Kate Middleton Has "Mixed Emotions" About Her Kids Going Back to School This Week

A royal expert explains why Kate probably feels a "mixture of sadness" and "relief" about the end of her kids' summer break.

Kate Middleton and Prince William with their children, Prince George, Princess Charlotte, and Prince Louis
(Image credit: Getty Images)

Kate Middleton may be facing mixed emotions this week as her all three of her and Prince William's children head back to school.

All three of the Prince and Princess of Wales' children, Prince George, 11, Princess Charlotte, 9, and Prince Louis, 6, attend the Lambrook School in Berkshire, and royal expert and former BBC royal correspondent Jennie Bond spoke to The Sun about what that means for Kate, who announced in March that she was undergoing preventative cancer treatment.

“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," Bond explained. "And of course, private schools have very long holidays indeed."

In other words, Kate having mixed feelings about her kids returning to school isn't a royal thing, it's a mom thing.

“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," Bond added. "And I think that's in common with most young women these days."

When it comes to the relief side of that equation, Bond attributes it to Kate's cancer treatment, not anything to do with royal duties.

“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," Bond explained.

Throughout Kate's cancer treatment, royal experts and insiders have agreed that protecting George, Charlotte, and Louis is still the top priority for her and William, including Queen Elizabeth's former press secretary, Alisa Anderson, who told People exactly that in March.

“He is going to be the anchor for his children," Anderson said. “They are protecting their children. They are thinking about their welfare above everything."

Contributing Editor at Marie Claire

Kayleigh Roberts is a freelance writer and editor with over 10 years of professional experience covering entertainment of all genres, from new movie and TV releases to nostalgia, and celebrity news. Her byline has appeared in Marie Claire, Cosmopolitan, ELLE, Harper’s Bazaar, The Atlantic, Allure, Entertainment Weekly, MTV, Bustle, Refinery29, Girls’ Life Magazine, Just Jared, and Tiger Beat, among other publications. She's a graduate of the Medill School of Journalism at Northwestern University.