Prince George And Princess Charlotte Help Design The Royal Baby's Nursery

Prince George and Princess Charlotte Join the Royal Nursery Design Team

As the royal couple, Kate Middleton and Prince William, eagerly await the arrival of their third child in April, they’ve enlisted some very special help to design the nursery. Britain’s most adorable design experts—Prince George, 4, and Princess Charlotte, 2—are pitching in to make the baby's room welcoming. According to royal expert James McCourt, speaking exclusively to Closer Weekly, "Kate wants them to participate in making the baby feel welcome, so she’s allowing them each to choose a special stuffed animal to place in the baby’s room."

It’s not just about decoration; it’s about preparing the kids for their new roles. McCourt adds, "Charlotte has even started practicing her big-sister skills on her dolls!" Kate, 36, is thrilled with how well her little ones have embraced the idea of a new sibling. She can't believe how fast time is flying. "She admitted only the other day that she still thinks of Charlotte as her baby," says Katie Nicholl, a royal watcher and author of [Prince] Harry: Life, Loss, and Love, speaking to Closer.

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Excitement Builds Across England for the Royal Baby

The Duchess' sentimental mood is matched by the excitement spreading across England. "The royal baby is boosting the mood of the whole country," McCourt insists. "The queen can’t stop talking about the arrival of her new great-grandchild, and Buckingham Palace is buzzing," confirms an insider to Closer. Despite Kate’s struggles with severe morning sickness, which she also endured with her first two pregnancies, she remains upbeat. Her children share her enthusiasm.

McCourt shares, "George and Charlotte had the news about a new sibling broken to them while having cupcakes after dinner, and their reactions couldn’t have been better." George couldn’t stop rubbing his mother’s belly! "He was too young to understand when Kate was pregnant with Charlotte, but this time he’s very excited." Charlotte also took the news like a champ. "She’s thrilled to be a big sister," McCourt says, "and she looks out for Prince George, even though she’s the younger sibling."

Preparing Charlotte for Her New Role

To ease Charlotte into the idea of having another sibling, Kate helped foster her sense of independence. "She was keen to get Charlotte settled into nursery school well before the third baby comes along," Nicholl explains. "George is very happy at school, and Charlotte has settled in well, too, I hear." At home, the royal couple isn’t expecting any trouble once the baby comes. "Kate’s a stickler for routine. As a result, the children are impeccably behaved," Nicholl says. "They have a nanny but they’re still encouraged to tidy up the playroom. Kate always insists they eat their veggies, too, and table manners were drilled into them from an early start."

That stems from Will and Kate’s shared desire to not allow their socially and financially privileged kids to become “spoiled brats,” the insider explains. "They have set rules for the children and use ‘time-out’ techniques if they ever fight or throw food. And they don’t allow them to stay up late." Their good behavior is rewarded with plenty of fun, which the new baby will soon be joining in on, too.