25 January 2024 , 09:30
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It's been more than a week since Kate was admitted to hospital for abdominal surgery.
She is recuperating at the London Clinic, a private hospital in Marylebone, before she returns home to Anmer Hall to continue her recovery. According to the palace, it's unlikely she will "return to public duties until after Easter".
Her husband Prince William has put aside all his official duties to care for his wife and their three children, Prince George, 10, Princess Charlotte, eight, and Prince Louis, five.
That decision came as no surprise to royal watchers; William and Kate place a great deal of importance on family life and have made caring for their young children a priority.
One of William's key roles in Kate's absence will be reassurance. As well as hospital visits and regular Facetimes, he may well draw on his wife's early years experience when it comes to broaching the subject of her recovery. Keeping the children's routine will also be key to helping them feel safe and secure.
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Sadly, he has personal experience to draw on. Royal correspondent Jennie Bond told OK: "William is, sadly, perfectly placed to help. He knows exactly how it feels to be worried about your mum and, in his case, to lose her. So he will be taking extra care to reassure the children and tell them as much, or as little, as he judges they need to hear.
"I'm sure that, as soon as it is appropriate, William will take them to see her in hospital, because children need that face-to-face reassurance. They'll be Facetiming a lot, I'm sure, and showing them that mum's alright."
Last week, William was seen visiting his wife in hospital while his children were at school. He is understood to be planning to spend as much time as possible with Princess Kate as she recovers following her hospitalisation and will balance daytime visits with looking after their three children.
They are a tight-knit family who have opted against having a large private staff. As a result, William is an incredibly hands-on father.
"He doesn’t want any mistakes made with the next generation. He wants to give them a proper upbringing and lots of love. That is foremost in his mind," a close family friend told People.
A palace insider also confirmed that Kate's parents Carole and Michael Middleton, who live in nearby Berkshire, have also been involved with the children during Kate's extended hospital stay.
"Her parents are an enduring factor in the upbringing of their grandchildren," the insider said. "And they will be a reassuring presence when she goes back to Windsor to recuperate."
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