The Duchess of Cambridge arrived at a women’s prison today to meet inmates in the final leg of a three-part trip tour of Britain in 24 hours as she launches a landmark survey on early childhood development.
Mother-of-three Kate, 38, will meet current prisoners at HMP Send near Woking, Surrey, and talk to women she met during a previous visit in 2015, who have since been released and are trying to rebuild their families.
Today was the third day in a row that Kate or her husband Prince William took the spotlight as the Royal Family carries on with life after the Duke and Duchess of Sussex stepped down as senior royals and left for Canada.
Other royals were also hard at work today, with Camilla, Duchess of Cornwall meeting patients at Birmingham Children’s Hospital and Sophie, Countess of Wessex meeting members of the armed forces in Sierra Leone. The latter is the sort of trip Harry and Meghan might have done in the past, especially considering their love of Africa.
Kate wore a £349 Massimo Dutti camel coat for her engagements today, teaming it with a polo neck jumper and £30 leopard print skirt from Zara. She also opted for a gold medallion pendant and Accessorise drop earrings.
Her visit comes as the Duchess of Sussex’s aides revealed in an Instagram post that she made a secret visit to The Mayhew animal welfare charity in Kensal Green, North West London, while in the capital two weeks ago.
The Duchess of Cambridge arrives at HMP Send near Woking in Surrey this afternoon as she makes a visit to the prison
The Duchess of Cambridge is welcomed to HMP Send in Surrey this afternoon where she is meeting officials and inmates
The Duchess visits HMP Send in Surrey today to talk to current inmates and women she met during a previous visit
The visit to HMP Send by the Duchess of Cambridge today is part of her 24-hour tour of the country to launch a new survey
The Duchess of Cambridge visits HMP Send in Surrey today as part of her three-part tour of the UK over a 24-hour period
Kate arrives at HMP Send this afternoon on a visit to the women’s prison in Surrey as part of her tour of Britain
The Duchess of Cambridge arrives at HMP Send near Woking today as she prepares to meet inmates at the prison
The Duchess of Cambridge walks into HMP Send this afternoon where she is hearing about work done by the Forward Trust
The Duchess of Cambridge arrives at HMP Send in Woking today as she continues her three-part tour of Britain
Kate is visiting HMP Send in Surrey today as she goes on a tour promoting her new survey about child development
HMP Send, pictured today which has an 80-bed resettlement unit, aims to build women’s skills and improve their self-esteem
The visit by Kate to HMP Send today is part of her 24-hour tour of the country to launch ‘Five big questions on the under fives’
2015: The Duchess of Cambridge visits HMP Send in September 2015 following a visit to a rehabilitation centre in the prison
2015: Kate speaks with Isha Walker, who was on an anti-crime programme, at the jail in Surrey in September 2015
At HMP Send today, Kate will hear about the work that the Forward Trust charity does at the prison in supporting inmates to improve their relationships with friends and family, including reconnecting with children.
The prison, which has an 80-bed resettlement unit, aims to build women’s skills, improve their self-esteem and look at reasons behind offending, as well as helping them to gain vocational qualifications and work experience.
Earlier today, Kate pulled faces and smiled at babies in Cardiff as she attended a sensory class at the Ely and Careau Children’s Centre and heard about the support that parents receive.
She spoke about her experience of being ‘isolated’ as a first-time mother, as she recalled living in Anglesey in North Wales when Prince George was a ‘tiny baby’ and William was a RAF Search and Rescue helicopter pilot.
While visiting the children’s centre, Kate told a group: ‘I had a tiny, tiny baby in the middle of Anglesey it was so isolated, so cut off. I didn’t have any family around and he was doing night shifts.’
