The thoughtful way Kate Middleton kept her family close during recent hospital stay - and it’s a must for all parents spending time apart from their kids

Kate Middleton's trick to keep her family close even while she's away from them, like during her recent hospital stay, is so simple and any parent who spends time apart from their kids, for whatever reason, will definitely want to adopt it.

Even with all the daily stresses of parenting that often lead to parental burnout and have you asking why your kid is being rude for seemingly no reason, leaving them for some time away, even for just one night, can be heartbreaking. 

It might be your co-parenting arrangement that means you're often forced to spend time without your child, or you're heading off for your first Big Night Out since giving birth, or you find yourself simply needing some time off from parenting duties - don't we all! Whatever the reason, Kate Middleton's simple trick to keep her kids close to her while she's away is so simple you can try it out right now. 

Kate recently spent two weeks away from her kids as she recovered from a pre-planned abdominal surgery in hospital and, while she FaceTimed them everyday while she was there, they didn't visit her due to the hospital's strict visiting rules. 

However, a clip of the Princess prior to the royal line of succession's shake up, when she was still the Duchess of Cambridge, has resurfaced and given royal fans an idea of how she kept Prince George, Princess Charlotte and Prince Louis close to her while she was in hospital. 

In the clip, which was filmed back in 2019, Kate visited Lavender Primary School and took part in a show and tell activity with the students. When it was her turn, she pulled out a photo of her family from her bag to show the children and said, "This is a photograph of my family. These are my children, and this is my husband.

"My family makes me feel happy. We like playing outside together and spending lots of time together as a family, and that makes me feel happy."

It's no surprise the Princess chose to, and likely still does, carry that specific photo with her as it was the first holiday card her family released as a family of five following Louis' birth in April of 2018. 

The act of carrying around a family photo is one that any parent can do but there are some especially important benefits to carrying around a physical, professional photo as opposed to a selfie taken on your phone. 

Family photoshoot specialists Timeless Images explain, "Family photoshoots contribute to preserving your family’s history and legacy. They provide future generations with a visual narrative of their roots, heritage, and the people who came before them. These photos can be treasured heirlooms that pass down through generations, allowing your family story to live on."

And it can even help to boost self confidence for both children and parents alike. "Having professional family portraits can boost individual and collective self-esteem. It provides an opportunity for family members to feel good about themselves, their appearance, and their relationships," the experts say. "Seeing themselves in beautiful, professionally captured images can enhance self-confidence and reinforce a positive self-image."

Keep up to date with royal news like Queen Camilla reveals she’s taken up new hobby - and we’re sure she’s learning the ropes from Princess Charlotte, the 15 Royal baby traditions you probably never knew about (and Kate and William will be so relieved #5 isn't a thing anymore), and The best parenting in the world cannot keep children safe’, Prince Harry and Meghan call for change to online child safety.