The Duchess of Cambridge was elegant in a £1,420 baby pink Alexander McQueen blazer as she hosted a round-table discussion on the importance of early childhood development and its links to mental health with senior government ministers today.
Kate Middleton, 40, appeared in high spirits as she arrived at the Royal Institution in London earlier this morning, where she met with Health Secretary Sajid Javid, families minister Will Quince, representatives from the early years sector, and officials from the Department for Education and the Department of Health and Social Care.
She donned a smart white t-shirt for the occasion, which she paired with the blazer and matching trousers. Meanwhile she finished her look with a dazzling jewellery set, opting for her pair of £3,750 Mappin & Webb ‘Empress’ Diamond Carriage Earrings and her matching £2,000 Empress Mini White Gold & Diamond Pendant Necklace.
The mother-of-three swept her hair from her face, and showed off her natural beauty with a simple make-up look, pairing a light layer of foundation with smokey brown eye and pink lipstick.
The roundtable discussion focused on forthcoming research led by the Centre into early childhood development, as well as new findings that show 91 per cent agree that early years are important to shaping a child’s life.
The Duchess has championed the cause since she joined the Royal Family and was a driving force behind a landmark study on perceptions of early childhood and its societal impact in 2020.
The Duchess of Cambridge was elegant in a baby pink blazer as she hosted a round-table discussion on the importance of early childhood development and its links to mental health with senior government ministers today
Kate Middleton appeared in high spirits as she arrived at the Royal Institution in London earlier this morning, where she hosted the roundtable (left and right)
The royal appeared engaged as she chatted with Sajid while as she hosts a roundtable with Government ministers and the Early Years sector to mark the release of new research from the Royal Foundation Centre
Kate has a close affiliation with Alexander McQueen having worn the British fashion house’s designs on notable occasions, most famously to her wedding in 2011.
Meanwhile the diamond jewellery set is among one of the Duchess’ favourites, with the royal regularly wearing the jewels separately, and together, for royal engagements.
During the meeting, the Duchess appeared animated as she chatted with the government ministers about the topic, often referring to notes within the folder in front of her.
Speaking ahead of the meeting, Kate said: ‘Our experiences in early childhood fundamentally impact our whole life and set the foundation for how we go on to thrive as individuals, with one another, as a community and as a society.
‘The findings published today present us with a huge opportunity and demonstrate there is real appetite from the public to bring this issue up all of our agendas.
‘There is more we can all do – every member of society can play a key role, whether that is directly with a child or by investing in the adults around them – the parents, the carers, the early years workforce and more.’
The discussion will focus on new findings by her centre that show that 70 per cent of people believe early years development should be more of a priority for society.
Ahead of the roundtable today, Chief Executive of Ipsos Kelly Beaver spoke of how only a ‘minority of Britons’ recognise the ‘unique importance of the first five years of a child’s life’
In recent years, early years development has become a passion project for the Duchess, with much of her work and interest revolving around the area (pictured left and right today)
During the discussion, the royal appeared animated as she spoke about early years development, which has become a passion project for her ever since she joined The Firm
The mother-of-three, who is in the midst of preparing to move her family from London to Berkshire, appeared in good spirits during the meeting today
The Duchess has championed the cause since she joined the Royal Family and was a driving force behind a landmark study on perceptions of early childhood and its societal impact in 2020
Meanwhile 55 per cent of the public recognise that future mental health is the most likely part of adult life to be affected by one’s early years, followed by the ability to create and maintain relationships and future happiness.
The duchess set up her research centre after working with academics and professionals in the field who believe what happens to the youngest members of society has a direct affect on their lives as adults, including their mental health, addiction and social exclusion, as well as their physical wellbeing.
The Ipso research commissioned by her Centre for Early Childhood shows that informal groups are the key source of support for parents, with more than half of parents of children aged 0 to five stating their family or friends were the best source of information on their child’s emotional and social development.
Despite all of this, parents are still more likely to seek out information and advice on their child’s physical health than they are on their social or emotional development, with 35 per cent asking for advice on nutrition, while just 21 per cent seek advice on the development of social skills.
Kelly Beaver, chief executive of Ipsos UK and Ireland, which carried out the polling of over 4,000 UK adults from April 21 to May 5, added: ‘Although the majority of us agree that the experiences people have in childhood can have a significant impact on their future, a minority of Britons recognise the unique importance of the first five years of a child’s life.
