The Princess of Wales has spent over a week in hospital following her successful abdominal surgery. Her husband Prince William is holding the fort at home and looking after their children Prince George, ten, Princess Charlotte, eight, and Prince Louis, five.
And while being in charge of the kids won't faze "confident" William, fortunately for him, he has a strong support network nearby.
Kate's parents Carole and Michael Middleton live in Bucklebury, Berkshire, about a 40-minute drive away from the Wales' family home in Windsor. Her younger sister Pippa, who shares three children with husband James Matthews, is also based in Berkshire.
© Getty"The Middletons are a really close family and Carole is a very hands-on grandmother, and I'm sure she will be at the helm. She often picks the kids up," Ingrid Seward, editor in chief of Majesty magazine, told HELLO!.
"Pippa has children of her own now, but I'm sure she will help by offering to have the kids round for tea and that kind of thing."
Ingrid added: "William is incredibly supportive as a husband. It's pretty unusual for the Prince of Wales to cancel engagements because his wife isn't well – that certainly wouldn't have happened in the past – but he's a modern man whose family is more important to him than anything else."
Princess Kate, 42, was admitted to hospital last week for planned surgery on her abdominal area. William has been spending time at her bedside; he was photographed visiting her at The London Clinic shortly after Kensington Palace made the health announcement.
But he has also temporarily stepped back from his royal role to look after his three children. He has cleared his diary of official visits and meetings, with no mentions of William in the Court Circular – the daily record of royal engagements – since Kate was admitted.
He gets on famously well with his parents-in-law and Carole has often been spotted arriving at Kensington Palace, where the Waleses used to live, to help with babysitting duties. She is also known to take her grandchildren on fun outings such as to the local petting zoo and on bike rides.
© GettyDescribing herself as a "hands-on" grandmother, Carole previously told Good Housekeeping: "I want to run down the hills, climb the trees and go through the tunnel at the playground. As long as I am able to, that's what I'll be doing. I cook with them, I muck around dancing, we go on bike rides."
Pippa, meanwhile, has her hands full with her three young children, but has always been supportive of her big sister Kate. She is the proud mum to Arthur, six, Grace, who turns three in March, and Rose, one.
The Matthews family live in a spectacular £15million home in Berkshire, which features a staggering 30 rooms and around 150 acres of grounds that houses a walled garden and greenhouses.
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