The Duchess of Cambridge will make her return to royal duties next week, marking the official end of her maternity leave. On Tuesday, 2 October, Kate will visit Sayers Croft Forest School and Wildlife Garden at Paddington Recreation Ground.
The Kensington Palace tweet confirming the news.
Sayers Croft is a residential activity centre based in Surrey, which is owned by Westminster City Council. It aims to involve children and the local community in the environment, providing outdoor facilities for those who may otherwise be unable to access them. In London they have worked with Westminster City Council and Ruth Willmott Associates to create a Wildlife Garden, with an edible garden area and a Forest Garden. The Duchess will visit both of these areas and join Forest School sessions in each location.
The Palace added:
'Her Royal Highness will see first-hand the positive impact that the Forest School has on children's emotional and physical wellbeing as she is shown the wildlife garden and meets children involved in exploratory and investigative outdoor activities.'
When Kate officially went on maternity leave in March, the Palace said she would return to duties in the "Autumn". We chatted earlier this month about potential October appearances: World Mental Health Day coincides with the Mental Health Summit (10-13), Princess Eugenie's wedding is on the 12th, the Dutch State Visit (23-24) and a celebratory event for Charles' 70th birthday on the 25th all seem very likely.
'Despite the busy weeks coming up, it is expected the Duchess of Cambridge's schedule will ultimately be quieter than it was before Prince Louis' birth. Announcing the maternity leave earlier this year Kensington Palace did not say when exactly Kate would return to her duties, only that her children would remain her 'primary focus' when she did.'
We saw Kate at a handful of official events since Prince Louis was born - beginning with Harry and Meghan's Windsor wedding in May.
Kate was in blue for Trooping The Colour in June.
We saw the Cambridges as a family of five for the first time at Prince Louis' christening.
The Duke and Duchess joined members of the Royal family for a service at Westminster Abbey to mark the centenary of the Royal Air Force on 10 July.
It was a Duchess Duo for the Wimbledon Women's Final.
The Duchess donned a summery yellow Dolce & Gabbana dress for the Gentlemen's Singles Final the following day.
It's also possible we'll see new photos of Louis over the next few weeks. The Palace released portraits of Charlotte, taken at Anmer by Kate, when she about six months old.
The Cambridges enjoyed a family day out today for the Norfolk wedding of Kate's close friend Sophie Carter and Robert Snuggs. Sophie is Charlotte's godmother and fittingly the Princess and big brother Prince George were on hand for bridesmaid and page boy duties. Michael, Carole and James Middleton were also present. People has a splendid selection of photos of the family attending the wedding. They can be viewed here.
Monique Jessen reports: "Dressed in a traditional tailcoat and vest, 36-year-old William arrived with some friends, while Kate, also 36, arrived in a striking blue dress. She drove to the event with the children in a decorated farmer’s truck, which might usually be used for carrying people to a shoot or hunt."
'During the ceremony, locals joined in the celebration by watching in the churchyard and taking pictures of the occasion.
For the Saturday affair, both children wore traditional bridal attendant outfits in white and blue. Charlotte, 3, was one of three bridesmaids, while George, 5, was among the chosen four pageboys.
Afterward, George was seen dashing around the churchyard while little Charlotte headed to her mother, who picked her up and held her as they posed for pictures with Sophie’s family. “George is a real star, quite the little chap,” a source tells PEOPLE. “He was having a great time, running around like the leader of the pack.”
Sophie, who grew up in the village of Letheringsett, Norfolk — not far from Kate and William’s country house Anmer Hall — has long been in the same social circle as not only Kate but William too. Sophie once dated one of William’s closest friends, Thomas van Straubenzee, while Sophie’s brother, Robert Carter, is married to Kate’s old school pal, Hannah Gillingham.'
Kate and the children joined the bridal party for photographs.
The bride holding her goddaughter.
Amaia Kids created the outfits for the page boys and bridesmaids. Bojana noted the brand posted this image on their Instagram page with the caption "Wishing you a lifetime of happiness".
