The Princess of Wales is now more than halfway through her period of convalescence, following her hospitalisation for planned abdominal surgery in January.
Kate, who is expected to return to royal duties after Easter, is said to be "recovering well but is not quite a hundred per cent".
In this week's issue of HELLO! magazine out now, royal author Robert Jobson, whose new biography Catherine, The Princess of Wales is published this summer, told us: "From what I hear, Kate has got into a routine again and is functioning well, but she doesn't want to rush things. I have spoken to people close to her and I think she is recovering well but is not quite a hundred per cent."
© GettyRobert, who also made reference to King Charles' cancer diagnosis and ongoing treatment, added: "The King was looking to make the royal family more focused on the main four and having two of the star people out of the picture makes that more difficult, so I'm sure she will be welcomed back with open arms when she's well enough to return to royal duties.
"She must be looking forward to that, but she also feels lucky to be able to have this time with the children and to put her recovery first."
The silver lining to Kate's surgery and recovery is that she has been able to spend plenty of precious time with her children Prince George, ten, Princess Charlotte, eight, and Prince Louis, five. With Mother’s Day approaching this Sunday, she will be thoroughly spoilt.
For the first time in years, she has been a full-time mum and not had to juggle family life with royal work and charity commitments.
© GettyRoyal editor Emily Nash also noted: "Kate may not have been on the school run or at sports matches, but she has been able to spend plenty of time with her children at home over the past few weeks and they will have been such a tonic for her.
"Her family are absolutely at the centre of her world, so being able to have George, Charlotte and Louis at home with her has no doubt really boosted her spirits."
With Easter now just a few short weeks away, Kate, 42, will be starting to think about her return to public duties in April. In a sign the Princess is preparing for her public comeback, she has taken on a new private secretary: Afghanistan veteran Lieutenant Colonel Tom White, who served as an equerry to Queen Elizabeth II.
"The arrival of Tom means the Princess is likely to be thinking about her eventual return to work and future plans," a royal source told HELLO!
To read the full report, pick up the latest issue of HELLO! on sale in the UK now. You can subscribe to HELLO! to get the magazine delivered free to your door every week or purchase the digital edition online via our Apple or Google apps.
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