Family Links believes that emotional health is a human right and that it is the foundation for achievement and happiness. They work to empower children, parents, families, schools and workplaces to prioritise positive emotional health, by delivering innovative, high quality training to health and social care services, third sector organisations, schools and universities. The Palace described the visit as an opportunity for Kate to "see how Family Links works closely with schools nationwide to support both children and parents with their emotional health and wellbeing, with an emphasis on early intervention."
During the Royal Foundation Forum last week Kate revealed she plans to continue focusing on mental health and early intervention. She credited the experts she's met along the way with playing a role in her parenting style. "I've learned a huge amount from the patronages I've worked with but also from the amazing experts I met along the way and you know, you can't help but then reflect on your own life. It's definitely had an impact on how I mother, how we work as a family and how we hope to bring up our children."
Kate was greeted by teachers and representatives from Family Links.
The Duchess met nine-month-old Tilly.
A video from Victoria Murphy.
The pregnant Duchess of Cambridge arrives at Pegasus Primary School in Oxford and is greeted by nine-month-old Tillie pic.twitter.com/yAu9UthgsK— Victoria Murphy (@QueenVicMirror) March 6, 2018
The charity's Nurturing Programme, which underpins all of their work, was designed to help adults understand and manage feelings and behaviour and become more positive and nurturing in their relationships with children and each other. American child psychologist Dr Stephen J Bavolek developed the programme in the 1970s. Bavolek researched dysfunctional and abusive family interactions; he identified destructive parental behaviour patterns and developed the Nurturing Programme to counter these. As the building blocks of emotional health and relationship skills, the programme uses the Four Constructs; self-awareness, appropriate expectations, positive discipline and empathy.
During the visit, the Duchess met parents and heard more about how their families have overcome challenges with the support of Family Links.
Kate also joined a Year Two class during 'Circle Time', an activity session which encourages pupils to share their thoughts on a range of topics, including how to support a classmate if they are being bullied, or how to cope with a stressful situation.
HRH chats to students Jodie, Zhara and Emelia about how 'Circle Time' helps them to talk about difficult issues and support their classmates. pic.twitter.com/Eu5qzsSyf4— Kensington Palace (@KensingtonRoyal) March 6, 2018
Finally, the Duchess attended a roundtable discussion with Family Links on the importance of supporting families during a child's early years.
More from the Mail Online:'Jodie said the group discussions they had in school – so-called Circle Time – about their emotions made it made it easier to deal with their problems. It helps us get all our emotions out so we don't feel all bottled up,' she explained. 'You don't think about it so much. You tell someone, and when you've told someone it makes you feel a lot better. It helps us focus on our work, and not think about it for the rest of the day. I am so used to sharing my emotions now, because I trust everyone.'
Zhara added: 'It is very important, because otherwise you just cannot focus properly. It is not good to keep yourself bottled up. It can cause problems at home as well. If you can solve your problem at school, it will be OK when you go home.'
The Duchess told them: 'I am very impressed by all of you. Having met lots of grown-ups who have not had this opportunity to speak about their feelings and emotions, you are setting yourself up for a fantastic start in life.'
More from The Mirror:
Kate told students: "Keep up the hard work. It was very nice to meet you as well.
"Good luck. Say hi to your mums and dads."
Jodie said his nan was excited to hear Kate was coming to the school, and told Kate: "I'll tell her you said hi."
Kate replied: "She should be very proud of you, so well done."
According to the Mail, Kate described having emotional support ingrained in the ethos of the school as "pretty unusual but absolutely fantastic". She added there's so much focus on academic achievement but "so much of their life and social skills are built through this".
Before departing, Kate was given a special gift for George, Charlotte and their little brother or sister. People reports:
Kate was also presented with a book of lullabies, addressed to “Prince George, Princess Charlotte and the New Royal Baby.”
The Duchess brought back one of her most stylish maternity coats today; the cream JoJo Maman Bebe piece she wore for a visit to the set of Downton Abbey in 2015 when she was expecting Princess Charlotte.
The appropriately named Princess Wool Coat is described as "a great investment piece for your maternity wardrobe". The wool-mix fabric gives it a luxurious, cosy feel. The collarless garment features front slant slip pockets, tonal topstitching and panel seaming. It's available in limited sizing at Amazon.
 |
| JoJo Maman Bebe |
Kate accessorised with her Annoushka pearls and Kiki McDonough hoops.
Kate carried her brown suede Emmy clutch.
And brown suede pumps.