Sophie and Kate have been firm friends for over a decade; we saw photos of the pair attending Wimbledon back in 2008. Kate penned a letter thanking the club and noting how much she and her friend enjoyed the day: "My friend and I had such a fantastic time and it was great to be able to enjoy the day knowing we could have a little peace and quiet if things got too hectic.
Sophie is a member of the Cambridges' incredibly close-knit circle of friends. Described as "discreet and loyal", it came as no surprise when she was chosen as one of Charlote's godparents. She's joined the couple on ski vacations, visited Balmoral and become a fixture at Anmer Hall for Kate's birthday weekends. In 2016 and 2017, she was spotted attending church on the estate with the royals and other friends.
Sophie was involved in a relationship with another of Charlotte's godparents, William's close friend Thomas van Straubenzee. After Thomas' short lived marriage to 'Hogwarts Heiress' Melissa Percy, it was rumoured the couple had rekindled their romance. Obviously, that was not the case; Sophie found love with Somerset-born Robert Snuggs and the couple became engaged in May. Thomas was present at the wedding today.
Sophie with William and Kate's friends James and Laura Meade at the 2017 wedding of Pippa Middleton and James Matthews.
We most recently saw the stylish blonde at the Windsor wedding of the Duke and Duchess of Sussex.
For the little Prince and Princess, the day marked their third wedding. They first took on the roles of page boy and bridesmaid for their Aunt Pippa Middleton's Berkshire wedding.
They reprised the roles for Harry and Meghan's May nuptials. They both looked so grown up in their Givenchy outfits. Undoubtedly the pair did another terrific job at today's wedding. I'm sure it was a splendid day for all.
The Duchess brought back the cornflower blue Catherine Walker ensemble she wore in Berlin last year. The classic coatdress features several components of Walker styles previously worn by the Duchess. Underneath, Kate wore the same blue lace dress with a scalloped hem.
The Duchess repeated the same Kiki McDonough jewellery with the look.
Kate's earrings are her Kiki Blue Topaz and Diamond Drop Earrings in White Gold. The £3,500 pair are blue topaz oval and cushion cut stones surrounded by diamonds set in 18ct white gold.
And the Kiki Eden Blue Topaz and 18ct White Gold Flower Necklace.
Kate's floral headband is very similar to the Jane Taylor piece she wore for Louis' christening. I thought it likely the piece was by the milliner, however, the wonderful Laura confirms it's in fact a Juliette Botterill design.
The family will return to London tomorrow ahead of another week of school and nursery for George and Charlotte. William will be away - undertaking a working visit to Africa next week.
For those of you who have been in touch about upcoming engagements for the Duchess, nothing has been announced yet. Emily Andrews confirmed Kate would return to duties in October and given the strong possibility we'll see her attending events during the upcoming mental health summit (10-13 October), I imagine we'll definitely hear something from the Palace over the coming week.
In today's Daily Mail, royal correspondent Rebecca English exclusively reports the Duchess of Cambridge will launch a campaign to help children failed by "broken Britain" in the New Year.
The project will reportedly focus on helping disadvantaged children reach their potential. Kate will bring together experts from several fields including academia, education and health to help families cope with addiction and mental health. A source said the Duchess sees the issue as important as climate change. The project will be run under the umbrella of the Royal Foundation with findings set to be published next year. Kate plans to "steer clear of public policy, instead using her convening power".
‘This is a lifelong project,’ said one royal source. ‘She is looking at what she can do over the next five, ten, 15, 20 years. She wants to be able to look back and see what difference has been made. That’s what her position in public life allows her to do.’
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. The duchess’s initiative, which will be launched in the new year, is a major solo move. Until now she has worked on campaigns alongside her husband William and brother-in-law Harry.
