Great Reads

Kate Middleton Reveals the Top 5 Children’s Books She Reads to Her Kids

Which ones are on your shelf?

kate middleton
Max Mumby/Indigo / Contributor / Getty Images

Kate Middleton, the Duchess of Cambridge, is sharing which children’s books are her favorite and the titles that she reads to her three kids, Prince George, Princess Charlotte, and Prince Louis. The royal mom teamed up with Camilla, Duchess of Cornwall, and her online book club, The Reading Room, in honor of World Book Day next month.

The mom of three first recommend Charlotte’s Web, by E. B White, which holds a special connection to her daughter. Kate says the iconic tale is “an all-time classic and loved in our house for obvious reasons.” She continues, “This is a charming story about friendship, loyalty, and love.”

Another recommendation Kate makes for one of the top children’s books is The Owl Who Was Afraid of The Dark, by Jill Tomlinson. For her, this is a story that she enjoyed reading when she was a kid, and she recently read the story during her appearance on CBeebies Bedtime Stories, a children’s program in the UK.

“I loved this book as a little girl and listening to my own children reading it has brought back so many wonderful memories,” she shares. “A comforting story to help children face their fears and grow in confidence with the help of others.”

Also included in Kate’s list is Stig of the Dump by Clive King. This was another book that she loved as a child herself, noting her dad would read it to her. “As a child I loved spending time outdoors, making dens, digging, discovering, and making things out of odds and ends,” Kate says. “Whether this was why my father recommended this book to me or whether this book inspired my imagination, I can’t remember, but I have never forgotten this brilliant book and the values it teaches.”

The fourth book that Kate recommends is one that she feels is a good story to help kids “understand and recognize their feelings and emotions.” Feelings: Inside my heart and in my head… by Libby Walden also “brings to life the importance of empathy,” Kate adds.

For her final book recommendation, Kate went with Katie Morag and the Two Grandmothers book by Mairi Hedderwick. She explains this series offers “fun stories for children of all ages and a great book for older children to read to younger siblings.” Adding, “These books are filled with captivating and beautiful illustrations to accompany the text so there’s lots to talk about!”