The Duchess of Cambridge chats with a father and baby on her visit to the Ely and Caerau Children’s Centre in Cardiff today
Kate chats with mothers and babies during her visit to the Ely and Caerau Children’s Centre in Cardiff today
The Duchess of Cambridge chats with mother Estell Courlenr and her daughter India Courlen Mayvow in Cardiff today
The Duchess of Cambridge chats with mothers and their children during a visit to the Ely and Caerau Children’s Centre today
The Duchess of Cambridge is in Cardiff today as she launches a UK-wide survey to help improve early childhood
Kate chats with young children during her visit to the Ely and Caerau Children’s Centre in Cardiff today
Kate laugh as she chats with mothers and babies during her visit to the Ely and Caerau Children’s Centre in Cardiff today
The Duchess of Cambridge receives a posy of flowers from four year-old Erin during her visit to Cardiff today
The Duchess of Cambridge chats with a mother and her child during her royal visit to the centre in Cardiff today
Kate chats with mothers and babies while in Cardiff today to promote her UK-wide survey to help improve early childhood
The Duchess of Cambridge chats with mothers and their children as a boy looks at the camera in Cardiff today
Kate laughs as she plays with India Courlen Mayvow and her mother Estell Courlenr during a visit to Cardiff today
The Duchess of Cambridge plays with a group of children during her visit to the Ely and Caerau Children’s Centre today
The Duchess of Cambridge walks out of ‘Cath’s Cottage’ at Ely and Careau Children’s Centre in Cardiff today
Mother-of-three Kate, 38, pulls faces and smiles at babies in the Welsh capital this morning during her visit
Kate is animated at the Ely and Careau Children’s Centre in Cardiff today as she speaks to babies and their mothers
The Duchess of Cambridge leaves the Ely and Careau Childrens Centre in Cardiff today during her 24-hour tour of the country
The centre provides support services to children and their families and helps youngsters with special needs in addition to offering adult education, parenting support and community education teams.
Open access play, breakfast, after-school activities and holiday clubs are also housed in the centre, as well as health visitors, speech and language therapists and partners such as Sure Start and Language and Play.
The centre also works with community partners such as the Salvation Army and Barnardo’s. Kate, who will also visit Surrey this afternoon, hopes her new initiative will trigger ‘lasting change for generations’.
She kicked off her solo tour in Birmingham yesterday, but there was a minor hiccup in a children’s play cafe when the door of a cupboard under a sink came off in her hands. Kate joked: ‘I think we’ve broken the cafe.’
Kate was raising awareness of the poll Five Big Questions on the Under Fives.
She was also due to make a visit to promote the survey in London today, but this was cancelled due to weather conditions affecting her travel plans.
Speaking at Birmingham’s science museum yesterday, she said: ‘As a parent, I know how much we cherish the future health and happiness of our children.
‘I want to hear the key issues affecting families and communities so I can focus my work on where it is needed most. My ambition is to provide lasting change for generations to come.’
Kate got a tour of an interactive, child-sized mini-city at the Thinktank museum by ‘mini mayor’ Poppy Jordan, eight. Children showed her their workshop before popping into the launderette, a shop and a mini-museum.
The duchess said: ‘Parents, carers and families are at the heart of caring for children in the formative years, so that is why I really want to listen to them. The early years are more crucial for future health and happiness than any other moment in our lifetime.’
Kate wore a new gold bracelet yesterday from a company with three royal warrants. She flashed an elegant gold bangle on her right wrist as she visited Birmingham, which was identified as a product by UK brand Halcyon Days.
