Princess Kate and Prince William declined castle invitation with George, Charlotte and Louis

Kate looked in high spirits as she arrived at church, driven in a classic Land Rover Defender by Prince William.

She wore a beige trench coat from Holland Cooper, paired with gold drop earrings and a brown fedora hat from Hicks & Brown.

In March, she announced her cancer diagnosis and has been taking time away from most of her official duties since.

Kate and William have spent the last few weeks at Balmoral, a long-held tradition for the Royal Family, who decamp to Scotland every summer.

William and Kate did not, however, stay in the 52-bedroom castle like the rest of the family, but in their own cottage, nestled in a secluded spot on the 5,000-acre estate, according to reports in Tatler.

Gifted to the Prince of Wales by the Queen Mother just before she died in 2002, Tam-Na-Ghar is small and simple.

A three-bedroom cottage built in the traditional style of Scottish lodges, it is shrouded in secrecy, with very few photographs released to the public.

Compared to the couple's other residences, Tam-Na-Ghar is very humble.

It does not have the grandeur of Anmer Hall or of Adelaide Cottage, the pink house they have near Windsor Castle.

It is, however, one of the Waleses' most special homes. Kate has been a regular at Tam-Na-Ghar ever since she began dating William in 2001.

While they were students at St Andrew's University, the couple would reportedly escape to the cottage to avoid the paparazzi.

According to close sources, Tam-Na-Ghar is the site of some of William and Kate's happiest times together.

Little is known about Tam-Na-Ghar's location, other than that it is close to Birkhall, the King's home on the bank of the River Muick.

Although Charles has the opportunity to move into Balmoral, he and Camilla are keen to maintain Birkhall as their primary Scottish residence.

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This summer provided a chance for William and Kate to take stock after a difficult year.

William once said in an interview with Country Life that "a big part" of him would always be in Scotland, adding: "My family has deep connections there and it was such a fun part of my childhood and upbringing.

"George, Charlotte and Louis already know how dear Scotland is to both of us and they're starting to build their own happy memories here too."