The Duchess helped plant a garden at The Nook Hospice last Thursday as part of Children’s Hospice Week.
The Nook is part of EACH (East Anglia’s Children’s Hospices). Kate’s history with EACH goes back to 2012; it was one of her four initial patronages. 
Emily Andrews of The Daily Mail tweeted a video of the Duchess arriving at The Nook.
Sonny Pope-Saunders, six, gave Kate a wristband with ‘Sonny’s Smiles’ – in Feb he was a normal, active boy but within days was diagnosed with an incurable brain tumour. His parents Kelly & Jordan are amazing, equally his siblings Star,11, & Hudson, 8. https://t.co/K1vfwbAX2U pic.twitter.com/utob7k9hzu
— Emily Andrews (@byEmilyAndrews) June 27, 2020
Here you see her being given the rubber bracelet from Sonny Pope-Saunders. 
More from Emily Nash’s Hello story:
Tracy Rennie, acting chief executive of EACH, told her: “Sonny’s got you a present!” as he held out a white wristband inscribed with his fundraising slogan “Sonny Smiles” for her to take. Crouching down to chat to him, Kate said: “Hi Sonny, Wow, is that for me? Thank you very much Sonny, am I allowed to take it? Are you going to give it to me later?” After handing it to her with a smile, she popped it straight onto her right wrist.
Kate with Sonny (far left) and his family (from left to right): mother Kelly, brother Hudson (8), father Jordan, and sister Star (11). 
The Duchess’s bracelet. 
Sonny’s family hoped to raise enough money through a Go Fund Me effort for him to go to Disneyland Paris, but that trip may no longer be an option. Back to the Hello! story:
…mum Kelly… told Kate how she had taken her son to see the GP in February because he wasn’t himself. Within days he had been diagnosed with the difficult-to-treat brain tumour.
“It all happened quite quickly,” said the Duchess, who looked visibly moved and shook her head as Kelly added: “And then lockdown hit.”
The family had planned to take Sonny to Disneyland Paris in April and had to postpone but as his illness is now more advanced, it may no longer be possible.
Below, Kate with Sonny, his father, and sister Star. 
Hannah Furness reports in her Telegraph story, “…the Duchess got her hands dirty teaching Star Pope-Saunders, 11, her brothers Hudson, eight, and six-year-old Sonny how to loosen roots from the new pots to replant them.”
More about the garden from Simon Perry’s People story:
Once at the Nook, she worked for about an hour with a volunteer gardener, EACH staff and some families helped by the charity, to plant the garden using sensory plants including lavender, bay, and rosemary. The calming scene also has strawberry plants, herbs, geraniums, and hydrangeas in a lilac color scheme.
EACH reports the team used plants Kate bought when she visited Fakenham Garden Centre.
Back to Hannah Furness’s piece for The Telegraph:
The Duchess of Cambridge this week turned her green-fingered talents on her local children’s hospice, planting a summer haven of strawberries, lavender and sensory herbs for families.
The Duchess….put the finishing touches to a newly-designed patio area and boost the spirits of children living at and visiting the hospice.
You may remember Kate speaking with the Delf family during a Zoom call the first of the week: Carla, 13-year-old Stuie, and Stuart. 
The family lost 9-year-old Fraser Delf in January. While speaking with the family, the Duchess promised to plant a sunflower in memory of Fraser. Yahoo reports, “The sunflower has been adopted as the emblem of hospice care, with the seeds representing the patients and the petals representing love, care and compassion.” Below, Stuie and Fraser Delf.
Here is the Duchess with the sunflower she planted for Fraser today.
Fraser’s mother was touched to learn about the sunflower. Russell Myers has more in this Daily Mirror piece:
His mum Carla, 37, said: “I’m speechless. We are very touched as a family that she has done this and will be going to see Fraser’s sunflower when we can.
“Fraser was always quite girly, and he would have loved to have known a princess was planting a flower for him. He would be very honoured.”
It looks like Star Pope-Saunders helped with the sunflowers. 
Emily Andrews reports in The Daily Mail the Cambridge children are also growing sunflowers: “As they planted the seeds, Kate revealed that her children, George, six, Charlotte, five, and Louis, two, are having a sunflower-growing competition. ‘Louis is winning so George is a little grumpy about that,’ she said.”