The Duchess of Cambridge meets mothers and young children at the Ely and Careau Children’s Centre in Cardiff today
The Duchess of Cambridge is in Cardiff today to help promote her new UK-wide survey of early development in children
The Duchess of Cambridge leaves following a visit to Ely and Caerau Children’s Centre in Cardiff this afternoon
Kate shakes hands with Morfudd Meredith, Lord-Lieutenant of South Glamorgan, as she leaves the centre in Cardiff today
The Duchess of Cambridge opted for a gold medallion pendant for her visit to Cardiff, where she was pictured today
The Duchess of Cambridge smiles and waves following a visit to Ely and Caerau Children’s Centre in Cardiff today
The Duchess of Cambridge leaves this afternoon after visiting Ely and Caerau Children’s Centre in Cardiff
The Duchess of Cambridge leaves Cardiff this afternoon as she takes part in a 24-hour tour of the country
Kate is in Cardiff today to promote a survey which aims to spark the biggest ever conversation on early childhood in Britain
Mother-of-three Kate visits the Welsh capital today to attend a baby sensory class at the Ely and Careau Children’s Centre
The Duchess of Cambridge arrives in Cardiff to visit the Ely and Careau Children’s Centre during her 24-hour tour of Britain
The Duchess of Cambridge arrives for a visit to Ely and Caerau Children’s Centre in Cardiff this morning
Kate speaks with Morfudd Meredith, Lord-Lieutenant of South Glamorgan as she arrives at the centre in Cardiff today
Kate, pictured in Cardiff today, described early years development as life’s most ‘crucial’ moment for ‘future health’
The Duchess of Cambridge is in Cardiff today during her nationwide tour, which provides high quality early years education
Kate visits the centre in Cardiff today which houses open access play, breakfast, after-school activities and holiday clubs
The label is stocked by luxury retailers including Harrods and boasts royal warrants from the Queen, the Duke of Edinburgh and Prince Charles. Kate was wearing a £110 Gold Plated Maya Torque Bangle.
Meanwhile, at St James’s Palace, her husband William called for help to end the ‘abhorrent’ illegal wildlife trade at a meeting of the United For Wildlife taskforces.
The Duke of Cambridge said it had been an ‘encouraging’ year of seizures and investigations. But he warned: ‘There are still too many criminals who know they can find a market and believe they can act with impunity.’
The Duchess described the early years development of children as life’s most ‘crucial’ moment for ‘future health and happiness’ as she launched the landmark national survey about the issue.
Kate has made the subject one of the main pillars of her public work and has travelled around Britain to highlight her ambitious project to ask ‘five big questions on the under fives’ which will guide her future work.
The online poll, conducted by Ipsos Mori on behalf of the Royal Foundation, is thought to be the biggest survey of its kind and aims to encourage a nationwide conversation on early childhood.
Kate has established a steering group of experts, which first met in May 2018, to look at early years – and they have been considering how the duchess and her Royal Foundation can help improve the outcomes for youngsters.
The duchess’s survey will run for a month, from January 21 to February 21, and will ask those taking the poll five questions to gauge their views about early years.
During the visit, Kate also met Giovanna Fletcher, behind the Happy Mum Happy Baby podcast, who has also written about being a mother to three children with husband Tom Fletcher, a member of the band McFly.
Jasmine Norris, assistant nursery manager at St Paul’s Nursery in the Balsall Heath area of Birmingham, brought eight of her children to the event and chatted to the duchess.
She said: ‘I think early years is vital, incredibly important. I think we help the children to move on into their future education, and their lives. We want them to be the best they can be – we want to prepare them for life.’
David Holmes, chief executive of Family Action, which helps families in need and has Kate as its royal patron, joined the duchess at her launch event.
He said: ‘Every parent, carer and family wants the best for their child, and raising the profile of the vital early years in a child’s life is work of national importance.
‘The insight from this survey will give the early years sector valuable direction in designing and delivering services and support which reflect what matters most to people.
Kate’s brother-in-law Prince Harry joined Meghan and Archie in Canada on Monday night after arriving on a WestJet plane on Vancouver Island as they prepare to live a more private life.