According to sources, Kate has acknowledged in private that her detractors are likely to question what she, as a privately-educated and extremely privileged young woman, could possibly know about poverty and lack of family cohesion. She has often spoken of how lucky she feels to be part of a close and loving family who have always supported her. But she maintains that it is her duty as a member of the Royal Family to use her position to look at fundamental issues affecting the nation on a long-term basis.'
During the inaugural Royal Foundation Forum in February, Kate spoke about the "long-lasting resonance" the work of the Foundation should have and discussed plans for the future. "Since our roles are lifetime roles, our commitment to the work we do through the Foundation is genuinely long term. The work we do can and should have a long-lasting resonance. For this reason we're able to support causes we're passionate about for decades into the future. Like the Queen, the Duke of Edinburgh and the Prince of Wales we feel strongly we have to take a long-term view that is measured in generations."
July's annual Royal Foundation report revealed plans to develop an overarching programme focused on several key areas:
'In 2016, the Centre for Mental Health published the report ‘Missed Opportunities: A review of recent evidence into children and young people’s mental health’, which suggested that mental health problems affect one in ten children and young people. It goes on to say that: “A range of interventions can help to protect mental health from pregnancy to age five. Most need to be targeted towards families who have the highest risks or children who are showing early signs of distress.”
The Duchess of Cambridge requested research into further interventions, alongside the programmes and platforms already in development, which could provide support for mothers-to-be and new mothers. As a result, towards the end of 2018 we will launch initiatives designed to reduce the stigma of maternal mental health difficulties and improve related knowledge and understanding. We will collaborate with the Maternal Mental Health Alliance (MMHA) to support new initiatives and work with other organisations within the MMHA for this purpose.
As a major part of her future work, The Duchess of Cambridge has been working with The Foundation to develop an overarching programme on early intervention, pulling together three key themes of support for mothers, parents and teachers to give children a better start in life.
Following the success of Heads Together, the royals have launched initiatives to further the impact in schools, the workforce and the military. The campaign succeeded in starting conversations all over the UK and further afield about the way we talk about mental health. A study of 14,000 people by YouGov noted a significant change in the public’s approach to mental health between February and May 2017, as publicity about the Heads Together campaign was reaching its height. The Duchess' solo project is the next step in bringing other key interests such as early intervention and addiction together.
In February, the Duchess convened a symposium on the importance of early intervention to provide solid social and emotional platforms for children. During a speech she noted: "These are ‘lifetime’ issues, they require a very long term perspective. But the issues are also complex and multi-sided, so they need integrated, collective approaches to create real impact. This is what I am so keen to explore. We all believe that every child deserves the best possible start in life."
Chief executive of Kate's patronage, the Anna Freud Centre for Children and Families, Professor Peter Fonagy, is one of the advisers on the committee she convened. Speaking to The Daily Mail, he said: "She came with a very deep interest even then about childhood and the influence of childhood on later development and she was surprisingly well informed about it. She was clearly on a journey of learning but had a good understanding of the importance of early development on the rest of life. She could affect the future of an entire generation with her work."
Among the issues Kate is exploring is how to support vulnerable families from the earliest possible stage in order to get their children ‘school-ready’ and able to cope with their mental and emotional needs. She and her expert advisers will also look at how to introduce better mental health support for primary school children, and at teaching parenting and relationship skills to teenagers before they even think of starting a family themselves.
‘She is getting to know her subject really well as she knows how difficult it can be for someone from the Royal Family to talk about issues like this. People will often accuse them of being “preachy” or judgemental,’ the source said. ‘But she has spent the past few years meeting hundreds of people struggling with mental health issues and addiction, and it all seems to come back to childhood.’ Kate has been seen only a handful of times since the birth of Prince Louis in April. ‘She has been working hard behind the scenes, nonetheless,’ one said.'
The royals have a truly unique platform and the opportunity to effect lasting change, raise awareness, raise much-needed funds and create conversations in often largely ignored areas. I've said before, as enjoyable as seeing the red carpet events and jewels is, the true value of the monarchy comes from seeing royals out and about engaging in local communities and helping their chosen charities. I look forward to hearing more about how the project will work in the New Year. I imagine engagements related to the area will be a focus in addition to mental health, Heads Together and patronage visits.