The Duchess also spent time with Liam and Lisa Page and their baby, three-month-old Connor, born with severe brain damage. 
The Duchess also thanked EACH staff while she was there, saying, “The care and the nurture that you provide children and families in the most unimaginable circumstances is just awe-inspiring.”
Kate seemed to thoroughly enjoy her time at The Nook. 
A quick review of Kate’s EACH involvement begins in March 2012 as she arrived for the official opening of The Treehouse, an EACH facility. 
In 2014 the Nook, where Kate was on Thursday, was in planning stages: an architect’s rendering, fundraising goals, and a lot of hope. 
The Duchess was part of the formal fundraising launch for the Nook in November 2014. 
Here you see her at the launch with the founder of Britain’s iconic Emma Bridgewater pottery. A line of Emma Bridgewater ceramic pieces was created and sold as a fundraiser for the the Nook. 
That function was held at historic Houghton Hall. 
In January 2017, the Duchess received an update on the Nook status when visiting an EACH hospice in Quidenham. 
She took part in an art therapy session with 6-year-old Isabella Benton (above) and heard the latest on the Nook’s progress. 
And then the Duchess was back for the official opening of the Nook in November 2019. 
She toured the new facility and spent time with patients and their families before delivering remarks. 
As I mentioned in Tuesday’s post, the financial impact of the pandemic has been dreadful for children’s hospices, as well as non-profits around the world. More on the repercussions EACH is facing from this April background piece:
We are experiencing a devastating drop in income as our shops are closed and the vast majority of our supporters’ fundraising activities and our own events are cancelled or postponed. In the next 12 weeks alone, our loss of income is expected to be around £1,800,000.
We have had no choice but to suspend our planned care activities; including short breaks, wellbeing therapies, groups and events, face-to-face counselling and our Help at Home volunteering service.
The charity launched a COVID-19 emergency fundraising appeal in April. Click here to visit the Just Giving page for that fundraiser.
A financial sidebar from another of Kate’s patronages: Action on Addiction announced The Brink Café would not be re-opening. You may remember Kate was on hand when the alcohol-free bar and café first opened back on Valentine’s Day 2012. 
More from Action on Addiction:
We are very sorry to announce that as a result of the financial impact of COVID-19, The Brink Café in Parr Street, Liverpool, will not reopen when the government’s restrictions ease. Like many people and organisations, Action on Addiction, which has continued to support The Brink Café since its inception in 2011, has been adversely affected by Covid-19.
This is, however, a very sad moment for Action on Addiction. We are humbled by the strength of feeling that exists in relation to The Brink Café and would like to thank everyone for their heartfelt messages of support.
Now for our look at what Kate wore last Thursday. 
She was in the Marie-Louise Midi Dress ($189) by Faithfull the Brand. 
Done in the label’s Nefili Floral Print, the handmade, hand-dyed & hand-printed piece is 100% rayon. It features a vee-neck and faux front closure with self-covered buttons, a shirred panel to define the waist, puffed sleeves with rows of elastic at the cuff, an invisible back zipper, and a floaty A-line skirt. A closer look at the details.
The dress is available in limited sizes at Net-a-Porter ($189); as well as at Faithfull ($189); it is on sale at The Iconic (AUD $149.25, about $102). Many thanks to Sophie for her quick ID of the dress!
The print is also featured in the Mid-Summer Mini Dress ($169 AUD, about $115 at today’s exchange rates) and the Cuesta Midi Skirt ($159). 
Faithfull The Brand is based in Bali, Indonesia. It was started in 2012 by two friends, Australian Sarah-Jane Abrahams and Norwegian Helle Them-Enger. More from this Harper’s Bazaar story:
When it came to setting up the business, Indonesia was the obvious destination, Them-Enger says: “It was where we met and where the idea for Faithfull came about. It was a natural place to begin our business.”
Choosing Bali as the base allowed the company to give opportunities and support to local artisans and to communities who eventually became very closely linked with the business.
“It is important to us that we know how our products are made and who is making them. We want to keep a personal connection with each and every one of our employees to ensure they are well taken-care of. By being based in Indonesia and working so closely with these local communities, we are able to support and encourage local artisans to create beautiful handmade products.”
Kate brought back her Coco-nut Espadrilles (£135, about $167 at today’s exchange rates) from Russell and Bromley.