************
Also today, news of a calendar update for Kate, William and several members of the royal family. On Monday, 12 March, Her Majesty The Queen, Head of the Commonwealth, accompanied by the Prince of Wales and the Duchess of Cornwall, the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge, Prince Harry and Ms. Meghan Markle, the Duke of York, the Princess Royal, the Countess of Wessex, the Duchess of Gloucester and Princess Alexandra will attend the Commonwealth Service at Westminster Abbey on Commonwealth Day. Organised by the Royal Commonwealth Society, it is the largest annual inter-faith gathering in the United Kingdom. The service will be broadcast live on BBC One and across BBC World Service, in celebration of Her Majesty's lifetime commitment to the Commonwealth. Below, members of the BRF at the 2016 service.
Finally, Kate's much loved Monsoon Fleur wedges have been re-released in an updated style called the Eva (with thanks to Kate Middleton Style). The £45 wedges are described as "Jute soles bring an espadrille-like feel to our Eva wedges. In sumptuous suedette, this stylish design strikes the perfect balance of smart and casual." They are available in nude and navy. Below, we see Kate wearing her Fleur pair beside the new Eva style, they look exactly the same apart from the colour.
Tomorrow, The Duchess of Cambridge will officially open the new headquarters of children's mental health charity Place2Be in London.
I'm excited!! I loved this coat so much last time...and it is amazing to hear of a group that considers emotional health to be a human right. I am looking forward to reading more about it.
ReplyDeleteThe cream dress from the Scandinavian tour would be a good match with this coat.
ReplyDeleteWhat a splendid engagement right in Kate's wheelhouse. A carity that seems to be very much on par with Kates focus! Very nice!
ReplyDeleteNice to see this coat again. It's simple but effective and a good choice for a repeat. It works really well with her chocolate accessories.
So great to still see new engagements coming up!
Yay! I love this coat! :) Family Links sounds like a great charity for Kate champion.
ReplyDelete*to
DeleteFamily Links sounds as though it will be a possible future patronage for Kate - one that does very good work. It's been wonderful to see her stepping out more.
ReplyDeleteKate looks very nice today in a spring-like pale coat after the arctic chill. Somehow, I don't remember it from the previous engagement but I like the shape.
It will be nice to see the whole family at the Commonwealth service.
A possible future patronage was my first thought as well!
DeleteThey are really going out if full force for the Commonwealth service. It's the first attendance for multiple of the attending royals!
Yes and it would be a great patronage for her
DeleteThere are a host of issues with the Commonwealth - from Brexit, to a rise in republicanism, not just at home but in Commonwealth nations that still have the queen, to who will lead the Commonwealth - perhaps better worded as whether it will be Charles, as was once almost assumed but no more, or whether a non-royal will be chosen. The latter would be a virtual invite to marginalise the royal family in the Commonwealth. And of course, William rather publicly snubbed the Commonwealth service last year. A lot changes in a year and hopefully there won't be more mistakes like that - it is a time for the royal family especially to be scrupulously careful, both at home and abroad.
DeleteWith the number of times Commonwealth has been on Harry and Meghan's lips, the BRF may be grooming them to take on this role after their marriage. Might the the Queen hand it over to them? Or nominate Harry if the members of the Commonwealth are to choose?What are the rules for succession in that case? Does anyone know?
DeleteSMH
The queen doesn't have that option - it's for the Commonwealth leaders to decide who will head it. Her choice of course is Charles, who is known to want it very much and who has spent decades working towards that goal. It is not an inherited position and Charles is by no means as respected in the Commonwealth as his mother is - however not to choose Charles would leave open how a non-royal leader should be picked.
DeleteIt has been put forward that Harry may speak at the Commonwealth meeting in regards to the youth forum and may play a greater role with the Commonwealth Games, possibly as ambassador, with a bid to appeal to Commonwealth youth. The Telegraph article below also mentions a possible role with regards to forestry preservation. But Charlotte mentioned there has been unhappiness even about Meghan attending the Commonwealth Service. I suspect this has less to do with the service than the underlying issue that she is seen as far too inexperienced, have spent only a few months in Britain to undertake a role of great importance within the Commonwealth even as a spouse.
Personally, I'm pleased to see Harry and Meghan attend with the rest of the family but think any leadership positions should be handled slowly and delicately when Meghan has had time to become an experienced British princess, respected by and completely familiar with her new nation - you can't successfully represent what you barely know yourself. However, the Games would seem like a reasonable place for Harry to start - a natural progression from Invictus.
Here's are two links on the issue as to Charles.
https://www.telegraph.co.uk/politics/2018/02/13/prince-charles-right-head-commonwealth-decided-53-country-leaders/
http://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/home-news/commonwealth-queen-succession-head-dead-london-talks-prince-charles-william-a8207856.html
She looked lovely today as always...but OH, how I miss the hair!!
