Kate Middleton's unroyal and very simple 'happy place' revealed in one moving sentence

The Princess of Wales once opened up about what makes her happy in a poignant moment on a rare podcast appearance - and it's rather unroyal but so simple. 

Appearing on Giovanna Fletcher's Happy Mum, Happy Baby podcast back in 2020, Kate was asked to finish a number of sentences - one of which was "I'm happy when..." 

Unsurprisingly, Catherine, who shares Prince George, Princess Charlotte and Prince Louis with Prince William, stated that being with the Wales family is what brings her the most joy.

But it's not days spent in lavish royal homes or enjoying the luxury treats that life as the future King and Queen can offer that Kate loves the most. In fact, getting completely grubby in the great outdoors with her kids is what makes her heart sing. 

Responding to "I'm happy when...", Kate replied, "I'm with my family outside in the countryside and we're all filthy dirty."

The candid podcast appearance also heard the Princess of Wales, who lives at Adelaide Cottage with William and their children, open up about the best parts of her own childhood - plus the sacrifices Carole and Michael Middleton made for her as parents. 

"I had a very happy childhood. It was great fun. I'm very lucky I come from a very strong family.  My parents were hugely dedicated," Kate told Giovanna, applauding Carole and Michael for how they raised her and siblings Pippa and James. 

"I really appreciate now as a parent how much they sacrificed for us. They came to every sports match, they'd be the ones on the side-line shouting, and we'd always have our family holidays together."

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The Wales family's love of time spent outdoors together was documented in a touching snippet of footage, shared to mark Kate and William's ten year wedding anniversary back in 2021. 

In the video, that offered a rare look behind the curtain at the family's private time, George, Charlotte and Louis are captured running wild on the sand of the Norfolk coast on a grey autumn day with their mum and dad. 

It's thought that the footage was captured while Kate, William and the kids were spending time at Amner Hall, their country abode nearby the royal Sandringham Estate. 

The upload also shows the family huddled around an open campfire, roasting marshmallows - another activity Catherine is known to adore. 

"Life now is so busy and distracting and sometimes simple things like watching a fire on a really rainy day provides such enjoyment," she said on the podcast, adding that she'd love her kids to grow up to remember "that we’ve tried to cook sausages on a bonfire but it didn’t work as it’s too wet".