And we saw her Twisted Circle Drop Earrings (£5) by UK brand Accessorize. 
We’ll leave with this photo of the Duchess. 
NOTE: Masks are not required in England except for specific circumstances (public transport, hospitals); they “are encouraged in certain situations where social distancing is more difficult, such as in small shops.” Again, no comment, please on mask policies; that is not something I want to litigate in this space. Many thanks in advance for your help with this!
VIDEO:
The Royal Family Channel has 3-minutes+ of the garden planting at The Nook.
Here is 1:10 of raw video from ITV.
The Duchess of Cambridge has helped out with some gardening during a visit to a children’s hospice in East Anglia to mark #ChildrensHospiceWeek.
To watch more videos, click here: https://t.co/2EWcSv6NHD pic.twitter.com/hcaF8U7Cxf
— SkyNews (@SkyNews) June 28, 2020
This April piece from EACH explains the financial crisis the charity is facing because of the impact of the coronavirus. It runs about 1:45.
What we are facing is unprecedented. We know this is a very challenging and uncertain time for everyone, and for EACH the financial impact is overwhelming.
Please, if you can, donate: https://t.co/tYNt3nz290 pic.twitter.com/2bDlfTpPsG
— EACH (@EACH_hospices) April 11, 2020
LINKAGE:
- Children’s Hospice Week is managed by Together for Short Lives. Visit the organization’s website here; the group’s Facebook page is here; its Twitter feed is here; the charity’s Instagram page is here
- Learn more about EACH at the charity‘s website; you may also follow the organization on Facebook here, as well as on Twitter here
- The Daily Mirror piece is here; The Daily Mail’s coverage is here; a USA Today article is here; the Telegraph’s piece is here; an ITV story is here
- Emily Nash’s article for Hello is here; Simon Perry’s People piece is here
- The full Harper’s Bazaar piece about Faithfull is here
Echoing a lot of comments here but:
The dress is lovely. I’ve often had my eye on dresses from that brand but have never taken the plunge on one, they look perfect for hot and humid NYC summers.
Kate looks very well, very tan and healthy, she’s clearly been enjoying the outdoors.
It kills me that R&B doesn’t ship outside the UK, they have so many fabulous shoes.
By the way, I’ve loved your coverage of Kate’s fashion and all the flashbacks, it’s been such a breath of fresh air since the pandemic started. I appreciate you always being diplomatic and trying to strike the right balance with delicate issues.
Anyways I like the intention behind this event. Kate’s dress is a pretty generic and bland floral but it makes sense given that she is there to help with planting and to talk to kids. It is cheery and bright and while not memorable, a fun summer dress. I don’t like the wedges paired with the dress, they do not go with the look at all but Kate’s forté has never been shoes I’ve noticed. Her hair looks really good here. No wayward random curls and nice and sleek. It also looks recently cut.
I am quite certain that Kate is the only woman in the world that could come out of quarantine thinner, tanner, with better hair, and make that dress look good. She’s beyond incredible.
Dee,
Well said.
Absolutely love the straight hair!
Love the hair, the tan, the dress, the shoes… she looks 10 years younger. This just seems more Kate which should be more of the time.
Gardening and children — Kate is certainly in her element and shines in it. Bringing cheer to people in daunting circumstances has become her specialty. Her dress serves toward this purpose also. It must be heartbreaking to see these children and their families, but by being engaged in whatever it is they are talking about or doing, I think she manages to lift their spirits.
Kate looks happy and lovely- I especially love the lighter, straighter hair. The dress is floaty, pretty, and feminine- I like it very much, although I’m not crazy about the pale purple print, because I’ve seen prints by Faithfull the Brand that I like much better- but that’s just where tastes differ.
As for EACH, I hope they reach their fundraising goal. Such an admirable organization, helping families and children in unimaginably tough situations.
Such good work being done by these organizations, and kudos to Kate for her dedication to them. My heart goes out to all of these families.
Kate looks beautiful– her HAIR!! That is a hugely flattering style on her, and the dress is perfect. Bright, summery, flowery. And nobody wears a wedge like Kate!
This dress is so pretty-love the bright colors! Also, her hair looks beautiful. It always looks awesome, but it seems more natural and relaxed-like she’s doing her hair herself (which I’m assuming she is) and it’s just lovely!
