PUTTING FAMILY First

Prince William and Princess Kate are focused on their roc-solid marriage and life at home with their kids

-  JAIME HARKIN

On Sept. 14, Prince William and Princess Kate were on official business in the English countryside, where they met with the founders of a mental health charity and visited with local families at the Kings Pitt Farm in Hereford. Early in the day, they proved their own three children were never far from their minds when they joined a group of students from the Madley Primary School for a session of forest school. While seated around a campfire with the class, Kate gushed over their snack of choice - roasted apples with cinnamon. "It's like a healthy marshmallow," she said. "I'm going to try this with my kids."

In the year since Queen Elizabeth II's passing, William and Kate, both 41, have taken on new titles and new responsibilities, all without missing a beat. It hasn't been easy as they continue to mourn the queen's death and deal with their lingering issues with William's younger brother, Prince Harry, and Harry's wife, Meghan Markle. But they've done it in stride - and with a renewed commitment to each other and their children (they share Prince George, 10, Princess Charlotte, 8, and 5-year-old Prince Louis). "William and Kate are more in sync than ever," a palace insider tells Us. "They cherish what they have with each other. For them, family comes first, and it always will."

RISING ABOVE 

According to the palace source, William and Kate have both been deeply affected by the loss of the queen. "Her death hit them extremely hard," says the source. "In many ways, it's only now really sinking in that she's gone." Those closest to the couple know they've been through the wringer. "They're the first to admit it's been a tough year, but everyone agrees William and Kate have done a wonderful job staying strong in the face of such adversity."