Kate Middleton revealed Prince George ‘understands the loss’ of his great-grandmother – while his younger siblings Princess Charlotte and Prince Louis ‘less so – during a walkabout in Sandringham today.
The new Princess of Wales was joined by Prince William as they met with wellwishers outside the Norfolk estate as they viewed floral tributes to the Queen.
According to royal correspondent Roya Nikkhah, that was there that the royal mother-of-three gave an update on how Prince George, nine, Princess Charlotte, seven, and Prince Louis, three, were coping.
The new Princess of Wales, 40, spoke to one wellwisher today about how her children have been coping since the loss of their grandmother last week at Balmoral.
Speaking to BBC’s Jo Black today, the unnamed wellwisher, who was amongst the crowd standing outside the estate today, said: ‘My daughter asked her how the children were doing, and Kate thanked her and said yes, they were doing well and they were being looked after at school, so that was a nice exchange.’
The Duchess of Cambridge and Cornwall, as she is now known, looked deep in thought as she arrived in Norfolk for the walkabout.
The royal couple were seen slowly looking down at a sea of floral tributes in Sandringham today, while the Prince pointed down at individual cards and objects.
It has been a busy period for the royal mother-of-three, who only recently moved her family to a new home in Windsor and took her children, Prince George, Princess Charlotte and Prince Louis, to their first day at school last week.
Yesterday, she supported her husband and other senior royals as they paid tribute to the Queen at the funeral procession through central London.
Kate Middleton revealed Prince George, Princess Charlotte and Prince Louis are ‘doing well’ and ‘being looked after’ at their new school during a walkabout in Sandringham today (pictured, with a schoolgirl carrying flowers during the event in Norfolk)
The Princess of Wales could be seen receiving bouquets of flowers as she greeted royal fans while taking part in the event today
In lighter moments, the royal mother-of-three shared a giggle with one royal fan (left) and greeted a young mother who had brought her baby to the event (right)
The royal mother-of-three was dressed in a smart black coat with a black dress for the occasion, carrying a small black handbag to complete her outfit.
Meanwhile she paid tribute to her husband’s late grandmother by wearing a set of the Queen’s pearl earrings for the occasion.
Days ago, Kate told royal fans outside Windsor Castle about Prince Louis’ emotional reaction to the death of the Queen.
Among the crowd on the Long Walk, Banita Ranow, 28, said she heard Kate tell children next to her about what her youngest son Louis had said about the Queen’s death.
She said Kate told the children: ‘Louis said at least Grannie is with great grandpa now.’
The new Princess of Wales , 40, has been by her husband’s side since it was announced his grandmother had died last Thursday at the age of 96 at Balmoral
The Princess of Wales was seen studying the floral tributes which had been left outside the gates of Sandringham this afternoon
The Princess stood alongside her husband as he pointed down to various tributes which had been left in a sea of flowers (left and right)
Days ago, Kate told royal fans outside Windsor Castle about Prince Louis’ emotional reaction to the death of the Queen
Ms Ranow said Kate was ‘welling up’ as she spoke to the children.
The well-wisher from west London also spoke of her surprise at seeing the two brothers and their wives together, adding: ‘It was really nice.’
It has been an extremely busy period for Kate, who has been supporting her husband Prince William publicly, and no doubt helping her children adjust to life without their Gan-Gan.
The death of their great-grandmother the Queen will be a heavy blow to Prince George, nine, Princess Charlotte, seven, and four-year-old Prince Louis, as they and their parents begin a new life at Adelaide Cottage in the grounds of Windsor Castle – where Her Majesty spent most of the year.
Last week ‘the gang’, as they call themselves, chased up the steps of their new prep, prompting beams of delight from William and Kate who held their hands when they arrived.
William and Kate had been known to have set their heart on outdoorsy prep school Lambrook, with its 52 acres of grounds, where fees will cost the couple in excess of £50,000 a year in total for their three youngsters.
A source said the Cambridge children were particularly excited to all be going to the same school for the first time.
‘They’re really excited about starting a new school together, and I think mum and dad are too,’ they said.
In photographs released from the family arriving, the Cambridge siblings looked confident and happy as they arrived ready for a 90-minute settling-in session for new pupils and their families.
William called his children ‘all the gang’ as he ushered them up the steps of the large white 19th-century country mansion, while Prince George, Charlotte and Louis all said they are ‘excited’ to be starting. A source said the Cambridge children were ‘particularly excited’ to be going to the same school for the first time.
A source close to the couple told the Daily Mail: ‘As they got out of the car, they were just giddy with excitement. It was just so sweet to see. Not a nerve in sight. It was all so relaxed. They are wonderful kids.’
However, within 48 hours the country was in mourning – but the Duchess decided to stay in Windsor to support the children at school as William flew to Aberdeenshire on a RAF jet.
Prince William, now heir to the throne, rushed to Scotland in an attempt to see his grandmother before she died.
Since then, Kate has remained a stoic presence by Prince William’s side, accompanying him at a royal walkabout in Windsor alongside his brother Prince Harry and sister-in-law Meghan Markle, as well as at the funeral procession yesterday.
Meanwhile Prince William paid a deeply personal tribute to his ‘Grannie’ the Queen earlier this week, saying that she was by his side on the ‘happiest and saddest days of my life’.
The Prince of Wales said in a statement released on Instagram that while the world was mourning the loss of an ‘extraordinary leader’, he had lost his ‘grandmother’.
He referenced the family holidays they spent with his children George, nine, Charlotte, seven, and Louis, four, and thanked the Queen for the support and guidance she gave to him and Kate.
William wrote: ‘On Thursday, the world lost an extraordinary leader, whose commitment to the country, the Realms and the Commonwealth was absolute. So much will be said in the days ahead about the meaning of her historic reign.
‘I, however, have lost a grandmother. And while I will grieve her loss, I also feel incredibly grateful. I have had the benefit of The Queen’s wisdom and reassurance into my fifth decade.
‘My wife has had twenty years of her guidance and support. My three children have got to spend holidays with her and create memories that will last their whole lives.
‘She was by my side at my happiest moments. And she was by my side during the saddest days of my life.
‘I knew this day would come, but it will be some time before the reality of life without Grannie will truly feel real.
‘I thank her for the kindness she showed my family and me. And I thank her on behalf of my generation for providing an example of service and dignity in public life that was from a different age, but always relevant to us all.
‘My grandmother famously said that grief was the price we pay for love. All of the sadness we will feel in the coming weeks will be testament to the love we felt for our extraordinary Queen.
‘I will honour her memory by supporting my father, The King, in every way I can.’
The royal mother-of-three was dressed in a smart black coat with a black dress for the occasion, carrying a small black handbag to complete her outfit
The royal couple were seen slowly looking down at a sea of floral tributes in Sandringham today, while the Prince pointed down at individual cards and objects
The new Princess of Wales, 40, has been by her husband’s side since it was announced his grandmother had died last Thursday at the age of 96 at Balmoral
Floral tributes are placed at Norwich Gates at Sandringham Estate by members of the public, in memory of late the Queen
Prince George, Princess Charlotte and Prince Louis, accompanied by their parents the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge, arrive for a settling in afternoon at Lambrook School
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