Beautiful summer dress , espadrilles and that gorgeous straighter hairstyle ! Her gorgeous smile and confidence are truly inspiring and I’m enjoying all these posts !
What a wonderful engagement and I echo the sentiments lauding Kate’s emotional intelligence and composure. It was great to see the look back over the years at the engagements she has done in support of EACH and the Nook appeal. Clearly this is something near and dear to her heart.
I thought her hair, makeup, earrings and shoes were fantastic. The dress was just okay for me. She had to know she was going to be bending over, squatting down and getting her hands in the dirt, so I am surprised she didn’t wear a cute summer top and slightly fitted cropped slacks. For those worried about her engagement ring—no big deal at all—it will easily wash off and be no worse for the wear.
On a fashion sidenote, that icy pink gown she wore to the black tie fundraiser at Houghton Hall is probably my favorite evening gown she has ever worn.
What dress? Look at this woman . She looks better than she ever has. The unfussy straight hair makes her look years younger and her tan and simple makeup are perfection. It would not matter what she wore because she is just glowing.
You are so right, Karen! Kate has always looked great. but she looks years younger here. I think the tan and the straight hair are a big part of it, but I think the quiet time with her family at Anmer Hall has probably worked wonders. She really does look refreshed.
I simply love this dress on the Duchess. It’s simply cheery and everyone needs a bit of cheer these days. It made her stand out in photographs in a pleasant way as well.
It’s the imaginative contrast of colours that makes this Nefeli print so attractive. Bright turquoise with orange and yellow against a lavender base could be quite a daring mix, but it’s deftly turned into a sunny floral pattern. Pretty shirring at a high waist and on puff short sleeves with a deep V-neck all combine into a charming summer frock from Faithfull the Brand. I applaud their ethical ethos.
With her R&B espadrille sandals and bargain Accessorize earrings Kate looks every inch the summer patio gardener. Her straight hair continues to look well and contemporary. Too sweet how she gets stuck into the compost and enthusiastic potting, plus a lovely gesture that she herself should have picked out plants from last week’s garden-centre visit.
I feel several times more alive myself seeing Kate out in a new label and relating so happily to these very brave children. Such a tough subject to tackle, but Kate manages with charm and elegance to bring a vital project to life. Thanks for the handy review of her EACH outfits, I’m surprised as ever to discover something I didn’t like the first time round – her mother’s recycled blue shirtdress – looks fine here.
I love the way I can really like a dress, but don’t know why, & then you tell me, ElizaMo!! Your fashion breakdowns are so excellent. I agree that the blue shirtdress looked better in retrospective. And what a tiny waist! I didn’t notice it at the time, I just thought “that belt looks kind of imposed on that dress”!
Kate has quite the summer tan which means she’s been spending time outdoors with the kiddies. (Is there a pool at Amner Hall?) Also, her hair looks great!
A lovely dress and a special, meaningful visit.
I love those espadrilles and think they look so summery and comfortable.
Thanks for the flashback photos—so interesting to see Duchess through the years.
I wouldn’t know About the pool first Hand, but when you look at the satellite Picture of Anmer Hall on Google Earth you see a pool –> the Duke and Duchess must have a lovely summer with their Children in the countryside!
https://www.google.de/maps/place/Anmer+Hall/@52.8346379,0.5784549,173m/data=!3m1!1e3!4m5!3m4!1s0x47d78f837bf47981:0x7569ce28a996ced4!8m2!3d52.8343908!4d0.5797196
2012-love the hair and makeup. 2016- I never realized just what detailed beading that gown had and I know shes it at least twice?! Its beautiful!
The dress for today, Im not wild about the print but the style is nice. Its been so hot where I live and I get dirty when Im gardening, dirt under the nails somehow even with gloves. Yet Kate manages to look so polished and put together!
Kate is doing really good work, and bringing a bit of joy to the families and kids ❤
This is one of those times where I personally didn’t care what she wore; it is what she did during these tough times for a family that lost a child that mattered to me. And that was BEAUTIFUL!
Excellently put!
Yes! Couldn’t agree more!! Genuinely concerned and deeply compassionate.
I love a flowery, Summer frock on a hot day and Kate looks fantastic in this. The colours are perfect for her with a light tan, her hair looks great and minimal jewellery looks easy and Summery. Top marks from me.