During the roundtable today, Health Secretary Sajid Javid could be seen making notes as he chatted to the Duchess about her early years research
The royal (right) hosted the roundtable alongside Health Secretary Sajid Javid (left) as well as families minister Will Quince, representatives from the early years sector and officials from the Department for Education and the Department of Health and Social Care
Kate has a close affiliation with Alexander McQueen having worn the British fashion house’s designs on notable occasions, most famously to her wedding in 2011 (pictured, wearing a pink blazer from the brand)
‘These formative years are crucial in the emotional, social and physical development of every child and this critical new research, for The Royal Foundation Centre for Early Childhood, provides the opportunity for society to ignite a discussion about how parents and children can be better supported during this period.’
According to royal expert Camilla Tominey, the Daily Telegraph’s royal correspondent, the Duchess knew from the moment that she married Prince William that she wanted to find a philanthropic cause she could champion as impactfully as Princess Diana’s landmine campaign.
Focusing on early years development was born out of her first royal engagements in her role as patron of the charity Action on Addiction, which works with people battling drug and alcohol problems.
In October 2011 the Duchess made a series of under the radar visits to Hope House, a women-only rehabilitation centre in Clapham, south west London.
Rebecca Priestley, who accompanied Kate and worked as her private secretary for five years, said these trips played a pivotal role in her choosing early years of childhood as one of the main pillars of her public role.
In 2018 Kate created a steering group to investigate the link between childhood experiences and adult behaviour and hopes that the results of their survey and other research will encourage a ‘nationwide conversation’ on the subject, raising awareness of how the first five years of a child’s life will impact the next 50 years.
Kate previously spoke about her personal interest in the early years during a landmark speech after her Five Big Questions on the Under Fives survey garnered over 500,000 responses.
Among those who joined the royal at the roundtable were Chief Executive of Ipsos Kelly Beaver (left) and Minister for Families Will Quince (right)
The diamond jewellery set is among one of the Duchess’ favourites, with the royal regularly wearing the jewels separately, and together, for royal engagements
The mother-of-three swept her hair from her face, and showed off her natural beauty with a simple make-up look, pairing a light layer of foundation with smokey brown eye and pink lipstick
The mother-of-three hosted a roundtable with Government ministers and the Early Years sector to mark the release of new research from the Royal Foundation Centre
‘People often ask why I care so passionately about the early years,’ she said. ‘Many mistakenly believe that my interest stems from having children of my own.
‘While of course I care hugely about their start in life, this ultimately sells the issue short. If we only expect people to take an interest in the early years when they have children, we are not only too late for them, we are underestimating the huge role others can play in shaping our most formative years, too.’
She added that the early years are not simply just about how we raise our children, but about how we raise ‘the next generation of adults’ and the society we will become.
Emphasising the long-term nature of her work during her keynote speech in 2020, Kate underlined the importance of early childhood in shaping the rest of our lives and broader societal outcomes, saying: ‘It is a brave thing to believe in an outcome – in a world even – that might not be fully felt for a generation or more.
‘But what you do isn’t for the quick win – it is for the big win. It is for a happier, healthier society as well as happier, healthier children.’
More than half-a-million people took part in the Royal Foundation’s ‘five big questions on the under-fives’ poll which was carried out by Ipsos MORI and produced the largest-ever response from the public to a survey of its kind.
The research was hailed a ‘milestone moment’ for Kate, and will be used to shape her future focus on early years development which, sources say, will continue for the rest of her life.
Her appearance today comes as she and Prince William prepare to move their family into a four-bedroomed home on the Windsor estate this summer.
The Duke and Duchess, are reportedly set to uproot their family from Kensington, west London, to Adelaide Cottage in Berkshire in order to be closer to the Queen.
Re-erected in 1831, the Cambridge’s new Grade II-listed retreat is just a short walk from St George’s Chapel and Windsor Castle, and sits proudly on the 655-acre royal estate in Berkshire.
Ingrid Seward, editor-in-chief of Majesty Magazine, said: ‘The Queen needs more people like William around her. She is very often on her own apart from staff and so will be delighted William, Kate and her three great-grandchildren will be ten minutes away. The family were very restricted in what they could do during the week at Kensington Palace.’
Sources close to the family suggest the Cambridges were keen to be closer to the Queen, 96, who has suffered episodic mobility issues in recent months and also secure a good school for their three children.
George, eight, Charlotte, seven and Louis, four, will be pulled out of their current prep school in Battersea and are all expected to start school locally when the new academic term begins in September.
The move also represents a fresh start for the senior royals and their five-strong family as they continue to cement their place among the most influential members of The Firm.
One source told the Sun: ‘Kate and William were very keen for a modest home to start their new lives in Windsor. Adelaide Cottage fits the bill because it is a four-bedroom home and they do not need any more as they have no live-in staff.
‘They had no other demands than a pleasant family home close to schools and the Queen.
‘They were adamant they didn’t want anything too showy or anything that needed renovating or extra security so as not to be a burden on the taxpayer.’
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