- Duchess is visiting the Rugby Portobello Trust at its community centre in North Kensington
- Centre staff have been pivotal in supporting people affected by the Grenfell inferno
- Duchess will join a Christmas party for the Magic Mums group
- Will also help staff to set up for the children’s Christmas party later today
The Duchess of Cambridge is joining children and families to celebrate the work of a London charity supporting its local community, including those affected by the Grenfell Tower fire.
Kate will learn about the range of support services for young people, families and others provided by the Rugby Portobello Trust at its community centre in North Kensington.
It is part of a network of centres that run programmes for children and parents such as homework clubs, sporting activities, social groups and tuition.
The Trust and the centre staff in Kensington have also been pivotal in supporting people affected by the Grenfell inferno which claimed 71 lives, including that of a stillborn baby, and left hundreds homeless.
The organisation established a new homes team to provide practical support to residents in relation to their new accommodation, and has played an important role in helping them access grants that became available, both through the local authority and from private donations.
The Duchess of Cambridge joins children and families to celebrate the work of the Rugby Portobello Trust at its community centre in North Kensington
During the visit, Kate will join the Christmas party for the Magic Mums group which supports mothers, babies and toddlers.
And the mother-to-be gave a nod to the festive season in a red coat from Seraphine, which she previously wore in New York while pregnant with Prince George.
The Duchess will also meet young people taking part in a music workshop, and will also help staff and volunteers set up for their children’s Christmas party later in the day.
Kate is well and truly back in the swing of royal duties after battling hyperemesis gravidarum, a severe form of morning sickness, during her early pregnancy.
Kensington Palace was forced to announce the news of Kate’s third pregnancy before she’d passed the crucial 12- week mark when illness meant she had to cancel an official engagement.
In a short statement, the royals’ office Kensington Palace said the baby, who will be fifth-in-line to the British throne, was due in April – but the exact date of the baby’s expected arrival was not disclosed.