I’m interested to see pictures of the Nook. Unfortunately my family had a child in the old Quiddenham hospice and whilst the staff were wonderful, the building was a very bleak place to be – I have very dark memories of that building. This new building looks so light and cheerful which must be much more comforting for families at difficult times. I’m so glad Kate picks up charities like this which do a lot to help people at their most hopeless and a cheerful smile and interest in their story is very welcome.
Oh, Fliss, I’m So very sorry you have firsthand knowledge of the need for children’s hospice. Thank you for sharing your insight.
Sending you a warm hug, Fliss. I am so sorry.
Over the past couple of years, I have been seeing more of Carole Middleton in the Duchess. In the last photo of her (sitting on the bench) of this post, I think she looks so much like her mother. It’s so interesting how family resemblances develop/change over time.
I 100% agree with the resemblance. 🙂
At first I thought this was Pippa when I saw that photo! So young and fresh. Kate hit the mark this time. Summery without being too much. She has such a way with people and especially children. I think it’s fantastic that they are taking small steps at getting back out there.
So true Jo! I always thought originally that Kate took after her father, but perhaps it was more a matter of colouring, as looking closer shows how much she takes after Carole, a resemblance that just seems to be growing. Maybe it’s the lighter hair, or the passing of the years is making the resemblance seem stronger?
Kate is such a gem! This overall look is fantastic, the dress a cheerful, fun floral that just makes one want to smile. I always adore her hair no matter how she wears it, and I find this straight style to be really flattering and non competing with her dress. Those earrings are perfect, and the shoes are easy to move in. She clearly likes to have a little height. I’m the same. Long torsos almost need just a little lift. I always feel a little awkward in flats!
On the subject of the engagement itself, wow. She just has such grace with the families. My heart is breaking for those children, and I agree with the poster who said maybe the Disney CEO could make something happy for darling Sonny. Perhaps we need several retweets to get his attention? I’m also so sad that these charities are losing funding and are unable continue with plans and programs. It’s such a loss for the people who rely on the Nook and on Action on Addiction. Hopefully now that she is able to do more in person engagements potential donors will be more aware!
I read all the story links provided and I was very disappointed that only one mentioned the difficult financial issues the charities and non profits are facing. How is the word to get out?
My heart goes out to Sonny and his family. How I wish there was a way for them to safely travel and to visit Disney Paris. Perhaps, Robert Iger, Walt Disney Chair, could make it happen.
The Duchess is doing a great job promoting her charities. She also looked lovely.
I can see the look she was going for but i’m not feeling it!Too mumsy and bland for such a outdoorsy setting.
The dress is very Kate, though I like the skirt and shorter version better. I find it beautiful that she thoughtfully picked sensory plants for the hospice, and then remembered to plant the sunflower too.
I can imagine that behind the scenes they’re all working very hard and doing what they can to fundraise, and are heartbroken over the cuts that their charities have had to make. For an occasion where she meets the families though, she has to be joyous, and appreciative, and graceful, without losing the gravity of the situation. It’s a delicate (deliKate, hah!) balance.
Thank you for the over-the-years summary! I’m struck by how Kate’s confidence has grown as her involvement has grown. The first look with the slightly oversized coat tightly held by the oversized belt almost visually shows that she needed to grow into her role, IMO.
I smiled at ‘delikate’. I couldn’t agree with you more regarding the Duchess’ poise and ability to strike that delicate balance at the Nook and with so many of her engagements. I really don’t know how she does it. What a head, albeit a beautiful one, she has on her shoulders.
Kate sure looks like she has been enjoying all of the sun we’ve been getting in the UK – her tan and the lighter hair really give her a wonderful glow. I really like the shape of the dress on Kate, with the v-neck and puffed sleeves, though I’m afraid the pattern and colours are a bit too 90s for me. Love that so many of the adults were wearing floral patterns though, I imagine any small act like that to help brighten spirits is always welcome in a hospice.
Kate is such a blessing. I so agree with the earlier statement about her emotional intelligence. Her composure is impeccable- hard for anyone to deal with such pain – but especially for a young mum! The pandemic has allowed us to become closer to the entire royal family. They have allowed us closer into their homes and allowed us to see a more real aspect of who they are. It has certainly been a silver lining. To know that they are struggling as we are and their bravery and good cheer has only added to my respect, and not lost any of the majesty .
