Prince Edward was a ‘sensitive’ child says royal expert
The Queen’s youngest son explained how his two children he shares with Sophie, Countess of Wessex, have taken different approaches to their online learning. He said Lady Louise, 17, “struggled” with being away from her classmates, while James, Viscount Severn, 13, thought being at home was “fantastic”. It comes as schools across the UK are set to reopen on March 8 after the third lockdown in January forced them to close.
Edward said: “So we went through that whole pain of just having all of that suddenly taken away, and so she sort of struggles a bit with the online learning because she’d much prefer to be with everyone.
“My younger one frankly thinks being at home and online is fantastic.”
The Earl of Wessex added the half-term break was a relief as “frustrations” with home learning were starting to show.
Edward said: “The frustrations that were beginning to show — and I reckon we weren’t the only family to have experienced that.
Lady Louise and James Viscount Severn are branded ‘chalk and cheese’ (Image: GETTY)
“I count our blessings that we’re lucky where we are.”
The Earl also told Sky News that projects such as the Duke of Edinburgh awards for young people are “more important at this present time than ever before”.
He added the could be a concern for young people to catch up with their studies when they return to school next month.
Edward said: “We mind desperately about trying to help them catch up with their academic career, but at the end of the day we’re talking about what can we give young people at this time that’s really going to help them in the future – and how are they going to be ready for the world.
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The Queen’s grandchildren took different approaches to home learning (Image: GETTY)
“And that’s not just about academics.
“I think the role of the non-formal in this present climate is going to be even more important than ever before because it’s those skills and experiences which are going to be looked for.”
Edward also said it was important that young people have something to aim for.
He added: “For so many, their academic careers have been completely disrupted and thrown into chaos.
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Kate and William said it was tough balancing royal duties with teaching their children (Image: GETTY)
“All those who lost their exams – all the things that they’d been working towards – had gone and the longer-term impact is going to be immense.”
Meanwhile, Edward and Sophie are not the only royal parents to have found homeschooling challenging.
Kate, the Duchess of Cambridge, and Prince William admitted it was tough balancing their royal duties with teaching their oldest children, Prince George, 7, and Princess Charlotte, 5.
During a video call with other parents in January, Kate was asked to describe parenting during the pandemic with one word.
The Earl and Countess of Wessex have been homeschooling their two children (Image: EXPRESS)
She said: “Exhausting.”
The future queen then added: “As parents, we have day-to-day elements of being a parent, but, I suppose, during lockdown we’ve had to take on additional roles that others in our community and lives would have helped us with.
“I’ve become a hairdresser this lockdown, much to my children’s horror, seeing mum cutting hair.
“We’ve had to become a teacher – and I think, personally, I feel pulled in so many different directions and you try your best with everything but at the end of the day I do feel exhausted.”
Edward also said it was important that young people have something to aim for. (Image: GETTY)
During the first lockdown back in April 2020, both Prince William and Kate spoke about during an interview with BBC Breakfast and said they did not tell their children about half term last year.
Kate said: “Don’t tell the children, we’ve actually kept it going through the holidays. I feel very mean.”
