Kate Middleton's four code words to George, Charlotte and Louis so they know they're in trouble

Princess Kate Middleton enjoys seeing her three children 'just being children' but on the rare occasions they do misbehave in public, she uses a special code to keep them in check

The Princess of Wales has a special phrase she uses when she's disciplining her children - and it's incredibly effective.

Prince George, Princess Charlotte, and Prince Louis have started to attend more public engagements as they get older - and royal watchers frequently note how well behaved the trio are. But on the rare occasions that Kate feels they aren't behaving properly, she will use four special words to keep them in line.

According to royal expert Tom Quinn in his book Gilded Youth, An Intimate History of Growing Up in the Royal Family: "When Prince Louis misbehaved at the late Queen's Platinum Jubilee for example, by sticking his tongue out at his mother, Kate's reaction was praised by a team of expert commentators.

"She apparently used a secret code to calm the children, as she does on occasions - she simply says 'let's take a break'. But as a former staffer explained, the children know these few words carry far more weight than we might imagine." That being said, Kate reportedly "doesn't worry" too much about their behaviour because she loves to see her children just being children.

"Louis is an energetic child and clearly was unable to contain his excitement at being at a public event,” a source told OK, referring to the Wales family's appearance at the 2024 Trooping the Colour. "Kate doesn't worry about their behaviour too much. She loves to see them being kids."

In fact, William and Kate poked fun at Louis' cheeky antics at the Queen's Platinum Jubilee in a special thank you note after the event. The little boy brought so much joy with his hilarious behaviour - something his parents were clearly aware of. "What a fantastic weekend of celebrations," they wrote. "Seeing people across the nation coming together with family, friends and loved ones has been extremely special. Thank you to everyone who turned out to show their gratitude to The Queen and her inspiring 70 years of leadership. From the crowds on the Mall to communities hosting street parties up and down the country, we hope you had a weekend to remember. We all had an incredible time, especially Louis…," they concluded, adding a side-eye emoji.

When it comes to parenting their children, William and Kate are said to prioritise communication. If one of the young royals is struggling with emotions or loses their temper, the couple take them away for a 'sofa chat'. The idea is that instead of them having alone time with their thoughts and feelings, a parent is there to help them understand what has unfolded. Another rule employed by the couple is 'no shouting'. Children who raise their voice are removed from the situation - and similarly, William and Kate never shout at the trio when they are telling them off.

An insider previously told the Sun that Kate is "slightly stricter" than Prince William, adding that the royal couple's nanny, Maria Teresa Turrion Borrallo, makes all decisions in agreement with the couple. The source said: "Maria is firm but she never acts unilaterally with the children on discipline. Kate and William, along with Maria, are strict with the children but have this magic ability to appear not to be. It is a military operation but you would never guess it because they work ferociously hard on their children's upbringing and making it seem relaxed and happy for the three of them. They are very good at listening to the children but being firm."