Kate has also become more real – her kids, her home and her clothes- all more relatable to.
I love her hair , the side part and her eyebrows. She looks so much younger – not that she looked old! Just maybe more youthful and approachable.
Do you think she had the dress in her closet? Or ordered it on line? It is so cheerful and the pattern so appropriate and allows for her great stooping abilities!
Lovely post. I think Catherine looks lovely – very summery and healthy. I love her hair and the shoes. The dress looks very pretty – would just love it more without those puffy sleeves.
I like this whole look on her, very summer-like and cheery, fit allows her to move around in while not being too revealing, and pattern is pretty. Old fashioned while being young at the same time.
The straightened hair looks good. Maybe lockdown has been a nice break for her locks, LOL. Really having your hair done, colored, glazed, blow-dried, etc. puts a lot of strain on it.
Finally there is all the great work that people are doing to help these children. The reality these families are going to through is very tough. This pandemic has been a good reminder to people like me that there are more important things than consuming. Helping others, having a solid social infrastructure and living on a healthy planet are more important. I’ll be doing some small donations today.
Thank you for the post.
Another sad set of circumstance made just a little bit easier by Kate’s warmth and caring.
This dress is most appropriate for the hot weather the UK has been experiencing. It looks comfortable to wear and the V neck is flattering. The print is very pretty and has a nostalgic look to it. While I don’t care for shoes with wedge heels, these ones are not as exaggerated as some are. The gold tips on the toes adds a touch of whimsy. Kate’s hair is looking like she’s been able to see a hairdresser. This look is all round successful.
I like the dress pretty well although I could do without the puffed sleeves. But I am glad there aren’t a ton of ruffles on it like a lot of her floral day dresses. I live her hair straight like this…more youthful and modern than her huge curls. I’m not super keen on the espadrilles…I think I would have preferred sandals.
I love the “Laura Ashley” feel of this dress. It has a really 1980s feel which I must say brings me back to high school days! Kate’s hair is impeccable. I like it straight. I don’t think she is wearing her engagement ring, as another poster mentioned getting it dirty in the soil.
She wore her engagement ring; you can see it in several photos, including the one in which she’s holding dirt.
The engagement ring is visible in the second photograph. Luckily it’s made of rocks!
It sure is!
Lovely all round…however, I shudder to think of HRH’s magnificent engagement ring in all that potting mix!
Don’t worry Manda, it will wash!
Phew!
Catherine is so real! She is such a comfort to families going through the worst experience of their lives.
Covid’s economic destruction is heartbreaking all the way around, especially when you think of charities and nonprofits.
Catherine’s dress is lovely for a summer day! Floaty, casual, comfy, wonderful colors! Ladylike as befitting her station and incredibly workable!
Thank you for your welcome posts!
Has R&B ever shipped to the U.S.? I love these shoes, but it looks like they don’t ship out of the U.K. Any other stockists?
I don’t believe they have any stockists here. I do know people have used services like Ship2Me in order to purchase from R&B.
I used to order by contacting their customer service directly. I’d have to send a copy of my drivers license and a bill with my address on it, and then they would set up a time for a store to call me and process the purchase over the phone. I bought a few items this way! Unfortunately last time I tried, they said the service was suspended (this was last winter, so not Covid related) and I don’t know if it was ever reinstated. Such a bummer, since they make fabulous products!
Thanks for the info, Lindsay! 🙂
It takes real composure to keep it together at patronage events like these. Not to mention the exceptional emotional intelligence to know what to say to the families enduring something unimaginably awful. Kate does all this and STILL manages to look like she enjoyed herself, but in a way that was appropriate for the tone and the circumstances of the visit. I’m more impressed with Kate with every single public (or zoom) appearance she makes these days.
On to her clothes. I adore the espadrilles with the metallic sheen. Straight hair really suits her. The dress was perfectly appropriate. How does she maintain such a lovely tan year round?
Re: the tan – we’ve just had a very hot summer week in the UK and generally the weather during lockdown has been pretty good so I imagine Catherine has been able to take advantage of it at Amner while in the grounds with the children.
The dress is a pretty floaty choice for the engagement (Thursday was one of the hottest during the mini ‘heatwave’) so ideal for the visit and being of stronger hues does not look washed out in the strong sunlight.
