MILLIONS of children will be heading back to school this week – including George, Charlotte and Louis.
Royal expert Jennie Bond claims Kate Middleton will be feeling “mixed emotions” with her three children going back to Lambrook School in Berkshire.
This year has been a tough year for Princess Kate, following her announcing she was undergoing preventative cancer treatment in March.
Speaking to Fabulous, former BBC royal correspondent Jennie shared: “I think, like any young mother with children, she probably regarded the beginning of the summer holidays with some trepidation because you’ve got weeks on end to fill with three energetic young kids.
“And of course, private schools have very long holidays indeed.
“So I think it’s probably with a mixture of sadness that they won’t be still enjoying themselves in the freedom of the holidays, but maybe just Catherine might feel a measure of relief that these school holidays are finally over, and she can do the school run and perhaps get back into bed for a few hours afterward.
“And I think that’s in common with most young women these days.
“But of course, for Catherine, undergoing the cancer treatment that she still is, as far as we know, and having good days and bad days, as she herself has said, the holidays were probably a little bit taxing at times.”
The Prince and Princess of Wales – along with Prince George, 11, Princess Charlotte, nine, and Prince Louis, six – are said to have spent the summer break at their Norfolk country home Anmer Hall.
Meanwhile, last week Kate was spotted heading to church with Prince William and Prince George up at Balmoral in Scotland.
Jennie shared how the family typically avoided sitting sedentary at home watching TV, and so the summer holidays could have been taxing for Princess Kate.
She added: “Catherine and William are such outdoorsy people, and they brought their three children up to be equally sporty and loving the big outdoors, which is why they’ve spent most of the holidays up in Norfolk and Anmer Hall, and they’ve gone to the beach, run around, and had barbecues—all the things that they’ve normally done, as far as we know.
I think it’s probably with a mixture of sadness that they won’t be still enjoying themselves in the freedom of the holidays, but maybe just Catherine might feel a measure of relief that these school holidays are finally over, and she can do the school run and perhaps get back into bed for a few hours afterward.
Jennie Bond
“That is the kind of life that Catherine thoroughly enjoys.
“I think, even the picture that was released of her standing under the tree as she said she was beginning to feel better and telling us all about the cancer diagnosis, that showed that as she battles to get back to full health, nature, the outdoors, gardening, and any pursuit that involves fresh air and being with her children is what she will have been doing.”
Prince William said he has been doing the school runs for his family this year while Kate recovers, but she could take on some of the lifts if she is feeling up to it, according to Jennie.
The royal expert shared: “I think Catherine is quite a hands-on mum.
“I suspect she does take control of domestic issues.
“But having said that, William is a modern man.
“William has been very hands-on as well as a dad from the start, but particularly in the last year since Catherine’s been really quite ill, he’s had to take over things.
“During the treatment, she started slowly to do the school run with her mother sometimes at her side, but I think in recent times, at the end of last school term, she was pretty much doing the school run every other day, taking turns with William, so I think we can expect her to be doing that again as the new school year begins.”
We’ve seen the Princess of Wales a handful of times this year, despite her taking a step back from royal duties for her recovery.
These include her triumphant appearance at Trooping the Colour in June, and her attending the Wimbledon Men’s Final in July with Princess Charlotte.
In June, the royal mum-of-three shared how her treatment is “ongoing and will be for a few more months” as she revealed she is “not out of the woods yet”.
But she told how it is a “joy” for her to still engage with school life and spend time “on the things that give me energy and positivity, as well as starting to do a little work from home”.
She said: “I have been blown away by all the kind messages of support and encouragement over the last couple of months.
“It really has made the world of difference to William and me and has helped us both through some of the harder times.
“I am making good progress, but as anyone going through chemotherapy will know, there are good days and bad days.”
EVERY year, Princess Kate and Prince William take their kids to Balmoral for a summer break with the royal family.
The Balmoral Estate is vast, and it now covers an area of approximately 50,000 acres of forestry, mountains and fields, with the scenic river Dee flowing through it.
Royal author Phil Dampier shared: “Obviously, there’s so much space up there, so the children can go off.
“I’m sure that George is of an age now where he’ll be fishing, possibly in the River Dee there.”
The estate and castle are privately owned by the Royal Family and are not the property of the Crown, which offers them a family break away from the public eye.
Phil said: “There’s so much space that they can go off for picnics, go off for massive long walks, and just enjoy the fresh air and the forest up there, and enjoy the freedom.
“They might get a pony up there and start doing some horse riding if they’re not already.
“That’s the sort of thing they’ll get up to.
“It’s all the typical traditional royal pursuits that they can enjoy if they want to up there.”
The royal expert said that Balmoral tips are “extremely private”, and added: “We don’t tend to see as many pictures as we used to; they tend to be left alone up there, and I’m sure that’s how they’ll like it.”
The category A listed Balmoral Castle- which costs around £3million annually to run – is breathtaking but can be fairly “drafty”, according to Phil.
The Scottish castle has been in the Royal Family since 1852 and boasts over 52 bedrooms and is estimated to be worth a cool £155million according to Business Insider.
When the Prince and Princess of Wales visit Balmoral, they typically stay at a cottage on the grounds, Tam-Na-Ghar.
The cottage was a gift to Prince William from his great-grandmother, The Queen Mother, shortly before her passing in 2002.
It gives the family the opportunity to have a private getaway, and William and Kate have been visiting the cottage since they were students at St. Andrew’s University.
