When members of the Royal Family learned that Queen Elizabeth was dying on September 8, 2022, they rushed up to Balmoral Castle to be there. While Prince William flew to Scotland with his family, Princess Kate decided to stay home to keep a normal routine for their three children, who had just started their new school. In his new biography of the Prince and Princess of Wales, royal editor Russell Myers reveals who Kate relied on when it came time to break the sad news to George, Charlotte and Louis.
Although Princess Kate wanted to be there for the Royal Family, it was decided she’d stay back since the Wales children were already going through a time of huge change. The family had only just relocated to Windsor that summer and were starting over at Lambrook School after previously living in London their entire lives.
In William and Catherine, The Monarchy’s New Era: The Inside Story, Myers shared that the decision for Kate be home with the children was “the right one for their family.” Fortunately for Princess Kate, there was one person she could rely on to help console Prince George, Princess Charlotte and Prince Louis.
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Queen Elizabeth is pictured with Queen Camilla, King Charles, Princess Kate, Prince William and the Wales children during her Platinum Jubilee in 2022.
(Image credit: Getty Images)
Prince George and Princess Charlotte are pictured with Princess Kate and Duchess Sophie at Queen Elizabeth’s funeral on September 19, 2022.
(Image credit: Getty Images)
“Catherine called her mother, Carole, and asked her to come over to their Adelaide Cottage home to provide extra support for the children when they returned home from school,” Myers wrote.
“After picking them up herself and excitedly finding out about their first day, Catherine delivered the sad news that their beloved ‘Gan-Gan’ had passed away peacefully,” he added.
Having their grandmother and mom at home during such a sad time likely provided a great comfort to George, Charlotte and Louis, who were just 9, 7 and 4 at the time. Carole is a hands-on grandmother and spends time with her grandkids as much as possible, cooking with them at home and bringing them to parks and on local shopping trips.
For Prince William, it must have been a relief to know they were in good hands with Carole. According to Myers, the Prince of Wales once told an aide that his in-laws gave him “More room to breathe,” and during a trying time, Carole did just that.