The Sweet Reason Kate Middleton and Prince William Scaled Down Their Royal Duties This Week

The Prince and Princess of Wales haven't been out and about recently, but they've continued their work behind the scenes

There's a good reason that Kate Middleton and Prince William have been largely out of the public eye.

The Prince and Princess of Wales, both 41, scaled back their royal duties this week while their three children — Prince George, 10, Princess Charlotte, 8, and Prince Louis, 5 — are on a school break. Lambrook School students began their half-term break after classes wrapped on Friday, and they'll return to the classroom on Oct. 30.

Prince William and Princess Kate typically try to keep work to a minimum when their kids are on break in order to spend time as a family. They often retreat to their country home of Anmer Hall in Norfolk during time off, where they spend time outdoors together — from gardening to bike riding and beach trips. In a rare interview with the Happy Mum, Happy Baby podcast in 2020, Kate revealed that her favorite times with her family are "outside in the countryside and we're all filthy dirty."

In addition, William and Kate previously shared some of the fun that Prince George, Princess Charlotte and Prince Louis have at home, from baking and cooking in the kitchen to arts and crafts projects.

Related: Kate Middleton and Prince William's Latest Sweet (and Relatable!) Husband-and-Wife Moment Was Caught on Video

The couple's decision to focus on their family during school breaks is just one example of how they're raising their children differently than previous generations of royals.

"Those children look pretty happy with life," a palace insider previously told PEOPLE. "A lot of it is the stabilizing normality Kate brings — and that's how she grew up. William absolutely loves it."

Despite their royal roles — especially George, who is second in the line of succession to the throne behind his father and will someday become king — Kate ensures that her kids' childhoods are as normal as possible.

"Coming from a different background, she appreciates the importance of having family time," said a source close to the royal household. "She wasn't brought up in that aristocratic setting where you see the children for a short time each day."

Related: Why Kate Middleton Is Going Home with 'Bragging Rights' Over Prince William After Sports Day (Exclusive)

Prince George had a special start to his fall break when he joined Prince William at the Rugby World Cup quarterfinals in France on Saturday. The father and son — matching in suits and red ties! — supported Wales as they faced Argentina, although the Welsh team lost the game. (Princess Kate, however, proved to be England's lucky charm at their quarterfinal face-off on Sunday, and the team moved on to the semifinals with their victory over Fiji.)

The family is also likely preparing for some Halloween fun! Last year, Kate's mom Carole Middleton hinted that she decorates pumpkins with her grandchildren during the fall season, and in 2019, Kate was spotted in a local supermarket in Norfolk with Prince George and Princess Charlotte picking out Halloween costumes. Local Kathy Whittaker spotted the royal mom browsing the holiday section.

"I didn't see what she actually bought. The lady that told me she was there had children with her, and she said Kate was asking her children what they were going to be for Halloween," Whittaker said, according to several U.K. newspapers. "I think she bought some Halloween bits for her kids, but I don't know what."

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Despite keeping a low profile this week, Prince William and Princess Kate are continuing with royal duties behind the scenes. On Friday, the palace revealed that the Prince of Wales took part in a call on Wednesday with firefighters from across Canada to hear about their experiences of tackling the country's worst wildfire season on record.

"I bet people are thankful to all of you protecting their communities and their livelihoods," William told them. "It's crucial what you guys have done."

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