7 Ways Will & Kate Are Making the Monarchy Modern

Throughout history, the arrival of a royal heir has been announced the old-fashioned way, on an easel outside of Buckingham Palace. When Prince George was born, Will and Kate nearly stuck to tradition, but decided at the last minute to embrace modernity and technology, announcing the birth on social media and then going to the easel. The couple is starting a new tradition, it seems: they'll be doing the same for baby No. 2.

In the past, marrying a royal often meant abandoning your family traditions in favor of your spouse's, especially on the holidays. After all, whose Christmas morning can compete with plans made by the Queen? Well apparently, Kate's can, because her parents, Mike and Carole, as well as we her siblings, Pippa and James, spent this past Christmas at Amner Hall, where the couple hosted a holiday lunch for her family rather than sticking with William's relatives all day.

After leaving the hospital with newborn George and retreating to Kate's hometown of Bucklebury for some much-needed family time, Will, Kate and George kept themselves tucked away from the public eye for a few weeks – until the first official snap with their new addition was released. But rather than hire a professional to take a posed photo, as is typical in the royal family, the Duke and Duchess released an intimate backyard picture, shot by none other than Kate's dad.

Will and Kate may not always relish their positions in the spotlight, but that doesn't mean they hold anything against the people who shower them with attention. For weeks now, a number of royal super-fans have been parked outside the hospital where Kate will give birth, and after the couple saw photographs of them, they decided to send a Kensington Palace staffer over with pastries and hot coffee for the #GreatKateWait die-hards – a sweet gesture and a first for the royal family.

… And William strapped Prince George's car seat in the back of the car himself. Previously, the task has always been handled by a chauffeur or royal protection officer, but in the first interview following his son's birth, William said that he practiced putting the seat in place – and cared about having that moment with his family. "If I can do it myself, I want to do it myself," he said. "Driving your son and your wife away from the hospital was really important to me."

When it comes to taking time off to care for their second child post-birth, Prince William isn't just modern for a royal – he's modern for the world. Since he finished training for his new role as an air ambulance pilot for the East Anglia Air Ambulance early, Wills earned himself six weeks of unpaid paternity leave, a luxury most men around the world don't have.

Maria Borrallo must be doing a pretty great job with Prince George, because Will and Kate think that she can handle a second charge, too. As of now, the parents have no plans to hire another nanny when baby No. 2 arrives – a change in protocol from when William and Harry were young and often had multiple caretakers.