The Duchess of Cambridge arrives at Ely and Careau Children’s Centre in Cardiff today during her 24-hour tour of the country
Kate is on a 24-hour tour of the UK which is seeing her visit Cardiff today (pictured) following a trip to Birmingham yesterday
Adult education, play, breakfast and after-school clubs and holiday clubs are all housed in the centre in Cardiff
Kate visits the centre in Cardiff today which also works with community partners such as the Salvation Army and Barnardo’s
The Duchess of Cambridge visits Ely and Careau Children’s Centre in Cardiff today during her 24-hour UK tour
The centre in Cardiff provides support services to children and their families and helps youngsters with special needs
Kate, pictured in Cardiff today, has established a steering group of experts to look at the issue of early years development
The Duchess of Cambridge arrives at Ely and Careau Childrens Centre in Cardiff today during her 24-hour UK tour
The centre in Cardiff being visited by Kate today has health visitors as well as speech and language therapists
The Duchess of Cambridge arrives in Cardiff today as she carries out a 24-hour tour of the country to launch her new survey
Kate, who is visiting the centre in Cardiff this morning, hopes her new initiative will trigger ‘lasting change for generations’
The Duchess of Cambridge stops off in Cardiff today for her second visit on a three-leg trip around Britain over 24 hours
The Duchess of Sussex’s aides revealed today that she visited The Mayhew centre in North West London two weeks ago
The Sussex Royal Instagram account posted two pictures of Meghan on a visit to the centre in Kensal Green two weeks ago
The post on @SussexRoyal today mentioned the ‘incredible progress made throughout the festive period’ at the centre
Meghan’s aides revealed today that she visited The Mayhew centre in Kensal Green, North West London, two weeks ago to hear about the ‘incredible progress made throughout the festive period’.
The Sussex Royal Instagram account posted two photographs this morning of her during a visit to the centre, where she has been a patron for a year.
The timing of the post was noted by several people commenting on the post, with Liyana Ali saying: ‘Someone is so insecure that every time the Cambridges or Kate is out for an important engagement they’ve posted on the exact same day. Coincidence?’
Another, @xmaurxx, said: ‘So you had these pictures for almost a month but released them during the release of Kate’s project? Interesting.’
And a third, @p_hello123, posted: ‘Hmm. The timing of this post, even though the visit has passed already, is very interesting.’
Harry arrived in Canada hours after meeting Prime Minister Boris Johnson and world leaders at the UK-Africa Investment Summit in South East London, in one of his few remaining official royal engagements.
The duke gave an emotional speech in London on Sunday night, saying he had ‘no other option’ but to give up his official royal duties and forge a new life in Canada.
In the speech in London, Harry told invited guests: ‘What I want to make clear is we’re not walking away, and we certainly aren’t walking away from you.
‘Our hope was to continue serving the Queen, the Commonwealth and my military associations, but without public funding. Unfortunately, that wasn’t possible.’
The Sussexes had wanted to remain as working royals, although not prominent members, and drop their public funding to become financially independent.
However, critics have accused the couple of turning their backs on the monarchy to enjoy the freedom of being able to take on commercial ventures.
Meanwhile in Switzerland today, Prince Charles will launch a project to help financial markets become more sustainable during a visit to the World Economic Forum.
Charles will highlight his Sustainable Markets Council during a brief visit to the Swiss resort town of Davos. He will then travel on to Israel and Palestine for an official trip.
Camilla, Duchess of Cornwall meets nurses during a visit to Birmingham Children’s Hospital today
The Duchess of Cornwall meets out patients during a visit to Birmingham Children’s Hospital today
The Countess of Wessex speaks to female members of the armed forces at the Sierra Leone Peace Museum in Freetown today
Sophie, Countess of Wessex greets female members of the armed forces at the Sierra Leone Peace Museum today
The Duchess of Cambridge launches a major UK-wide survey on early childhood at Birmingham Science Museum yesterday
The Duchess plays with a child as she visits MiniBrum, an interactive, child-sized world in Birmingham yesterday
Children from Henley Montessori and St Paul’s Nursery in Balsall Heath showed Kate their workshop in Birmingham yesterday
Prince Harry smiles after arriving on a WestJet plane at Victoria Airport on Vancouver Island in Canada on Monday night
Meghan took her eight-month-old son Archie and her two dogs Oz and Guy for a walk on Vancouver Island on Monday