ReplyDeleteAnd I was just thinking how much better her hair looks now! :-)
DeleteYes, seeing the side by side pictures of this coat made me miss her long hair very much! I loved her shorter length right after she cut it into a long bob for Wimbledon last year, but this in between length is not as striking. It looks like she's growing it out though.
DeleteI totally miss her long hair. It gave her a distinct look.
DeleteYES, bring back the long hair! (Although I do prefer this straighter styler much more than the curls she's been sporting the past few months. But please, Kate, grow it out again. It looks so glorious long.)
DeleteI'm on Team Shorter Hair. LOL. =D
DeleteGo Team Shorter Hair. :-)
DeleteI appreciate that she brings back her coats from second pregnancy. Especially this -cream and classic remember me the most iconic looks- soft,smart.
ReplyDeleteKate wore this coat on March 12, 2015, very close to the same time this year. I think she looks much bigger than when she wore it three years ago. I saw an article yesterday in the Sun saying that "sources" say she's due on St. George's Day, which is April 23. I doubt that very much. I've thought as the pregnancy progresses and she's been consistently bigger vs the same date in 2015, that she's likely due earlier in the month. Plus I doubt, with her tendency the last two times to go as much as a week late, that they would have scheduled Prince Harry's wedding on May 19 if she weren't due until April 23. Although I'm sure they had to take much more into consideration other than Kate's availability, but if she weren't to give birth until the very end of April/early May, that would give her less than 3 weeks until the wedding. And with Prince George and Princess Charlotte taking part (although, is that actually confirmed?), she would need to be involved with preparations, rehearsals, likely, as least as much in her role as their mother (not as at Pippa's wedding, when she was the bridesmaid whose job it was to wrangle the little ones). Anyway, I'm rambling on, but I do think, and hope, that the baby comes earlier in April. I will be in London from the 11th to the 21st and hoping it arrives while I'm there!
ReplyDeleteI believe the wedding date was set to comply with immigration requirements more than anything. (Kate wasn't really a bridesmaid although often a young bridesmaid does take the role of managing the little ones - I doubt she will play such a prominent role at this wedding.)
DeleteI do hope the baby does arrive whilst you are there so you can see the announcement - I believe they still have it at the palace.
I don't think Harry and Meghan were thinking about Kate, there might be even more pregnant women in the family, one could not date the wedding...This time it's Meghan's wedding. Kate only needs to attend the ceremony, she may leave after.... That happens every day..
DeleteBut this is not an every day family. I'm speculating that Kate, as not just another woman in the family, but as the popular wife of one of the future kings, is in a significant enough position that her full attendance at this ROYAL wedding and "official" afternoon reception immediately following is important enough that they may have, to a degree, taken her due date into consideration when scheduling the wedding.
DeleteAnd for those of us who are not followers of Meghan and Harry, why else would we watch it except to see Kate and her family? I'm certain it will be a beautiful occasion for all.
DeleteI absolutely agree with everything but one thing you said: I do think the baby may arrive in the first days of April, given the normal maternity leave last around six weeks. Since the wedding will be on 19 May, it would be quite logical I think. We will see soon. :)
DeletePam, I agree that she is most likely due at the beginning of April. I too thought she looked bigger in the side by side shots. I also agree that her pregnancy/due date would have a part of the planning of Harry's wedding, doesn't most everyone do that for family when planning a wedding??!
DeleteYou really can't tell due date by comparing a bump to previous pregnancies. For one thing, whether a bump looks bigger or smaller is often mostly an illusion, created by differences in how the fetus is "sitting" in there. Also rmbr, kate did few engagements during her previous pregnancies, and she wore a lot of coats and more loose fitting stuff than this time around, so we may have nvr gotten a good look at the previous bumps in comparison to this one. Also many women have bigger bumps in each pregnancy. Plus Kate was quite thin when she started her last pregnancy, whereas this time in the months leading up it kinda looked like she made a concerted effort to gain some weight before conceiving. I mention this bc weight around conception also affects how big a bump gets or looks. Esp if part of gaining weight involved less abdominal muscle workout, in which case the bump would certainly be bigger this time.
DeleteAs for the wedding date-Princess Madeline attended her brother's wedding the day before she gave birth. Clearly, like in all families, even royal ones, it's not always possible to schedule things to account for everyone's precise preferences. It's not ideal but I know women who have gone back to work within two weeks of giving birth, which is far less luxurious than being a duchess attending a wedding.
I agree with you, Pam. Although Kate's due date most likely wasn't the only consideration, I'm sure Harry and Meghan were considerate enough to throw it into the equation when looking at wedding dates. They know there will likely be hundreds of millions of people watching the wedding and that Kate will be photographed like crazy that day and will be self-conscious as a new mother. We've all seen this first-hand--no matter how great we think she looks post-partum, we've seen evidence that she feels uncomfortable. I would think they would want her to be as comfortable in her own skin as possible and that means giving her as much recovery time as possible between her due date and the wedding.
