“She will fight like hell to keep her children with her, being raised by her, exactly where the children wish to be,” a close friend of The Real Housewives of Beverly Hills star tells PEOPLE.

Kelsey Grammer, 56, filed for sole custody of Mason, 9, and Jude, 6, in L.A. County Superior Court last week. The filing offers Camille time with the kids during half of their summer and half of their winter breaks.

Last year, Kelsey relocated to New York City where he starred in the Broadway musical La Cage Aux Folles. He met flight attendant Kayte Walsh during this time and announced his split from Camille last summer. The two were divorced in February and Kelsey married Walsh later that month. The couple reside in New York City, while Camille lives in Los Angeles with her and Kelsey’s children.

“He abandoned his family and got married within months of separating from Camille, all of which speaks volumes about his parenting and his respect for his current children,” says the friend, who describes Camille, 42, as a “loving and compassionate mother.”

“Camille looks forward to a full and complete professional evaluation,” the friend continues, “which she is more than confident will show her to be the more appropriate person to be primarily responsible for the custody of the children.”

Asked to comment on Kelsey’s court filing, a rep for the actor told PEOPLE, “The filing speaks for itself.”