One person is said to play a major role in Princess Kate's support network

The Princess of Wales is taking a temporary step back from public duties as she undergoes preventative chemotherapy, having confirmed the news of her cancer diagnosis earlier this year.

The 42-year-old announced the news in a rare public update on her health, telling the world that "it had been an incredibly tough couple of months for [the] entire family", but that she is "getting stronger every day".

As the Princess of Wales recovers privately in her Windsor home, she is reported to be surrounded by a solid support network, who have been helping the Wales family navigate the past few difficult months. 

One person who is said to be playing a major role in the mother of three's recovery is the Wales family's former nanny, Maria Teresa Turrion Borrallo.

Borrallo started working for the family back in 2014, parting ways in 2022 when the Prince and Princess of Wales relocated their family to Windsor. And while Borrallo did not move with them, she is reported to have stayed on the best of terms with the royals. 

It is unsurprising therefore that amid the Princess of Wales' long recovery, the royals asked their trusted and "beloved" nanny to return - something that has reportedly been a huge support behind closed doors.

"Kate must feel Maria is worth her weight in gold and that she can trust her children's welfare to her as she continues her recovery," explained former BBC Royal correspondent Jennie Bond in a recent interview. "Luckily, from what we know about Maria (which is commendably very little because she is so discreet), she is content to spend her life helping others."

The royal expert continued: "She is a religious woman who, people in her hometown suggest, might have been a nun if she hadn't plumped for nannying, so there seems little danger of her moving on for the foreseeable future and that's something for which I imagine Kate will be especially grateful."

It is not known when the Princess of Wales will return to public duties, with Kate asking for "some time, space and privacy" while she completes her treatment. 

"My work has always brought me a deep sense of joy and I look forward to being back when I am able," she announced in her video statement. "But for now I must focus on making a full recovery."

We will continue to update this story.