DeleteOf course it's Meghan's wedding. But it happens to be Harry's too and we know how close he is to his sister-in-law over the years. I think her attendance/participation and enjoyment of it means quite a lot to him. And as has been pointed out, this isn't just another family wedding. Meghan is marrying into the BRF and Kate will be Queen one day. It's a big deal. :-)
DeleteSheila US, Harry and Meghan are Kate’s family as well. I am pretty sure Kate’s due date had taken some consideration into planning the wedding. But I think it was mainly the immigration rules and the availability in the royal calendar that has the most preference
DeleteShe looks great. The real maternity brands just fit her body so much better! I don't mind the repeats during pregnancy. The Scandinavian tour gave us enough newness for Baby 3. I hope we will still see her on St. Patrick's Day! Great charity and great engagement for her today!
ReplyDeleteWonderful cause and lovely coat but it looks different to me than in the past. Maybe adjustments were made? She looks beautiful and engaged. -Amy Charlotte
ReplyDeleteKate looks great today. I wish we could see the dress underneath, though it seems like a simple cream dress. Glad to see she is rewearing again as she still has several engagements before maternity leave. As much as I love new outfits, it would seem like a complete waste of money and time.
ReplyDeleteThis is a great engagement for Kate. As several people mentioned above, would make for a great patronage for her. Mental health is a human right! Mental health care is just as important as physical health care.
Side note, for a reading challenge, I am reading the Kate biography by Katie Nicholl. Interesting.
I read that Katie, & was not such a fan. I'll be interested in your take? :)
DeleteReally? So far(well, almost done really), I feel like it is very pro-Kate. Everyone growing up only ever seemed to adore her, she never seemed to have enemies, etc. I mean, I am sure she's very nice, but I am sure somewhere, someone actually dislikes her but based on this book, she's practically perfect. This is actually the second biography I've read of her(the first was a gag gift-joke's on them. I read it!), but this one goes on extensively about how she was secretly volunteering with hospice for years and was passionate and committed to philanthropy and getting involved in patronages, etc. Just interesting and makes one wonder which is true-the stories in the book, or what seems to play out in life
DeleteKatie, just to confirm, are you reading "Kate: The Future Queen"? I've read several books about Kate as well as Will & Kate. I'll share a list below. They were all good. :) I had always viewed Katie Nicholl as being very Pro Kate. So I was not prepared about the buzz that was generated when "Kate: The Future Queen" was first coming out. I thought surely these accusations & this line of Kate manipulating herself into William's life wouldn't be anything Katie N. would write about, let alone Think! So I bought the book & was sadly disappointed. She makes lots of claims that Kate not only changed her choice of University because of William, but that she purposely re-arranged her Gap Year to make sure she went on the same program in Chile that William went on. They are just accusations & insinuations, along with interviews by students & teachers at MC to back up these insulting claims. This part of the book came off to me as very gossipy & frankly beneath what I thought was the integrity of Katie Nicholls. After I got to that unpleasant part of the book, I was left feeling that all the "positive" build up of Kate in the earlier parts, were just there to establish that KN was "Pro Kate", so that anything not nice that she wrote later in the book Must be True! I was disappointed in the book & in Katie Nicholls. So I truly will be interested in how you feel after reading the book, assuming we are speaking about the same book? :) Here's the list of other books I read & did like:
DeleteKate: A Biography by Marcia Moody
The Making of a Royal Romance by Katie Nicholl
Kate & William Their Royal Life by Marie Clayton
William & Kate & Baby George by Christopher Anderson
& Of Course I Enjoyed "The Royal We" by Heather Cocks as a fun Summer Read! :)
(these are only what I could quickly locate on my Nook, but I have a few hardcover books that I have in my collection & will add to the list when I can locate them:)
*Are you reading Katie Nicholls' first book on Kate?* If so, that one & the others I listed I really liked & found them very positive. It was her 2nd book that upset me. Which one are you reading?
Becca, I recall the pot stirring headlines KN was responsible for during William and Kate's courtship. Some of it was quite mean-spirited. And I was not impressed with her overnight transformation into a royal expert once the engagement was announced. Integrity? It's not part of the equation.
