Senior royal who is 'like a sister to Princess Kate' during cancer recovery

The shares a very close "sisterly"-like bond , as she continues her cancer recovery, a royal expert has claimed.

Princess Kate has had a tough year after she was found to have a type of cancer back in March, for which she underwent preventative chemotherapy for.

The future Queen has only made a handful of public appearances this year, with the last one being the Remembrance Sunday service at the Cenotaph in London, where she was snapped on the balcony alongside the , who watched the ceremony with her and when they were making their exit.

Now royal author Ingrid Seward claimed Duchess Sophie is like "the older sister Kate never had" and commented on how the two women's bond have become increasingly stronger over the last few years, particularly after the princess's cancer diagnosis.

She told : "The royals but there is more warmth now.

"That gesture of Sophie putting her arm around Kate is something you wouldn't have seen a few years ago.

"They have a sisterly bond and Sophie is like the older sister Kate never had."

The royal expert added that another factor which has played a major role in forming that close bond is that they both have faces serious health crisis, thus, Sophie has got "deeper understanding" of the emotional toll the past few months have taken on Kate.

She explained: "They are both incredibly kind girls and have a caring side to them. They are both protective of their children. Sophie has had a young family, so she knows what it's like trying to protect them while being in the royal world.

"Sophie also has experience of life-threatening illness - she nearly died when her daughter Louise was born. She has been there in the background, as part of a private support network.

"They have a huge amount in common having probably formed a bond very much at the beginning."

"Sophie was there for Kate in an unofficial capacity because she had the same experience of being a commoner marrying into the Royal Family."