As a mother of three young children, the Duchess of Cambridge must balance her personal and professional lives.

Both she and her husband, Prince William, have always been determined to be hands-on parents, eager to provide as normal an upbringing for Prince George, Princess Charlotte, and Prince Louis as possible.

When George was born in the summer of 2013, the couple initially decided against hiring a nanny.

However, according to royal expert Katie Nicholl, caring for a young baby while performing royal duties was not easy for the first-time parents.

And she claims that as a result of this, Kate had a heart-to-heart with the Queen, during which she opened up about her difficulties.

“Kate was having a conversation with the Queen in which she confided that she had found being with George on her own, and not having a full-time nanny or a maternity nurse, very difficult,” Katie said in True Royalty’s documentary Kate Middleton: Heir We Go Again.

“William and Kate wanted to be hands-on parents, which they did until September, when they hired a nanny.”

The Cambridges now rely on their dependable nanny Maria Borrallo, who attended the prestigious Norland College and still looks after George, Charlotte, and Louis.

Despite Maria’s appointment, Katie claims Kate’s mother Carole still assists her daughter with the children on a regular basis.

She continued, saying: “The Middletons’ presence in William and Kate’s lives is one of the factors that allows them to be so ordinary.

“Carole is a frequent visitor to Kensington Palace, whizzing through in her Land Rover. Because everyone knows who she is, there is no security.

“She appears to assist with bedtime and bathtime routines. She is absolutely necessary.”

She has previously admitted to feeling “mum guilt” when she has to leave her children to work.

Kate was asked if she feels mum guilt on Giovanna Fletcher’s podcast Happy Mum, Happy Baby.