DeleteAgreed RF! It's been a while since I read all these books, so they all can blend together (different variations on the same theme/facts) but I had thought KN was very kind & supportive of them. I only became aware of her around the time of The Royal Wedding. I have no reference of her during their courtship. What is very vivid in my mind, was this "Big Discovery" yrs after their wedding, that Kate had manipulated to a Huge degree, snagging William. I was really shocked that one would pursue this trashy plot line, especially after they had been married several years. I think this book may have even come out after George had been born. This is her book "Kate: Future Queen". It was like why is she drudging all this crud up & when you read the book, it's just gossipy . No big reveals, just regrouping already known facts together to make her case. It was quite disheartening & I never have seen KN in the same W&K friendly light since. In fact, many of the details she reported on about Harry & Meghan while they were dating & leading up to the engagement announcement have already been proved to be wrong. So I no longer hold much weight with what she reports on. :(
DeleteA very wise decision on your part, Becca. 👍😊
DeleteThis is a fantastic organization--one that fits in nicely with her portfolio. It was probably stated by someone already but, this would be a great patronage for Kate.
ReplyDeleteAs I watch her interact with children, I can't help but think that she would have made a fabulous teacher.She seems comfortable with kids, and appears to really listen to them when they speak.
Kate looks very pretty--I really love that coat. I'm happy that she went with a brown shoe and clutch as opposed to doing nude or blush accents. A fun "punch" would have been to wear burgundy or plum shoes with a matching clutch (or a clutch with a fun print to bring a little movement to the outfit). But she still looks great, nonetheless.
Kate really seems relaxed, happy and healthy, and it is so good to see her out and about so much!
Take care,
Shantel
Minnesota, USA
Kate did once say her original idea was to be a teacher - I'm sorry she didn't pursue that further during her pre-marriage years - it would have helped her public speaking -
Deletebut she does seem to have a natural way with little ones one to one.
I could absolutely see Kate teaching in elementary school. But her life took a slightly different path and George, Charlotte, and Baby Cambridge are very lucky indeed.
DeleteI'm glad Kate has taken up these causes. When I was a kid, and even now since I'm just a student, I've been told nothing can be too problematic. Feeling down? Drink water and push it aside, everything will become okay. I've never had any real problems thankfully but I know other people do. It's good she is getting people to talk about it! And repeating a dress makes sure focus is on the problem at hand.
ReplyDeleteThis is one of my favourites in her maternity wardrobe and she looks great. However for the first time in this pregnancy her feet/ankles seem to swell. Also if you compare it with the photo from Charlotte. She might even have to give up high heels before Cambridge 3.0 is here.
ReplyDeleteA needed program for upbringing children. Emotional health is needed the same way physical health. Looking beautiful and friendly as usual. Well done! XOXOXOXOXOX
ReplyDeleteCan’t believe it, I suggested this coat for tomorrow’s engagement! I guess she’ll wear the red check coat tomorrow then, lol.
ReplyDeleteYes you did sofy! :) I thought we might see it at The Commonwealth Service, but I'm tickled to see it at all! :)
DeleteI guess she'll wear a cream or pink coat for tomorrow's engagement,,let's see :-)
DeleteExcellent day today and as you say another nice fit into her personal patronages. Great to see her looking so well and this was a stunning look the first time 3 years ago (gosh, how time flies!) so glad to see it again. Also nice that she's ditched the heels - I don't know how she was doing it on the tour! and maybe the shoes were the reason for the chocolate accessories.
ReplyDeleteI could have sworn these shoes were heels, are they in fact flats? love the chocolate swede either way!!
DeleteAt the risk of sounding like a broken record (not that there are many broken records around anymore), I wish, wish, WISH we could have something like that here!!! And to have someone "famous" espouse the cause of emotional health as well. Oh well, I can enjoy this from a distance and this week when I go to school try to carve some time out of the day to check in with my kiddos' feelings....
ReplyDeleteOn another note, Prince William is going to ISRAEL this summer! Oh, my!!! First official visit in 70 years, since the birth of the Jewish state. That is going to be really something!
🌸 Jo. That is incredible and history in the making to say the least. I am astonished and ever so glad about that. Still amazed. Simply amazed.
DeleteJo, you do not sound like a broken record. The US desperately needs an initiative similar to Heads Together. The US desperately needs to incorporate emotional/mental health curriculums in the public school systems, and we need to invest more in mental health education and awareness programs in the workplace, in faith communities, in law enforcement, in first responder units, and essentially everywhere. Something like this is long, long overdue. The stigma surrounding mental illness and mental health challenges is insidious in this country. For those on fixed incomes who need mental health treatment, one of the greatest challenges is that they cannot afford it. Insurance companies will only pay for a certain number of counseling or therapy sessions, and most of the time, patients don't receive the amount of sessions they really need. Psychotropic medications cost a fortune and if you don't have the help of insurance coverage or Medicaid/Medicare, you are out of luck. I encounter these situations over and over again in my therapy practice. I try to offer as many sliding scale payment options as I can, and I wish I could offer counseling sessions pro-bono to anyone who needs therapy. Until we increase access to mental health care, make it a priority and more affordable, and end the stigma that surrounds mental illness, we won't see any change for the better.
