Kate Middleton's 'discreet' royal friend who's 'worth her weight in gold'

The Princess of Wales is reported to be "especially grateful" for one friend who is "worth her weight in gold" as she continues her cancer recovery, claims a royal expert.

Royal insiders have revealed that Kate's closest friends and trusted aides have rallied around her since news of her diagnosis, creating a tight-knit support system as she gears up for a return to official duties.

The mum of three has stepped back from the public eye to focus on her health and has been leaning on her trusted inner circle amid her cancer treatment. She has also found solace away from her Windsor family home, at Anmer Hall in Norfolk.

In Windsor, Kate's parents and siblings are on hand to provide support. But there's one key figure in the Wales household: their nanny, Maria Teresa Turrion Borrallo, reports the Mirror.

Maria, who has been with the Wales family for ten years, is considered an integral part of the family. She is trusted with the welfare of Kate and Prince William's children, Prince George, Prince Charlotte, and Prince Louis.

"Kate must feel Maria is worth her weight in gold and that she can trust her children's welfare to her as she continues her recovery," former BBC Royal correspondent Jennie Bond commented.

"Luckily, from what we know about Maria (which is commendably very little because she is so discreet), she is content to spend her life helping others.

"She is a religious woman who, people in her hometown suggest, might have been a nun if she hadn't plumped for nannying, so there seems little danger of her moving on for the foreseeable future and that's something for which I imagine Kate will be especially grateful."

During this challenging period, it's essential for Kate to be surrounded by a dependable support network as she gears up for a return to royal duties, with friends being described as 'a beacon of hope'.

And a royal insider claims the Princess of Wales is finding solace away from Windsor, at Anmer Hall in Norfolk.

"Kate feels more at home in Norfolk," a source revealed to OK!

"She's got several close friends there. The Van Cutsems live nearby and so do Tom and Polly Coke [Cook]. Laura Meade is a close source of comfort for the princess and so are the Carter girls."

Her loyal companions, including Emilia Jardine-Paterson, Sophie Snuggs, Lady Laura Meade, the Marchioness of Cholmondeley, and Natasha Archer, are all playing pivotal roles in providing both practical help and emotional backing, proving to be invaluable pillars of strength for Kate in these trying times.

Despite their affection for their Norfolk retreat, the Wales family's children's schooling necessitates a base in Windsor during term time. The handy location of Adelaide Cottage, near Lambrook School, provides some stability amidst the chaos.

While living in Windsor, the Wales family draws comfort from the unwavering support of close friends, with individuals like cricketer Kevin Pietersen and his wife Jessica Taylor providing a ray of hope for Kate in difficult times.

"Kate has established a circle of friends in the Windsor area, but these are relationships she has formed through her children's friendships with their kids," an insider disclosed. "It's a very different dynamic to the group she has in Norfolk. Those friends are the ones she can confide in about anything, while she tends to be more reserved with others."

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