The Princess Praises "the Role Dads Are Playing Raising Kids" with Dadvengers

The Princess of Wales kicked off her November schedule with an autumnal walk with members of Dadvengers, a community for dads and children, followed by a sit-down chat at the Arnos Arms pub in London.

The Waleses have reportedly spent the past fortnight ensconced at their Norfolk home, Anmer Hall. It's entirely possible they enjoyed a trip abroad under the radar - something they've been able to successfully do before - including an autumn trip to Jordan where Kate retraced steps from her own childhood in 2021. We only learned about the holiday when an image of the family of five was selected for their Christmas card.

Speaking of the festive season...(It's not too early, is it? :)) I adored seeing the festive, sparkly lights in the background of today's images.

It's not only my favourite time of year, it's always a highlight in royal watching, as we tend to see a flurry of seasonal events and evening appearances. We've only had one gown appearance from the Princess this year at the BAFTAs. I think you'll agree, a couple of evening events for November would be very much on our collective wishlist. South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol and his wife Kim Keon Hee are making a State Visit to the UK later this month. It should offer the ideal setting for a white-tie appearance for Kate. Meanwhile, there's an abundance of overseas travel underway. King Charles and Queen Camilla are presently in the midst of a tour of Kenya; the Duchess of Edinburgh is spending almost a week in Canada; and on Sunday Prince William will depart for several days of engagements in Singapore celebrating the inaugural Earthshot Week. Kate will not accompany him, as it's understood Prince George has an Eton entrance exam.

I was hoping we would see a couple of engagements before William heads to Singapore and was very interested to learn about Dadvengers. Described as "predominately an online community", it works to support dads on their journey through parenthood. The community has a strong focus on mental wellbeing and supports new fathers in a variety of ways including through online training programmes, podcasts, and more recently the in-person ‘Dad Walks’. Dad Walks provide a new way for men to meet other fathers in their local community in an informal setting.

Kate joined the 'Dadvengers' on a 'Dad Walk' at a local park today and heard about the network of support provided. She was joined by DJ and songwriter, Jax Jones, who is one of the Shaping Us campaign champions.

A beautiful image of Kate and three-year-old Maya Sanmuganathan.

Hello! reports:

'As the children played in the playground, Kate was seen crouching down to speak with one little girl, who was wearing a floral raincoat and wellington boots.

"I love your stripy tights," the Princess told the youngster, "I should have worn my stripy tights."

Kate was hosted by Nigel Clarke, the founder of Dadvengers and known for his work on The Baby Club on the BBC’s CBeebies, who said: “Fathers have a hugely significant role to play in their children’s lives, right from the start. Even before their baby is born, fathers can get involved and Dadvengers is on a mission to support them to do that in ways that work for them. “We provide them with information and advice to help look after their own wellbeing, while also supporting them to build the nurturing relationships and surroundings we know are so important in the very earliest years of their children’s lives. It's what Dadvengers is all about.”

Kensington Palace said: "As highlighted in the Shaping Us campaign which the Princess launched in January, our relationships, experiences, and surroundings in our earliest years lay the foundations that shape the rest of our lives. Providing strong support for parents and carers during these years to give the sort of nurturing care which is so important to babies and very young children is essential and can have a life-changing impact on the children they are caring for".

A Palace statement continued: "Fathers, like any other caregivers, play a vital role in the social and emotional development of a child.  However, the Royal Foundation Centre for Early Childhood annual public perception survey, which was published earlier this year, found that men are significantly less aware than women of the extraordinary impact of the first five years of a child’s life."

People reports:

'Inside the Arnos Arms pub, Princess Kate chatted with the dads about the program.

"I think the thing is raising the importance of family time and the role dads are playing in raising kids," she said, according to Hello! magazine. "Through what you guys are doing, the kids are seeing the importance of socializing and getting together."

Kate also agreed with a father who said that moms and dads shouldn't have separate responsibilities, saying, "It's shared."

Afterwards founder Nigel Clarke told Hello!, "They were amazed she's taken the time to come and visit a group like this," he said. We discussed how it’s important to have groups and spaces like this. Dads are worried they're going to feel awkward, but in a space like this, they relax and open up".

Another lovely photo from the engagement.

The Princess opted for familiar causal pieces today.

Kate wore her Barbour x Alexa Chung Edith Jacket. Described as: "Made in England from glossy waxed-cotton, this 'Edith' jacket is detailed with all the signature details including multiple pockets, a soft corduroy collar and classic checked lining." We've seen the Princess wearing the piece on several occasions in recent years.

Kate wore her stripe Erdem Lotus sweater.

Kate sported her MOTHER Dazzler mid-rise jeans. They are in stock at Net-A-Porter and Nordstrom.

It very much appears Kate's new chocolate brown boots are the Reiss Thea style. With thanks to Middleton Maven for the swift ID.

And her Daniella Draper Cupid hoops.

We'll see William and Kate in Scotland for engagements focused on supporting rural communities tomorrow. I'll see you then!