Prince William and Kate Middleton enjoying child-free 'long weekends' as they focus on 'together-time'

The Prince and Princess of Wales's first priority is undoubtedly their children but even hands-on parents like them need some time away from their roles as "Mum" and "Dad" occasionally. This is something Prince William and Kate have been focusing on recently and they've apparently enjoyed some childfree breaks as a couple.

"They have a very honest and open relationship, and communication is clearly key in that. They have made the time over the years to invest in their relationship, separate from their roles as parents and as working royals," royal expert Katie Nicholl claimed.

"Of course, their children always come first for William and Kate," she told The Mirror. "But in recent years they have also prioritised together-time, and spent long weekends together without the children."

William & Catherine: The Intimate Inside Story by Russell Myers | £10.96 (was £22) at Amazon

The Prince and Princess of Wales are two of the most talked about people in the world and this read traces their story right back to their university days. Author Myers drew on access to palace insiders and gives never-before-told context about huge moments, from the departure of the Sussexes to Queen Elizabeth's passing.

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We don't know if these long weekends were spent at home or away on a mini-break, but with the Princess's family all living close by, Prince George, Charlotte and Louis have plenty of relatives to stay with either way. Making time for each other and their relationship is clearly important to Kate and William, who are celebrating their 15 year wedding anniversary today.

The Waleses started out as friends before romance blossomed at university and Katie believes that the "success of the relationship" is all down to their sense of partnership and the "idea that they're 'in this together'". This foundation is solid and loving - and it has also stood the Duke and Duchess of Edinburgh in good stead as a couple.

They’re the only first marriage in that generation of the Royal Family and Prince Edward has said the fact they’re "best friends" is their secret.

I wouldn’t be at all surprised if the Prince and Princess of Wales felt this way about their own relationship and they’ve been through a lot in recent years following Kate’s cancer diagnosis, emerging strong as ever.

In Russell Myers’ William & Catherine: The Intimate Inside Story a close friend stated that William "worships" his wife and she’s his "world". When she was diagnosed, "He talked about the rug being pulled, but it was more than that, it was heartbreak, fear and helplessness all at once."

They remarked that the future King was "by her side every step" of the way, adding, "The depth of his devotion is something that stays with you. It’s love in its rawest, most powerful form."

The Princess of Wales announced she was in remission last January and after this unimaginably tough time, it makes sense that she and William might have reassessed how their priorities stand. Their family is still number one, though it’s heart-warming to hear that William and Kate seem to have been enjoying more "together-time" too.

The past two years the Waleses have marked Valentine’s Day publicly and this is something they haven’t always done. We were treated to romantic snaps of them together and their 15th wedding anniversary will surely be honoured in a similar way.

When they celebrated 10 years of marriage in 2021, William and Kate shared official pictures taken by Chris Floyd and a video of them and their children exploring a blustery beach in Norfolk.