Family ... Madeleine McCann, centre, aged four, sitting with her younger siblings, twins Sean and Amelie, five months. Picture: AFP

The Sun reports that despite growing up without her, Kate, 47, said Amelie and Sean, now 11, still remember Maddie and talk about her often.

Since Maddie went missing in May 2007 from the family’s holiday apartment in the Algarve resort of Praia da Luz, the couple have strived to keep their other children in the loop.

Speaking exclusively to The Sun, Kate explained: “The twins are doing really well.

“They’ve grown up essentially without Madeleine, knowing their sister is missing and they want her back.

“They are up to date, they know everything, they know if we are meeting police.

“There is nothing kept from them.”

Missing Maddie ... Gerry and Kate McCann with children Sean, Amelie and missing daughter Madeleine in 2007. Picture: SuppliedSource:News Limited

Twins are 11 ... Kate McCann (C) leaves her home in Rothley, Leicestershire, central England, with her daughter Amelie and son Sean, in September 2007. Picture: AFPSource:News Limited

Kate, from Rothley, Leicester, admitted the twins don’t tend to talk about moments with their sister now as much as they did nearer to the time Maddie disappeared but said they haven’t forgotten her.

She added: “They still raise money at school for the Find Madeleine Fund which is great.”

Kate also revealed how she and Gerry have kept Maddie’s room exactly as it was when she went missing and she remains a strong presence in their house.

She explained: “Everything is the same and she’s in as many photos at home as [the twins] are.”

Kate told how her family have been “completely amazed” by the fact Maddie, whose 13th birthday is in May, is still so much in the minds of the public despite being missing for so long.

She said the “outpouring” of support has kept them going over the past nine years.

The parents of missing British toddler Madeleine McCann, Kate and Gerry carry their then two-year-old twin children Sean and Amelie. Picture: SuppliedSource:AFP

This week Kate launched a two week campaign in The Sun to get a million people to sign up to receive free text alerts when a child goes missing or is believed to be in imminent danger.

The Child Rescue Alert campaign encourages people to sign up by texting the word HERO and their postcode to 85080.

It is run by charity Missing People in partnership with the National Crime Agency and education technology company Groupcall.

So far more than 330,000 have pledged their support for the campaign.

Kate said: “I’m literally begging people to stop, take a minute and send a text. We WANT a million sign ups.

“If it turns out you are wrong it doesn’t matter, but if you are right it could save that child’s life.”