Prince William was spotted in a local pub with a surprising family member

The royal family is undoubtedly the most talked-about in the world, particularly over the past few months, with the Mountbatten-Windsors having endured a very difficult year.

King Charles and the Princess of Wales have both confirmed the news that they have been diagnosed with cancer, making the news of their conditions public "in the hope it may assist public understanding for all those around the world who are affected by cancer". 

Prince William has been forced to step up as the heir to the throne, while King Charles and Princess Kate take a temporary step back from duty to focus on their respective recoveries. And as a result, experts are calling the past few months the "biggest [royal] crisis" in recent years. 

"The weight of the world is on [Prince William's] shoulders," royal expert Robert Jobson explained to Hello! earlier this month. And as the pressure mounts on the future King, particularly at a time when his wife and father are unwell, his support network is getting tighter.

One relationship that is said to be key is that between Prince William and his mother-in-law Carole Middleton, with the pair recently spotted at a pub together near the Wales family's Anmer Hall home in Norfolk.

“It was all very low-key with no great fanfare,” a pub patron reportedly told The Daily Mail. “He just walked in and through the pub. He appeared to be with Carole Middleton.” 

Prince William is known to be close with the Middleton family, with Carole in particular said to have played a pivotal role in the Wales family's support network in recent months.

"Carole has been the driving force keeping the family together and given them endless support," a friend of the family told the Independent. "She's been a real Mary Poppins-like figure."

“Her parents are an enduring factor in the upbringing of their grandchildren,” another source previously explained via People. “And they will be a reassuring presence when she goes back to Windsor to recuperate.”

We will continue to update this story.