DeleteAmen! Amen! Amen!
DeleteDear Jo,
DeleteYes - Prince William is visiting Israel this summer. This is an historical visit and a lovely present for our 70 year old country birthday. I am so excited :) Wish Kate could join him...
God bless both W & K.
Shira, Israel
Virginia, You have pointed out the faults of medical aid…or lack thereof, in the USA. In so many countries throughout the world, health insurance is a given and everyone has access to what they need…be it physical or mental issues. And yet, so many Americans are adamant at saying theirs is the best country in the world. Not so as far as health care, education and gun laws go.
DeleteAmen Virginia! It is as vital—goes along with IMO—the issue of gun violence. I read somewhere that the UK has a problem with knife violence. Or was that part of the Foundation Forum last week? I get news mixed up sometimes.
DeleteYes, I'm hugely pleased about the Israel tour - especially with an frightening rise of antisemitism going on - some of it within the opposition. It is time for a royal visit. At the same time William is being respectful about visiting the Palestinians as well. I hope it all is a great success and that we can soon see far fewer antisemitic incidents - although I'm not optimistic. There is a lot to worry about in our world but we can but carry on...
Deletehttps://www.theguardian.com/society/2018/feb/01/antisemitic-incidents-in-uk-at-all-time-high
Rosalynn Carter worked for 40-45 years to improve mental health care. Sadly, in a tv interview she said that despite all her efforts she didn't think any progress had been made at all.
DeleteA mental health component was added to the Affordable Care Act but this is being demolished step by step.
Legislation can’t fix everything. Mental health starts at home. The majority of people who commit acts of violence are from broken families, abusive home situations. If we could reach out to new mothers/fathers and support and encourage them to be the loving parents their children need much of the mental health problems we see would be vastly improved. I believe Kate understands this can’t be fixed by experts alone, this is a responsibility for all of us.
Delete3.55, absolutely agree.
DeleteGreat post! I'm glad that Kate has taken up these causes.
ReplyDeleteWhat a wonderful program this is. I'm echoing Jo in Arizona: I wish we had something like this here with someone to promote it nationally. Kate does a great job. She looks good (how is she not wearing flats yet? She's amazing).
ReplyDeleteLovely engagement and Kate always looks great in cream. I can't wait to see her tomorrow.
ReplyDeleteCharlotte what are we going to read about during our Great Kate Wait!? Any fun ideas? Perhaps a poll on our favorite maternity outfits?
I have quite a few posts I want to get completed, but decided to save them for Kate's maternity leave. We'll do polls on potential names for the baby (Remember, you all voted for Charlotte Elizabeth Diana) and look back over Kate's pregnancy style and engagements :)
DeleteThanks Charlotte, that will be really fun! :) xo
DeleteYay! Can't wait Charlotte! 😄
DeleteIs it just me, or did she skip pantyhose this time? I imagine with her bump growing, it may have just been too difficult.
ReplyDeleteNo, she did not. She would be wearing maternity pantyhose.
Deletehttps://www.google.hr/search?q=maternity+pantyhose&client=firefox-b&dcr=0&source=lnms&tbm=isch&sa=X&ved=0ahUKEwjR9JOpiNnZAhUHCuwKHTlDBCMQ_AUICigB&biw=1280&bih=673
Love this coat!! It looks so soft and cozy and Kate looks great! Family Links is a wonderful charity for Kate to support. The concept of building blocks for emotional health and relationship skills using self-awareness, appropriate expectations, positive discipline and empathy is a great foundation to build for a family. Also like Kate's comment about how her work with these charities has caused her to reflect on her life and how it has impacted how she mothers. That she embodies the principles of what she supports resonates and shows another dimension to Kate's evolution. I agree with Jo in Arizona, wish there were more initiatives and somebody like Kate to champion emotional health in the U.S. cc
ReplyDeleteCeCe, you summed everything up so well! I totally agree! :)
DeleteThank you for a great post, Charlotte! Such an important cause. Hope the kids and teachers get real encouragement from meeting Kate. She looks fantastic! A job well done.
ReplyDeleteOh, I love this coat! I remember it was so popular the last time she wore it and it looks just as good now. I think I attach good feelings to it, too, because she wore it to visit the Downton set haha! It's a great cut, material, and color. Kate looks gorgeous in it. I've been liking her shorter hair, but that side-by-side image made me miss her long curls!
