Kate holidays without baby George - cue mass controversy

Before all the hard work of flying to our shores next month, Kate and William need a holiday. Cue international outrage as they head to the tropics without their seven-month old boy, George.

So the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge have headed off to the Maldives for a week’s holiday. Prince George has stayed at home with Kate’s parents, Carole and Michael. And the new nanny, who’s learning the ropes.

George is seven months old and in Britain the reaction has not been kind, as people wonder what the most privileged parents in the country need a break from and why George and the nanny couldn’t go with them.

Many of the comments on Twitter and parenting sites followed this vein:

“Can’t imagine choosing to be so far from my baby for so long”

Another:  “She left a 7-month-old baby and went to a different country! COLD!”

It's the couple's second holiday in recent months, after the Prince went boar-hunting in Spain and Kate Middleton travelled to Mustique.

Others are a little more supportive – claiming that it is no big deal to leave a baby, and each to their own.

Some are questioning the (taxpayer funded) expense of these holidays.

"Well they need a holiday – him to recover from the shooting holiday in Spain a couple of weeks ago, and her to recover from the Mustique holiday last month.

I think she may even have put on a posh frock and “worked” for a couple of hours in between. No wonder they’re exhausted."

"Seriously? Think this might turn public opinion against them... seems its just one long holiday for the D and D of Cambridge."

But the UK's Daily Mirror quotes a source defending the couple, saying the plan was in part to let their new nanny get to know the baby:

"Kate and William thought it was a great plan to let their new employee get to know George’s routine and habits while they weren’t there.

“She will be the woman who will be caring for George while Kate and William are doing their royal duties so she needs to get to know him.

"They thought it best to be out of the way and leave Carole there to oversee the process."

Do you remember the first time you left your baby?

For me, the first time was in the hospital when they took my son away to be treated for jaundice. I was well within the ranks of over-emotional, over-tired, hypersensitive new Mothers. My breasts were at breaking point and my mind was over blown by emotional overload. It wasn’t for long and he was just down the hall, but I felt sheer loneliness for the first time in nine months. Before long we were reunited.

The next time was several months down the track and the parting was just as tough. The gap between us was just as tender as when he was away from me for only a half an hour.

That’s why I can understand the women who are curious about how Kate Middleton can bear to be parted from George for the first time. I can understand their gentle probes as to why she would leave him.

But I can’t bear their judgement, their overbearing bitchiness, their berating her for being a bad mother. Because whatever their reasons, surely this is not one for us to judge. Not one of us is there during the nights. Not one of us can say whether George sleeps through, or cries that colicky wail. Not one of us can say whether Kate is struggling with breastfeeding, or letting her husband (or her staff) help out with the nightly routines.

Maybe she does need a break. Maybe they do need some time together. Maybe they genuinely do want the Nanny to have some time alone with the baby.

Surely we have better things to judge her on – the length of her hair, the latest dress she wore, the style of shoe. Because let's be honest, whether they want to have a rip-roaring week of “relationship replenishment” or whether they just want to ignore each other and read the latest Dan Brown novel, this part of Royal parenting is simply none of our damn business.

How old was your baby the first time you left them?

Big fan of Kate and Wills? It's okay, you don't have to admit it out loud, but you should definitely click through this gallery of our favourite moments in their love story...