In our last post, we discussed the likely possibility Kate would not return to engagements until October. Emily Andrews confirmed that via Twitter: "I’ve been asked when Kate will be back from maternity leave. I said she’d be back in October: we’d start to see a few engagements then and building up to Christmas. Mental health will be a focus."
September is firmly upon us and the autumn schedule has commenced for the Royal family with engagements in full swing once again. On the Cambridge front, Prince George returned to Thomas's Battersea for a new school year last week and Princess Charlotte has returned to Willcocks Nursery School. William resumed duties last Thursday (we'll be chatting more about that later on). There's been no news whatsoever on Kate's return. We often see engagements announced about two weeks in advance, so it's looking unlikely we'll see the Duchess this month. A surprise appearance is certainly possible, however, royal reporters Emily Andrews and Chris Ship both understand it will be October before we see her return.
Whilst nothing has been announced, there are several events over the course of the coming months I believe we'll see Kate attending. Once again, it's important to stress none of the following have been confirmed. This is merely a cursory overview of very strong possibilities. The first of these is the Global Summit on Mental Health Culture Change which will take place in London from 10-13 October. The London Summit gathers together key thought leaders, government officials, stakeholders, policy makers and change agents to focus exclusively on removing cultural biases that affect how we think about, talk about and address emotional well-being and mental health. The Royal Foundation is involved in the event, meaning we can expect to see the Cambridges participating. The event concludes on the 13 October with a special concert at the London Palladium.
The first day of the Summit, 10 October, coincides with World Mental Health Day - traditionally a day Kate has appearances.
On Friday, 12 October, Princess Eugenie will marry Jack Brooksbank at St George's Chapel, Windsor Castle.
One of the most glamorous events of the year will take place during a State visit to the UK by King Willem Alexander and Queen Maxima of the Netherlands from 23-24 October. We can expect to see senior members of the Royal family attending a white-tie State banquet in honour of the visit. As you will remember, we spent a good portion of August enjoying your fabulous submissions for Kate's gowns and jewels for the night.
Kate visited King Willem-Alexander during her first solo overseas visit to the Netherlands in the 2016.
The Royal British Legion hosts the annual Festival of Remembrance at the Royal Albert Hall on 10 November to commemorate all those who have lost their lives in conflicts. The following day, 11 November, is Remembrance Sunday. We'll see Kate join royals at the Cenotaph.
That night, Koncert Sto Lat, a special concert at the Royal Albert Hall, will celebrate 100 years of Poland’s return to the Map of Europe – Poland’s Independence Day. The unique concert will celebrate the centenary with some of the most poignant and well-known Polish songs and music of the period. Poland’s finest artists will be singing not only their iconic contemporary songs but also songs from the 'Solidarity' era. Reader Marta kindly shared information that respected Polish media outlets have reported the Cambridges will be in attendance.
The Queen is to throw a party for hundreds of family members and friends to mark Prince Charles' 70th birthday on 14 November. Rebecca English confirms the bash will be private, however, we can expect to see arrival/departure snaps and hopefully a portrait of the family released afterwards.
In terms of Kate's solo work, the Royal Foundation's annual report revealed plans to collaborate with the Maternal Mental Health Alliance this year:
'Towards the end of 2018 we will launch initiatives designed to reduce the stigma of maternal mental health difficulties and improve related knowledge and understanding. We will collaborate with the Maternal Mental Health Alliance (MMHA) to support new initiatives and work with other organisations within the MMHA for this purpose.'
A tweet from Gert's Royals reminded me the Duchess became the first Royal Patron of the Victoria & Albert Museum in March. An engagement should almost certainly be in the planning before the end of the year.
