Prince William 'protective' of Kate Middleton, 'adamant' about giving children normal life: author

 Prince William is putting his family first during an "extraordinary" time within the British royal family.

Kensington Palace recently announced that Princess Kate (Middleton), who turned 42 this month, underwent "planned abdominal surgery" at a London clinic. The Princess of Wales is postponing all public duties until after Easter.

Moments after the announcement, Buckingham Palace revealed that King Charles III was seeking treatment for an enlarged prostate. He noted that the 75-year-old's public engagements "will be postponed for a short period of recuperation."

Daily Mail reporter Robert Hardman told Fox News Digital that William, 41, is prioritizing his wife's health, supporting her in raising their three young children: Prince George, 10, Princess Charlotte, 8, and Prince Louis, 5. are doing. According to reports, the heir to the British throne has cleared his calendar to be by his wife's side.

"I think he's been protective of her from the beginning," Hardman said. "It's the same way that (her younger brother) Prince Harry is very protective of Meghan Markle. They both understand that she's brought attention and stress and all kinds of issues to their wives."

Hardman has written a new book, "The Making of a King: King Charles III and the Modern Monarchy," which explores the king's reign and the significant events that led to his coronation in May. He also revealed how the king's eldest son is preparing for his future role with the Princess of Wales.

"[William] feels a sense of responsibility [to protect Kate]," he said. "And from the beginning, William has been absolutely steadfast about family safety, family privacy. It informs [everything he does]. That's why they choose particular schools for their children. ..They are very concerned that their children have a normal life and as good a private life as any other child. That is the paramount thing."

"I say this in my book, William views becoming the next monarch as one of his most important tasks," Hardman said. "People keep saying, 'What kind of king will William become one day?' Well, what's going through William's [mind] about what kind of king George is going to be?"

Hardman said palace insiders told him that William is determined to give his eldest son a normal upbringing behind palace doors, but he also wants him to embrace his future role as king.

"He's thinking, 'It's up to me,'" Hardman said. "'I don't want to scare her. I want her to feel like it's a privilege and an honor and something you can enjoy, not a burden you run away from.'"

While duty comes first for the couple, the Prince and Princess of Wales are more concerned about being good parents to their children.

"They're a really strong duo," Hardman said. "They are at the very center of the whole royal [family]. When you look at the working royal family now, it's very small. People talk about a thin-skinned monarchy. It's quite thin. It's more Can't be diluted. And it's quite old. The two young stars – and we say young stars – I mean, William is 40 now, but he's still the young face of the monarchy. We want their kids to be mainstream. "Will not be seen coming into public duties for at least the next 10 years."

Hardman added, "William likes a regular family life." "That's another thing I discovered. Yes, sure, he's the heir to the throne. He's got access to all these palaces, art and everything. But in a way, he's at home with his wife and kids. But what he's most happy about is doing the same things other families are doing – kicking a ball, riding a bike, swimming, these things. He's a hands-on dad, and [Kate's] a hands-on mom."

“I think they’re a great team,” Hardman said.

As Middleton recovers, William will care for the children with his longtime nanny, Maria Teresa Turrion Borrallo, People magazine reports. According to the outlet, Williams will continue to make school pickups and drop-offs. A close family friend told the outlet that the couple doesn't have a "huge personal staff" and that William is "really practical."

"He doesn't want anything wrong to happen to the next generation," the friend said. "He wants to give (his children) a proper upbringing and a lot of love. That's the most important thing in his mind."

With the family in mind, Hardman said, this is not the time to dwell on royal differences. It is believed that William still has a separate relationship with his younger brother, Prince Harry.

In 2020, Harry and his wife, Meghan Markle, stepped back as senior royals and moved to California. At the time, she alleged that palace officials were insensitive to Markle's mental health struggles as she attempted to live a royal life. The couple also said that the Duchess faced racist attitudes from the UK press, which contributed to her decision to leave the country.

After their departure, the couple expressed their complaints about life as members of the royal family. In 2021, he sat down for an interview with Oprah Winfrey, which was watched by 50 million people globally. Following the release of a six-part documentary on Netflix in 2022, Harry's memoir, "Spare," hits bookshelves in 2023, and quickly becomes a bestseller.

"[William] was very sad that it had to come to this," Hardman said. "He loved his brother. I'm sure those relationships are deeper than water. But... you talk to the people around him, and he's very upset about the whole thing. But his father Kind of, he knows there's no point in working." "About something you have no control over."

"Harry and Meghan ... decided they were going to leave the country, they were going to pursue this new life," Hardman said. "Really, he couldn't do anything about it. So, he just accepts it and moves on."

In "Spare," Harry alleged that William attacked him during a brutal argument about the Duchess of Sussex at Kensington Palace in 2019. The palace did not immediately respond to Fox News Digital's request for comment.

"It was very sad for William, who is extremely private," Hardman said. "[But] what really hurt William is the fact that Harry ... could regale the whole world with stories about two little boys and childhood moments that were so precious to William. They were both a "He had an extraordinary, difficult and tragic childhood. And it's the fact that Harry was willing to put it in the public domain. I think that's the real source of the silence."

According to reports, the Duke and Duchess of Sussex sent well wishes to both the King and Princess of Wales following their health challenges. A spokesperson for the couple did not immediately respond to Fox News Digital's request for comment.