Kate Middleton was elegant in a blue Altuzarra dress first worn in 2016 as she joined Prince William to record a radio message broadcast to the nation today in which they urged Brits to ‘lift someone out of loneliness’.
In a special recorded message broadcast this morning on every radio station in the UK, the Duke, 39, and Duchess of Cambridge, 40, called on the nation to ‘lift someone out of loneliness’ by encouraging small acts of kindness to help someone who may be feeling lonely, which in turn can help us all feel less lonely.
In the message, Kate called on people to ‘give someone a ring, send a text or knock on their door’ and Prince William echoed this sentiment, encouraging people to ‘suggest meeting for a coffee or a walk’ if they think they may be feeling lonely because ‘these small acts can make a big difference and help us all feel less lonely.’
In a snap released from the recording of the audio clip, the Duchess appeared elegant in a £1,700 blue polka dot dress by New York based designer Altuzarra as she recorded the message at her Kensington Palace home.
Kate Middleton was elegant in a blue Altuzarra dress first worn in 2016 as she joined Prince William to record a radio message broadcast to the nation today in which they urged Brits to ‘lift someone out of loneliness’
The Duchess first wore the gown in 2016 during a visit to Harlow in Essex, and repeated the outfit again during the Covid-19 pandemic for a video message.
She finished the look with one of her trademark hairstyles – a down do, with gentle curls in her dark brown locks, and a soft make-up look.
Joseph Altuzarra launched his brand in 2008, aimed at making the ‘sophisticated modern woman feel seductive, strong, and confident.’
The former ballet dancer, 33, honed his craft at Marc Jacobs and Proenza Schoule in New York, before returning to Paris to become first assistant to Riccardo Tisci at Givenchy.
The Duchess appeared elegant in a £1,700 blue polka dot dress by New York based designer Altuzarra which was first worn in 2016 (pictured, during a visit to Essex)
When she first wore the designer, it was considered a bold choice for the royal, who often plays it safe in designs from the high street.
In the message shared today, Prince William and Kate each shared a line introducing themselves as ‘Catherine and William.’
The Duke acknowledged ‘we can all feel lonely sometimes’, adding: ‘The past two years have really reminded us of the importance of human relationships.’
The Duchess added: ‘These small acts of kindness can make a big difference and help us all feel less lonely.’
Whilst many people will experience loneliness in their lives, the Duke and Duchess reminded listeners that there are simple things we can do and it may feel easier to help lift others out of loneliness, which can also help us all feel more connected.
In the snap shared of the couple recording the message, Prince William and Kate can be seen balancing their scripts on Earthshot Prize and Hold Still photo books.
Meanwhile, there was a photograph of them alongside their children Prince George, Princess Charlotte and Prince Louis, taken at their home of Anmer Hall and released as their Christmas card in 2020, the background.
The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge have supported the Mental Health Minute in Mental Health Awareness Week for the past five years, and this year, in the most powerful Minute to date, will voice the entire message, addressing an estimated 20 million listeners.
Played out across over 500 stations during Mental Health Awareness Week, this year’s ‘Mental Health Minute’, created by Radiocentre and The Royal Foundation, is in support of Better Health – Every Mind Matters which offers advice to tackle loneliness and provides NHS-approved tips to help people look after their mental wellbeing.
Lucy Barrett, Client Director of Radiocentre said: ‘When we recorded the very first Mental Minute five years ago, it was clear from the start just how important this topic was to the millions of people listening. Despite reaching a broad audience, radio has a unique ability to bring people together and we hope that this year’s message will encourage people to understand that loneliness should not be ignored. We’re so grateful to radio stations and their loyal listeners for continuing the national conversation on mental health.’
Minister for Civil Society and Youth Nigel Huddleston at the Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport said: ‘The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge are great champions of mental health awareness and we’re hugely grateful to have their support through the Mental Health Minute.
‘We know loneliness is having a disproportionate impact on our young people and this campaign offers easy to use guidance people can follow to improve their wellbeing.’
Gillian Keegan, Minister of State for Care and Mental Health at the Department of Health and Social Care said: ‘Young people are very resilient, but we know they are often at risk of feeling isolated.
‘We are accelerating the rollout of mental health support teams in schools and expanding community services, and there is lots of helpful advice and resources on the Better Health – Every Mind Matters website.
‘We’ve also recently opened a call for evidence to gather views from people of all ages to inform a new 10-year mental health plan to keep the nation in positive mental wellbeing.’
The message was shared today days after the Duchess said no mother is ‘immune to experiencing anxiety and depression’ in a new video to mark becoming patron of a ‘fantastic organisation’ supporting the mental health of women.
The message was shared amid a busy period for the royal couple, who took part in a two-day whirlwind tour of Scotland earlier this week
Kate said it was crucial for those ‘struggling’ to be given the ‘right support at the right time’ and also urged society to play its part, saying everyone needed to help ‘parents and carers, and all those who are raising children today’.
Her words were spoken in a video message recorded to mark her new role as patron of the Maternal Mental Health Alliance (MMHA), announced during Maternal Mental Health Awareness Week, which ends on Sunday.
In the video, the royal donned a midi dress by Italian fashion brand Max Mara. The £630 frock featured long sleeves with lace detailing down the arms and across the chest. The fabric’s delicate blue floral design is printed onto a cream background.
The mother-of-three has focused on early years support and mental health in her royal career.
Meanwhile Prince William has long been and advocate for increased support for mental health and runs charity Heads Together with wife Kate.
He has also openly discussed times he’s struggled with his own mental health, including a time he helped to save the life of a gravely injured boy while working for the air ambulance and his grief following his mother’s death in 1997.
The message was shared amid a busy period for the royal couple, who took part in a two-day whirlwind tour of Scotland earlier this week.
Kate and William visited St John’s Primary School in Port Glasgow where they took part in a Roots of Empathy session and spoke with students and teachers taking part.
Later, William and Kate visited the Wheatley Group site in Kennishead to see first-hand how they are transforming the lives of disadvantaged or vulnerable people, including those at risk of homelessness, before they are set to travel to University of Glasgow.
The following day, the Duke met with Heart of Midlothian football club’s Chief Executive Andrew McKinlay and Chair Ann Budge, during a visit to their grounds in Edinburgh to discuss mental health in sport.
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