Princess Kate and her husband Prince William timed her cancer announcement to coincide with their children’s Easter holidays to make sure they heard before anyone else.
Their children Prince Louis, aged four, Prince George, aged nine, and seven-year-old sister Princess Charlotte broke up from Lambrook School in Bracknell for Easter on Friday.
The family released Kate’s video announcement to the press a few hours after the school closed so that her children would not immediately face questions in the playground after the news was made public.
‘George is ten now and can’t be shielded from any of this now,’ a palace source told The Sunday Times.
‘Once it’s at the school gate and in the school playground, he won’t be able to avoid it.’
The Waleses waited to announce Kate had cancer to protect their children from playground gossip
The Princess of Wales has been reassuring her young children following her cancer diagnosis. Pictured: Kate with her children George, Charlotte and Louis in a photo that was released for Mother’s Day this month
Prince William and Kate with George, Louis and Charlotte for a settling-in afternoon at Lambrook School in 2022
The three children are not set to return for the summer term until April 17.
They will now spend the next three weeks with their mother and father at the family’s sanctuary Anmer Hall, a Georgian country house which is part of the Sandringham Estate.
A source close to William told the paper how losing his mother when he was only 15 has made him go into ‘protection mode’ as his children now face their own mother’s health being brought up in public.
One aide said: ‘All he wants to do is protect his wife and children. The family just want to go away for Easter, spend time together, the five of them, close off from the world and move on.’
The Waleses have pulled out of public duties after Kate, 42, said she was undergoing preventative chemotherapy in her emotional video message.
The Prince and Princess of Wales and their three children will not be at next week’s traditional royal Easter Sunday service, which King Charles is hoping to attend, and instead focus their energy on supporting their family.
While at Anmer Hall the family is expected to concentrate on the people involved and not the institution of the monarchy.
Princess Kate and her family have found sanctuary in their home Anmer Hall (pictured) where she, Prince William and their children ‘will close off from the world and move on’ as she goes through cancer treatment
The Princess of Wales pictured at her last official royal engagement at the Christmas Day church service in Sandringham on December 25
The family at last year’s service traditional Easter service in St George’s Chapel in Windsor
Prince William and Princess Kate pictured with their three children Prince George (left), Princess Charlotte (right) and Prince Louis (centre) at Anmer Hall in Norfolk for their 2020 Christmas card
While the future king and queen feel the responsibility of their roles in the royal family, a close friend hopes that them getting away will be a good thing because of the warm reaction and support from the public.
It comes after the Princess of Wales touchingly revealed how she is reassuring her young children amid her battle with cancer after the announcement she is fighting the disease.
In her statement on Friday, she said that she and Prince William explained the situation to their children George, Charlotte and Louis, after the ‘huge shock’ of her diagnosis.
Princess Catherine said she had told them she was doing ‘well and getting stronger every day’ and that she was ‘focusing on the things that will help me heal’.
She also revealed that she was comforted by having her husband by her side and they were doing ‘everything we can to process and manage this privately for the sake of our young family’.
The family announced that they would not be attending this year’s Easter Sunday Service, after they attended the service with all three of their children for the first time last year.
Prince William is due to return to public duties after his children return to school following the Easter break.
The Waleses are said to be ‘enormously touched’ and ‘extremely moved’ by the public’s warmth and support following Kate’s cancer announcement.
There has been a global outpouring of support, including from the King, the Duke and Duchess of Sussex, political figures and members of the public.
A Kensington Palace spokesperson said on Saturday: ‘The prince and princess are both enormously touched by the kind messages from people here in the UK, across the Commonwealth and around the world in response to Her Royal Highness’ message.
‘They are extremely moved by the public’s warmth and support and are grateful for the understanding of their request for privacy at this time.’
Charles, who was diagnosed with cancer in February, is said to be proud of his ‘beloved’ daughter-in-law for her courage in speaking about her treatment and has remained in close contact during the past few weeks.
It has been confirmed that the family will not attend the Easter service in Windsor next Sunday
Prince William, Princess Kate, pictured with Prince George, Prince Charlotte and a baby Prince George at Anmer Hall in December 2018
Pictured: The Princess of Wales attends the Together At Christmas carol service at Westminster Abbey with her husband Prince William and their children George, Charlotte and Louis, on December 8 last year
The diagnosis took place after the future Queen underwent abdominal surgery at The London Clinic in January. Pictured: Police officers stand guard outside the building on January 28
It was revealed on Saturday that the King donned his dressing robe and ‘toddled’ over to comfort his daughter-in-law as they both recovered from surgery at the London Clinic.
Both the monarch and the Princess of Wales were inpatients at the prestigious clinic in Marylebone, north London, in January as they both underwent major surgery.
Words of support also came from the Duke and Duchess of Sussex who said: ‘We wish health and healing for Kate and the family, and hope they are able to do so privately and in peace.’
The form of cancer has not been disclosed but the future Queen began a course of ‘preventative chemotherapy’ late in February, and is said to have a positive mindset for her recovery and is in good spirits, describing herself as ‘well and getting stronger every day’.
Well-wishers went to Windsor in Berkshire, on Saturday morning, including Linda Boby, from Bury St Edmunds, Suffolk, who said: ‘It’s such a shock, she’s such a young lady and she deserves her privacy.’
Political leaders of all sides have expressed sympathy and support for Kate and criticised what Prime Minister Rishi Sunak described as the ‘intense scrutiny’ she has faced from social media and sections of the media around the world.
The announcement may end weeks of intense speculation and conspiracy theories on social media about the whereabouts and health of the future Queen.
A further development saw an investigation launched by the UK’s privacy watchdog, the Information Commissioner’s Office, into allegations there were attempts to access Kate’s private medical records at the London Clinic where she had her surgery.
It is not known how long Kate will be receiving treatment but it is understood she may be keen to attend events as and when she feels able to, in line with medical advice, although this will not indicate a return to full-time duties.