so different from his own and embraces those differences now that they're raising their children together — and doing it away from the palace. Sources say that Kate's non-royal background has afforded the children (that'd be Prince George, Princess Charlotte, and Prince Louis) the opportunity to get dirty, have fun, and be kids.

"Those children look pretty happy with life," a source close to the royal family told People. "A lot of it is the stabilizing normality Kate brings — and that's how she grew up. William absolutely loves it."

"Coming from a different background, she appreciates the importance of having family time," a second source added. "She wasn't brought up in that aristocratic setting where you see the children for a short time each day."

Kate described her childhood during a 2020 interview with the Happy Mum, Happy Baby podcast, saying, "I'm with my family outside in the countryside, and we're all filthy dirty." Royal fans know that she grew up in Bucklebury, a small village, and has spoken about how much time she spent "boulder hopping" in the Lake District as a kid.

"Royal families over the generations haven't had the chance to get those foundations right, but they have,” a friend added, People reports. Another way Kate keeps things as close to reality for her children as possible is that she still drives them to school and ensures that either she or Prince William is home in the afternoons for their return. And, of course, Kate has been open about how much she loves cooking for her family, baking for the kids, and sharing her love of the outdoors with everyone.