ReplyDeleteI love this engagement & yes it would be a wonderful addition to her patronages! She even seemed impressed by the program & how well the young students expressed themselves! I join the ranks of those who hold this as one of their favorite maternity looks! This side by side really struck me. Kate just looks so much more grounded & mature in today's photo, compared to the previous one. Not "older", but somehow more comfortable in her own skin & like a Full Time Working Royal, instead of "just visiting'.... Does any of that make sense?
ReplyDeleteFabulous, just fabulous!
ReplyDeleteHonestly, I'm a bit tired of all the little kids emotional health engagements. There's yet another one tmrw too. They're losing their punch on terms of bringing attention and support to the cause, especially with engagements like these where we rarely hear anything new that would even indicate kate has learned more abt the issue. She's ofc been speaking more lately, but I'm not necessarily talking about a speech per say even off the cuff. I just mean even when she's talking to ppl at these engagements in a round table setting or whatever, it's always the same old basic early intervention is important without many details, or mention of spec strategies for helping children express their emotions, etc. And even if she sad something new and interesting every time, I still think it's too much and would still get decreasing media coverage, and thus reduced payoff in terms of avtually doing good for the cause. They do engagements abt it all the time, esp her, even on tours. Time to consider the law of diminishing returns I think.
ReplyDeleteAnd at the same time, aside from her tennis & sailing patronages, her other patronages have received comparatively woeful amounts of attention from her in the past few yrs.
Heck I'd rather see some engagements with her two new patronages even before she goes on maternity leave. At this point I'm not sure how much time she has remaining to actually do anything with either new one, which means months until she does engagements w/them post-launching the patronages. Makes me wonder why they even bothered even announcing new patronages now, and tbh kind of makes it seem like they were announced now mostly just to make it look like she's committed to even more work in order to help with the maternity leave and completely absence of work likely coming up soon. Smart pr move I'll give them that.
Hi Maggie, I do say that I agree with you. Mental health is a very worthwhile cause that W&K&H are taking on but it seems to be the only cause they're highlighting recently. I've read that the media is getting tired of covering the same type of events over and over again, so I can see where at some point media coverage will lessen. Also, I fear that people in general will fatigue from the constant mental health engagements that the younger royals participate in and will in turn start tuning out as well. Just to be clear, mental health issues have played a large role in my family's life but even I tire of the constant conversations about it and sometimes just need a break from it all. Personally, I would like to hear more about what Kate has actually learned from her work in this area. I've notice that W, K & H all talk about the fact that they've learned things about their respective areas but don't share that valuable information. Heck, all I know about their various charities I've learned here from Charlotte not from the patrons themselves.
DeleteThanks Maggie for giving voice to some frustrations I've felt with the younger royals lately but haven't had the courage to voice.
I see what you mean about all of her visits seeming the same. But I do think she is going to inherit hundreds of patronages from the Queen and PP at some point in the next few years. And those will be much broader and so her 12-14 patronages about kids and mental health won't seem as prevalent. Although I am sure W/K are thrilled that both are still alive, most people are not living fully active lives into their mid-90's and so I think everything is just in a holding pattern.
DeleteThere are so many schools though, and they all deserve a supportive visit from Kate. To each school, it is a first, and it is exciting and important. I think she is doing a lot of good groundwork here, connecting the dots.
DeletePerhaps this getting tired of her doing the same kind of engagements is linked to short attention span? William's speech was on point!
DeleteI don't think it's attention span - it's appealing to an entire nation - the royals represent an entire nation. If they seem only focused on a few areas - as worthy as they are - they are leaving a lot of people out. That's the concern.
DeleteI think we need to look at the royal family as a whole. IMO it's preferable for William and Kate to concentrate on an area or two rather than being all over the map and facing accusations of being names on letterhead.
Delete🌸 ROYALFAN. I agree. Who says they don’t have a broader game plan. The longest journey begins with small steps. I think they have had a game plan since before their marriage and I think they are following through with it faithfully, making improvement adjustments as they go.
DeleteExactly SG. :-) And until W&K move up in the ranks and more ribbon cutting is required, I think they are building a good foundation.
DeleteJulia, surely focusing on children, or veterans, or men, and probably deeper emphasis on women, does not leave many people out. And I agree that the Duke and Duchess have followed a clear, evolving plan throughout their marriage. The fact that they have lived in the countryside in Scotland, Wales and England is a case in point. So is their decision to raise their older children quietly outside of London, until school intervened. William's wish to continue his flying occupation, gradually assuming royal duties and then taking them on full time as Prince Philip retired. Kate's concentration on her home role until William became full time, at a time whe she could not do more publicly than he did without overshadowing him. Her now having a very professional secretary and making quite a lot of carefully chosen appearances even while pregnant. It all seems very much planned, with consideration given to when the Queen and the DOE needed them to step up. Kate seems to be enjoying her enhanced public role, as though she has been freed to enter into it fully. Her years of preparation have made her much more confident than she would be otherwise. I am sure she looks forward to her maternity leave with her third baby (who William may feel is causing an interruption in the plan), but she will no doubt be ready to resume her royal work when her leave ends. It will be so interesting to watch her make these transitions.
