Prince William and Kate Middleton are likely to remain at Anmer Hall and resume homeschooling their children, after England was plunged into Lockdown 3.
The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge have spent previous lockdown periods at their country residence in Norfolk, where they have been staying since Christmas.
Prince George, seven, and Princess Charlotte, five, were due to return to return to their school, Thomas’ Battersea, on January 6.
However the latest coronavirus restrictions across England mean schools are now shut and not expected to open before the half term break in mid-February.
It is believed the Cambridges had intended to return to their London base at Kensington Palace, but now have no reason to return to the capital, and the law advises against essential travel, Hello! reports.
Prince William and Kate Middleton are likely to remain at Anmer Hall and resume homeschooling their children Prince George, seven, Prince Louis, two, and Princess Charlotte, five (pictured together in a shot for their 2020 Christmas card)
It means they’ll likely enjoy a low-key family celebration there for the Duchess’ 39th birthday on January 9.
William and Kate, both 38, will be required to begin homeschooling Princes George and Louis and Princess Charlotte again, as they did during the first lockdown in March last year.
They previously admitted to finding it ‘challenging’ to teach their three children – whom they said had ‘got such stamina’.
The couple even ‘kept it going’ through the Easter holidays without telling them, with Kate admitting: ‘I feel very mean. The children have got such stamina, I don’t know how.
It is believed the Cambridges had intended to return to their London base at Kensington Palace, but now have no reason to return to the capital, and the law advises against essential travel. Pictured with their children attending a special pantomime performance at London’s Palladium Theatre in December
‘Honestly, you get to the end of the day and you write down the list of all the things that you’ve done in that day.’
She added: ‘It’s just having that bit of structure actually. And it’s great, there’s so many great tips online and fun activities that you can do with the children, so it hasn’t been all hardcore.’
A source in April claimed Kate ‘led’ the homeschooling efforts of the eldest two, while organising playtime for two-year-old Louis every day, while her husband also ‘rolled his sleeves up’ to help out.
They added that the Duke and Duchess found the experience ‘hugely rewarding’.
In July William admitted his patience was tested while homeschooling and he struggled to teach Year 2 maths.
Speaking on BBC Radio 5Live’s That Peter Crouch podcast, which was recorded partially via Zoom and partially at Kensington Palace in March, the heir said: ‘I’ve found it pretty testing, not going to lie, trying to keep the children engaged in some kind of work, it’s been an interesting few months.’
He added: ‘I’ve learned through homeschooling that my patience is a lot shorter than I thought it was, that’s probably been the biggest eye opener for me, and that my wife has super patience.
‘Basically we’re a good team tag session, I come in with the children and try and get them to do something and Catherine comes in when frankly everything has gone wrong.
‘I have to admit I’m a bit embarrassed about my maths knowledge, I can’t do Year 2 maths.’
Prince William revealed his patience was tested while homeschooling his children in the first lockdown, and that he struggled to teach Year 2 maths. He is pictured, right, in September 2019 with Princess Charlotte (left), Kate (second left) and Prince George (second right) as the royal children attended their first day of school for the year
While the Duchess of Cambridge studied maths to A-level, William hasn’t pursued the subject since his GCSEs at Eton.
Royal expert Victoria Arbiter said the couple saw lockdown as ‘a rare gift’ because royal children are usually ‘unavoidably denied the privilege of prolonged time with their parents’.
She commented that the combination of Kate’s focus on early years education and the Middleton’s ‘nurturing presence’, alongside Prince William’s focus on mental well being and the Windsor traditions, would lead the Cambridge children ‘to be the most well-adjusted generation the royals have ever known’.
Kensington Palace declined to comment on their whereabouts.