Despite the tragic circumstances, Kate Middleton is trying to give her children a normal first day.
While many senior members of the royal family, including Prince William, traveled to Queen Elizabeth II's Balmoral Estate in Scotland, where she passed away on Sept. 8 at age 96, the Duchess of Cambridge remained in Windsor amid her children's first day of school.
After attending a preview day on Sept. 7, Prince George, 9, Princess Charlotte, 7, and Prince Louis, 4, marked their first official day of classes at Lambrook School in Windsor, England.
Back in August, William and Kate confirmed in a press release that their children would be attending a new school after the family relocated to Windsor from London. According to the school's website, the campus is equipped with a 25-meter swimming pool, a performing arts center and an orchard with chickens and rabbits.
The young royals' first day of school, however, will now be overshadowed by the death of their great-grandmother. On Sept. 8, the royal family confirmed the news on their official social media platforms, writing, "The Queen died peacefully at Balmoral this afternoon."
The Queen's passing came just hours after Buckingham Palace issued a statement, sharing that doctors were "concerned" with the Queen's health and recommended she "remain under medical supervision."
The Queen, who has been experiencing mobility problems in recent months, had a busy week before her passing, which included appointing Liz Truss as the new Prime Minister on Sept. 6.
The next day, the Queen—following doctor's orders—postponed a meeting of her virtual Privy Council advisers.
While Her Majesty stayed busy with a variety of royal engagements even in the final years of her life, some royal watchers grew concerned about her heath after the Queen started using a cane and was briefly hospitalized in October 2021 for an undisclosed ailment.
Now, those closest to the Queen are mourning her loss while also paying tribute to a royal icon.
"The death of my beloved Mother, Her Majesty the Queen, is a moment of the greatest sadness for me and all members of my family," King Charles III, formerly known as Prince Charles, said in a statement through Buckingham Palace. "We mourn profoundly the passing of a cherished Sovereign and a much-loved Mother."