DeleteI am a bit concerned about William's trip to the Levant. He has become a sincere and able diplomat, and is a good choice to send to those very sensitive countries. But it is also a dangerous part of the world. I will be glad when he is back in the UK.
Also I didn't get to catch up on last week until now so just wanted to say - the Royal Foundaton Forum very much felt more like they were promoting themselves and less like they actually revealed anything at all about their plans for the foundation and such. And if Meghan couldn't say anything about her own interests for area of focus and such, which is understandable since she's not even officially patron of the foundation yet/not married, then why not at least wait until after the wedding happens and she gets her feet wet with her royal philanthropic work before having this event. They even called it the first annual one, which makes me worry it's going to be every yr. If it is, I hope it starts having more of a purpose soon other than promotion that could happen better and more helpfully for their actual charities if done in other settings. This one felt like that Heads Together "briefing" they did beg of last yr in which there were few to no specifics and all we learned was that they had no further plans than the marathon which we already knew.
ReplyDeleteFor me I felt that Kate didn't say anything that she hasn't said before. Also, The one event a day doesn't really seem like enough. She couldn't added something else to her trip to Oxford?
DeleteSorry for not as a positive of comment.
I am full on board with both of your comments. I think it would be wise if Kate would pay a visit to other causes as well. Love that she focuses on young children and their mental health but it starts to blurr into each other at the moment. KP is also not giving any indication that all her learning has led to knowledge. That is sloppy PR work and starts to belittle her role and efforts. On the positive side- she has made huge improvements in her engagements be it interacting or speaking.
DeleteHeads together has a similar problem that no one seems to communicate a clear and transparent strategy for the future. It makes you wonder if they have just incompetent PR or if there is a problem in the set up itself. Which is a shame because I feel the idea (that I got from it) is really good but the outcome hasn’t delivered yet in my opinion. Their pushing of Meghan is quite a balance act and I hope they know that there is a fine line when the public opinion changes from majorly positive to majorly negative. Pushing someone on people with a clear agenda is a bit obvious and I really don’t believe it is necessary. She will need time to find her role and then she will be as good as the rest. But promoting her as a big worker when most people believe that they will start with children first (and I am sure that is what is going to happen) was a mistake that didn’t work for Kate and ruined her reputation for quite some time and it will be equally bad for Meghan. It is very shortsighted. Meghan’s appearances give me the feeling that she benefits a lot from her experiences as an actress. But you can tell that she isn’t fully “there” yet. The British people want the BRF to be as British as it gets and she will have to work in that. I am sure a bit of her American quirkiness will be adored when the public feels that she made an effort to fit in. But right now, everything screams American and the general view on America (politically and society wise) in Europe is rather conflicted. I like her very much and I am sure it will be fine in the end but they could make it easier for themselves with more competent PR people and advisers.
C.
C - I completely agree with you - you have said this very well.
Delete🌸 C. Very good points. As it so often has, it comes again to PR. It would be nice if they brought in a PR expert from the “outside” of British society to join the current team. That person being brought in specifically to give the team a broader perspective in their campaigns. To address some of the very issues you have mentioned in addition to others mentioned here at DKB. They have needed such a person for years. Hopefully the penny will drop for them sooner than later.
DeleteNot all Americans are like Meghan! She has more in common with the celebrity world and their love of the limelight than a typical American.
DeleteI agree Emily. It's all sounding the same, looking the same, feeling the same. But she's always pretty.
DeleteAnon 05:47, I don't understand this comment: "But promoting her as a big worker when most people believe that they will start with children first (and I am sure that is what is going to happen) was a mistake that didn’t work for Kate and ruined her reputation for quite some time and it will be equally bad for Meghan."
DeleteI'm not clear on how Kate's reputation was ruined or how Meghan's will be?
I think the Duchess of Cambridge has professionally matured in her role as a future queen (whenever that may be). The causes she supports are so important to the future of not just the UK, but globally. If children are not adequately cared for in EVERY way, families suffer. When families suffer, communities are negatively impacted and everything snow balls. I appreciate her fashion sense the majority of the time; but I am really a follower of Duchess “Kate” because she seems to really care about making the world a better place to live. Thank you, Charlotte. I enjoyed the post and as usual, you have done an excellent job.
ReplyDeleteWell said Marcia. I haven't been a huge fan until the last few months when I have finally become convinced she is genuine and sincere and working regularly.
ReplyDelete@Anonymous, YES!!!
ReplyDelete