The Duchess of Cambridge returned to royal duties from maternity leave today with a visit to a children’s wildlife garden.
The project the duchess is visiting – the Sayers Croft Forest School and Wildlife Garden at Paddington Recreation Ground in West London – gives inner city children a unique opportunity to learn about and engage with the natural world, something many rarely get the chance to do.
Kate, who gave birth to her third child, Prince Louis, on April 23, has been seen in public a handful of times in recent months but this afternoon’s appearance formally marked her return to official engagements.
The mother-of-three went for a casual look for her first official engagement, dressing down in skinny jeans and a grey jumper and kept the autumnal chill at bay in a simple khaki jacket.
She teamed the ensemble with her trusty Penelope Chilvers £475 knee-high boots that she’s been relying on for well over a decade.
As exclusively revealed by the Daily Mail last month, the mother-of-three plans to launch a major campaign to help children failed by ‘Broken Britain’.
Kate believes the right support, from birth, can help disadvantaged youngsters reach their potential.
The Duchess of Cambridge returned to royal duties from maternity leave today with a visit to a children’s wildlife garden in Paddington, London
Kate went for a dressed down look in skinny jeans and a khaki jacket, teamed with a much-loved pair of knee-high boots she’s been relying on for well over a decade
She is bringing together experts from academia, education, health and other fields to work on how to help families tackle anti-social behaviour, addiction and mental health.
Researchers have highlighted the importance of early intervention and how children from disadvantaged backgrounds who do not receive the right help at school age can suffer lifelong problems.
Kate will see first-hand the positive impact that the Forest School has on children’s emotional needs and physical well-being.
Last year it had more than 5,500 visits by schoolchildren from across Westminster and neighbouring London boroughs.
Kate, who gave birth to her third child, Prince Louis , on April 23, has been seen in public a handful of times in recent months but this afternoon’s appearance formally marked her return to official engagements
Kate will view the wildlife garden and meet youngsters involved in outdoor activities.
Sayers Croft is a residential activity centre based in Surrey, owned by Westminster City Council. It aims to involve children and the local community in the environment, providing outdoor facilities for those to may otherwise be unable to access them.
Following Louis’ birth, the duchess was seen at the Wimbledon tennis championships and attended Trooping the Colour in June and a service to mark the 100th anniversary of the RAF in July, but today sees her first hands-on public engagement.