Prince WilliamandKate Middletonare doing everything they can to support their grieving children after the death ofQueen Elizabeth.
At their long 40-minute walkabout outside Windsor Castle on Saturday, thenew Prince of Walesopened up to one well-wisher in the crowd about his family, including their three children:Prince George, 9,Princess Charlotte, 7, andPrince Louis, 4. Elaine Gee, 58, a teacher from Wokingham, spoke to William about the difficulty in explaining the Queen’s death to her primary school pupils.
“I told him how I work at a school and how it’s been a strange year celebrating the Jubilee and now it’s all changed and we are talking about this,” Gee told PEOPLE. “He spoke about George, Charlotte and Louis, saying that they were trying to keep some sense of continuity for them at school and keep things as normal as possible.”
Prince William at Windsor Castle.Chris Jackson - WPA Pool/Getty
Gee, who was visiting Windsor from Wokingham with her husband Rob, 62, also met Kate, telling her how impressed she was with their professional nature during their time of grief.
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“Catherine thanked me, and she said that all the nation were feeling it,” she says. “They were both very kind and gentle and genuine. It was very special — definitely a moment I will always treasure.”
Elaine and Rob Gee at Windsor Castle.Monique Jessen
All dressed in black, the two couples spent time speaking to hundreds of mourners outside the historic castle, all there to pay their respects to the late Queen whodied peacefullyat Balmoral in Scotland on Thursday, many of them leaving flowers and emotional messages of condolence.
Prince William, Kate Middleton, Prince Harry and Meghan Markle at Windsor Castle.Kirsty O’Connor/AP/Shutterstock
Meghan, 41, and Harry, 37, who arrived separately from Kate and William but left in the same car (with William at the wheel), walked on one side of the crowd while Kate and William mainly worked the other side, leaving little opportunity for interaction.
One member of the public said he was surprised but delighted to meet Meghan. Sanj Chowdhri, 46 from Windsor said: “She shook my hand and said it was really nice of us to come and support the family, she was very gracious,” while his wife Minal Chowdhri, 43 said: “We didn’t expect this, it’s been surreal!”
Debbie and Rupert Fowler with Sanj and Minal Chowdhri at Windsor Castle.Monique Jessen
“It was amazing, they were so personable,” she says. “Somebody gave William a pot plant, and he said he was going to plant it. And they were talking about people’s dogs, and Will called Kate over to stroke one near us. They are in mourning, and yet they were so lovely to everyone.”
Another couple — Cheryl Young, 38, and Stephen Young, 43, who had travelled from Preston with their 2-year-old daughter, Eleanor — were delighted to personally hand over a bouquet of flowers to Kate.
Cheryl said it was an emotional moment: “It was magical and very surreal. I’m actually shaking from the overwhelming atmosphere. Kate said how all the messages were so wonderful to see.”
Stephen Young at Windsor Castle.Monique Jessen
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Mark Kerrison/In Pictures via Getty Images
The event was the first appearance for Kate in her new role as the Princess of Wales, a title she inherited whenKing Charlesformerly announced during his first speech to the nation on Fridaythat William would now become The Prince of Wales.
The title, unlike that of the Duke and Duchess of Cornwall and their other titles, is not inherited automatically but is traditionally given to the heir apparent.
source: people.com
