ALPHA ROYALS

Theyre the youngest generation and theyre taking over! Meet the Gen Alpha stars who could reshape the face of the monarchy

- ALISON EASTWOOD

TODAY'S ROYAL CHILDREN ARE BEING RAISED WITH A MORE GROUNDED, FAMILY-FIRST APPROACH

As another royal baby enters the fold, it represents much more than just a joyful family milestone. Princess Beatrice's newborn daughter, Athena Rose, joins an elite group of youngsters who will one day be the faces of the Royal Family.

But though they hail from privilege and wealth, the late Queen's 14 great-grandchildren are being raised as regularly as possible, particularly for kids whose names are already in the history books. Here, we look inside their lives and ask royal experts what the future might hold for this cohort.

FAMILY OVER THE FIRM

"One of the biggest differences in the way today's generation of royal children are growing up is the amount of time they are spending with their parents," says Toronto-based royal historian Carolyn Harris, who points out that Prince George, 11, Princess Charlotte, 9, and Prince Louis, 6-who are direct heirs to the throne - attend the same coed day school, Lambrook, whereas "Prince Philip, King Charles III and [even] Prince William were all educated at boys' boarding schools from a young age."

While today's young successors still undergo royal etiquette training such as how to wave, bow and curtsy and when to use your "indoor voice" - royal author Ingrid Seward notes, "These kids have a much more ordinary and informal life than their predecessors because they're not surrounded by nannies and staff." (William and Kate have a nanny, Maria Borrallo, but she hasn't lived with the family since they moved to Adelaide Cottage in 2022.)