The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge attended Prince Philip's funeral in Windsor on Saturday 17 April, but who was looking after their three young children while they were away?
William and Kate travelled from their London home, Kensington Palace, to Windsor for the ceremonial royal funeral at St George's Chapel and were pictured being driven in a chauffeured car just after one o'clock.
GALLERY: The most emotional photos from Prince Philip's funeral
Prince George, Princess Charlotte and Prince Louis did not accompany them to Windsor as they are understandably too young to attend a funeral, which was also limited to just 30 guests due to coronavirus restrictions.
WATCH: The royal family arrive for Prince Philip's funeral
The children will have been in the very capable hands of their live-in nanny, Maria Teresa Turrion Borrallo, while their parents were away for the day. Maria has worked for the Cambridges since George was eight months old. The Spanish nanny, who studied at the prestigious Norland College in Bath, first started the royal job in 2014.
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At the time, an insider told HELLO! that Maria had "worked for other high-profile families and it was from there that the Cambridges heard of her and hired her". They added: "She is not married and doesn't have a boyfriend, as her life is totally dedicated to the family she is working with. She is known for being totally professional – married to the job."
© Photo: Getty ImagesMaria has worked with the Cambridges since Prince George was a baby
But with three young charges to look after while the parents are away – George is seven, Charlotte is five and Louis is two – it's possible that Kate's mother Carole Middleton also stepped in to lend an extra helping hand.
Carole, 66, is incredibly close to her grandchildren and has often been pictured arriving at Kensington Palace to look after the kids while William and Kate attend late-night engagements. She may have driven from her home in Bucklebury to see her grandchildren.
© Photo: Getty ImagesCarole Middleton is a doting grandmother
Because the funeral had a limited capacity of 30 guests during the pandemic, the service was live-streamed for Philip's family members and close friends to watch. The live stream was thought to be the same footage used by the BBC, ITV and other broadcasters but did not include live commentary and punditry.
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It's not known whether the elder Cambridge children, George, who is a future King, and Charlotte, watched the ceremony but if they did, they may have done so with their Granny Carole.
Kate's sister Pippa Middleton also lives nearby in west London, so another option may have been for George, Charlotte and Louis to spend the day with their cousins, Pippa and her husband James Matthews' son Arthur, and newborn baby Grace. Two households are allowed to meet in private gardens under the current government guidelines, which means the Cambridges could have spent the day in Pippa's garden, or she may have taken her children to Kensington Palace.
© Photo: Getty ImagesMaria pictured in her Norland nanny uniform
The children's nanny Maria has been pictured on various occasions, whether it's going for a walk with the children in their local park in London, or helping out at high-profile events such as royal tours and royal weddings.
At these more formal settings, she usually wears her Norland nanny uniform consisting of a beige crested, belted dress, a felt hat and white gloves. Maria also wears a trusty watch on her lapel to make sure everything is running like clockwork.
Norland nannies are trained in everything related to child-rearing, from cooking to first aid, but in Maria's case, the royal nanny will have specialist training in security and defensive driving.
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