Prince William Reveals How He’ll Talk to Daughter Princess Charlotte, 11, About Her Period

Prince William is getting honest about the facts of life when it comes to his daughter. The doting dad recently opened up about how he plans to talk to 11-year-old Princess Charlotte about getting her period.

The Prince of Wales, 43, addressed the topic during a panel at SXSW London Festival. He was joined by two Diana Award legacy winners, including Vivi Lin, founder of the menstrual-health NGO “With Red,” who asked him about his plans for that talk with Charlotte.

Rather than brushing the question aside, William answered with warmth and humility. “He answered genuinely and smiled and said, ‘This is a topic I am not familiar with,’ and it was really lovely,” Lin recalled to People. “But he said he knows it is going to be a conversation that he would need to have in the future. He said he will try to do so with the help of his wife.”

Leaning on Kate For Help

William said he’d lean on his wife Kate’s help to navigate the conversation. His candid admission left the panelists impressed, as it’s not often someone of his stature can admit such a thing. The future king, who shares Charlotte along with sons Prince George, 12, and Prince Louis, 8, with the Princess of Wales, 44, also showed he’s paying attention to the bigger picture. He acknowledged that menstrual stigma still exists around the world, and it’s an ongoing challenge.

For Lin, hearing a public figure speak so openly felt like a meaningful step forward.

“Hearing him say that he knows he needs to talk to his daughter, and that he also knows he needs help from his family and everyone, I think this will really encourage a lot of people who are ready or not ready yet to talk to their children about periods,” she said.

She added that a dad as prominent as William admitting he needs his wife’s help could mean a lot to other fathers who quietly struggle with how to broach the subject with their own daughters.

Of course, with the royals, even the most well-meaning moment invites opinions. After news of the exchange spread, some social media users felt the topic veered into private territory, with a few suggesting the conversation should have stayed out of the public eye.

But that’s exactly why these conversations need to happen, so even those who aren’t savvy about certain women’s issues can become that way. When royals talk, the people tend to listen. And this is one important issue that people need to hear about.