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Kate Middleton Offers Rare Glimpse Into Her 'Simple' Family Life with George, Charlotte and Louis

She may be a princess who lives in a palace, but Kate Middleton is just like parents everywhere when it comes to what really matters.

“Spending quality time together is such an important aspect of family life and for me, as a mother, it is the simple family moments like playing outside together that I cherish,” Kate wrote in a heartwarming letter to mark Children’s Hospice Week, which highlights the dedication, love and care provided by those caring for children and young people with life-threatening conditions across the U.K.

“The theme of Children’s Hospice Week this year is ‘Life’s Short’ and I am touched that children and young people are sharing what they love most in life and reminding us of how precious time is for everyone,” added Kate, who is patron of East Anglia’s Children’s Hospices.

Kate, 36, has seen first-hand the lifeline support provided by children’s hospices and palliative care charities. In 2017 she visited a center run East Anglia’s Children’s Hospices, in Quidenham, Norfolk, and spent time with several families.

She’s also known to regularly escape the bustle of London to enjoy the clean air and vibrant woods near her parents’ home in Bucklebury with Prince George and Princess Charlotte, so that the royal children can feel the dirt on their hands and the mud on their wellies. In the future, little Prince Louis will join his siblings on their jaunts across the fields of Royal Berkshire, too.

Together with husband Prince William, Kate also makes full use of the extensive grounds at the family’s rural retreat in Anmer Hall, which is set within the even greater rural expanse of the Queen’s Sandringham estate in Norfolk.

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And the royal family was all smiles at Prince Harry and Meghan Markle‘s royal wedding last weekend. Kate enjoyed seeing George and Charlotte in the spotlight as a page boy and bridesmaid, though newborn Prince Louis stayed home on Saturday.

“She and William were saying how thrilled they were to have their children there taking part,” a royal wedding guest tells PEOPLE.

The whole royal family came together to appear in Harry and Meghan’s official royal wedding portraits that were released by the palace on Monday.

“As Patron of East Anglia’s Children’s Hospices, I am celebrating the remarkable and life-changing support provided by children’s hospices and palliative care charities across the U.K.,” Kate added in her letter. “They offer a lifeline to children and families facing the unimaginable.”

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“By supporting Children’s Hospice Week we can help them spread joy and positivity across the U.K., encouraging everyone to make the most of moments that matter.”

She continued, “Together we can champion the vital role that children’s hospices play in helping seriously ill children and families to have more precious moments.”