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Several of you have been in touch asking about Heads Together and the direction the campaign will take next. Yesterday, Prince William travelled to Bristol to launch a new initiative, Mental Health at Work, a free portal filled with information for employers and employees in the UK.
Curated by mental health charity Mind, and funded by the Royal Foundation as part of their Heads Together campaign, the website offers valuable information, toolkits, podcasts and other resources to improve mental health in the workplace. "Whether you work with 10 people, 10,000 people or just yourself, paying attention to mental health in the workplace has never been more important. Mental Health at Work is here to help you find the information and resources you need."
Half of us have experienced a mental health problem in our current job and 1 in 4 of us are struggling with these problems in silence.
'Former air ambulance pilot Prince William spoke candidly on Tuesday about absorbing the pain and suffering he witnessed on the job. "I took a lot home without realizing it," he said at a mental health event in Bristol. "You see [so] many sad things every day that you think life is like that." Speaking about his time in the emergency services, he added, "You’re always dealing with despair and sadness and injury. The attrition builds up and you never really have the opportunity to offload anything if you’re not careful."
Sitting around a table in Yurt Lush café 120 miles west of London, William noted the particular toll on first responders. "You’re human and a lot of people forget the battles, you have shut it off to do the job — but ultimately something pierces the armor." He noted that he was "stunned" that just 2 percent of people feel comfortable talking to their workplace human resources department about mental health.'
During his speech William said: "By taking mental health seriously, you can build a better team. You can be a better boss, and you can be a better colleague. And my hope is that Mental Health At Work can help you do it."
The ITV video below also shared a brief interview with Kirk. When Kirk's daughter was diagnosed with an eating disorder, his world fell apart. Support from his team at work helped him navigate through this difficult time and he's now committed to empowering his colleagues to talk about mental health and ask for help if they need it.
Speaking about meeting Kirk, William said: "He's exactly the sort of person we should be looking up to."
Just 2% of people feel comfortable talking to workplace HR about mental health. If you would like to find out more about Mental Health at Work please click here.
In other news, William attended his first event as patron of the Royal African Society earlier this evening. During a speech he revealed he will make a working visit to Namibia, Tanzania and Kenya later this month. "Like so many others, I am deeply saddened by the numbers of elephant, rhino and pangolin who have been illegally slaughtered for their tusks, horns and scales. But the illegal wildlife trade also has a devastating human impact. Too many brave rangers are tragically killed each year by poachers. Communities see their tourist livelihoods threatened. And the proceeds of the illegal wildlife trade fund broader criminal networks and threaten security. This is why I am committed to doing what I can to help end this terrible, global crime. This will be a particular focus of my upcoming visit to Africa, and of course the conference on the illegal wildlife trade taking place here in London in October."
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For the final portion of today's post, we're taking a look at the latest autumn/winter arrivals from one of Kate's favourite retailers, L.K. Bennett. Elegant skirt suits, floral midi dresses, fitted sheaths and stylish accessories offer an abundance of possibilities for the Duchess. The forest-green Effie dress with a tuxedo neckline and the elegant red Hollie dress are chic options for the coming season.
The Charl Navy Cream Tweed coat is described: "Transition the seasons in style with the Charl multi-navy-cream coat. Crafted from breathable cotton-blend, it features raw-hem details and navy contrast pockets and hemline, while the heritage-inspired tweed works perfectly with tailored separates."
UPDATE: William and Kate received Mr Miguel Head at Kensington Palace upon relinquishing his appointment as Private Secretary to William earlier this afternoon. Miguel had been a member of the Royal Household for a decade. The Palace said: "His Royal Highness feels incredibly lucky to have benefited from Miguel’s advice and support over the last decade. He has been an outstanding Press Secretary and has been central to the decisions that have guided the establishment of The Duke's office. He has also been a valued advisor during an important period in His Royal Highness's life. He wishes Miguel all the very best for the future." Below, Mr Head with Kate's former private secretary Rebecca Deacon.
And that's a wrap! Hope you're all having a great week!