Catherine is terrific on all her engagements but this seemed right up her street – outdoors, children, gardening and not too formal. She shows such empathy to the children and their parents.
I was thinking exactly the same thing. Kate really seems to have the ability to instinctively know how to react/behave in different social situations.
Now that she has grown into her role and gotten rid of most of her shyness, she really has come into her own. I think we are starting to see her own personality behind the royal facade, which is interesting.
Maybe not even William realised what an exeptional asset Kate will become to the RF.
Loved the summery dress it’s so Kate. And the way she really dug into the soil, looking like she enjoyed herself.
I thought I’d never say this, but I liked her straight hair. Also her minimal eye make-up makes her look younger and fresher.
Thank you Susan for the picture collage of the previous visits to the charity, it was very interesting.
I love how you walked through all of the prior engagements. I remember all of them, and it’s nice to see how them related and built to this moment. It’s tragic how covid has affected these organizations.
Love the dress on her; not sure I like it up close and personal. Kate can pull off all sorts of things that I would never think would look good.
The straightened hair looks great. A fun change, as I don’t remember her wearing it like this before.
A tiny upside of this horrible pandemic is that I feel like we have really gotten to “know” several members of the RF better. The interactions that they would usually have behind closed doors are suddenly right there for us to feel like we are a part of. It is obvious that they spend a lot of time learning about the topics they care about and represent.
Great post. Thank you.
I love the dress. It reminds me of Carole Little dresses from the late 20th century. She’s definitely in a flowered dress phase. As a gardener, I was a little surprised Kate didn’t wear gloves. There can be odd things in bags of potting soil, like twigs and pebbles and bugs, not to mention getting dirt under your nails. However, some gardeners don’t like to wear gloves and maybe she is one of them.
I don’t like wearing gloves unless I have to deal with prickly plants, like roses. I simply love the feel of dirt. It’s important to get dirty every once in a while!
More dexterity without gloves and a better idea of what going on with plant and soil!! And not so chic with a pretty dress lol 🙂
This dress gave me the same cheery vibe as her eggy yolk coloured pullover from Zooming/lockdown days! So it obviously was perfect for the job (love that Bali is getting some support: it will need it with all the Australians not able to go there). The planting scheme sounded like a colour match with the dress! Yes it was v 90s frock…but what’s wrong with that?! It’s 2020, so surely time for a revival. Everything old is new again, every 20 years or so! I don’t know Carole Little, but I have to agree with Rachel: it’s got Laura Ashley written all over it. I wore Laura Ashley dresses at Uni that immediately reminded me so much of this. The memories! You have to be as slim as Kate to pull it off (didn’t she look great walking in?) & I guess we were. The whole look is so perfect for what she is doing that day, & the here & now in her life. Her hair looks lovely, lightened & straightened. Who could not but be proud of her, getting stuck right into it…..& yes, she stayed miraculously clean! Obviously gardening is her thing, & equally obviously, she’s been getting plenty of practice in lately. I really like those earrings, of all her simple ones. The way she keeps wearing them shows they are genuine favourites & not just chosen by a stylist to make Kate’s wardrobe more “relatable”. The dress is reasonably affordable too. It’s a tactful choice not to be wearing Euro designer in these times, but I also like to think so much of her wardrobe reflects what she would have bought had she married some other boy from Uni. I like to fantasize that she still chooses & buys a lot of it herself: she used to be snapped clothes shopping in the past. Maybe i’m dreaming….or maybe she’s become an online shopper like so many (although I have tried to avoid it like the plague, no pun intended! Our little local shops need us, & so many of them have stayed open right through in Australia, although closing v early. It is deep dark winter here, & the economy struggles at the best of times.). Kate’s makeup is definitely a bit toned down: it works. And looks great with the tan (am envious of those coming out if lockdown into some good weather!). Even her voice seems to have got a bit deeper in the video clips, with all the exposure & experience of the years. Or maybe it’s just that she is chatting so quietly & naturally with the kids. She is starting to look that tiny bit older, when you see the retrospectives, but in a great way. V sad to hear of permamemt closure of so many great charitable ventures. I remember the Brink opening. I can see Kate keeping her distance while seated, but seems to get up close & personal at times. I guess the people she met would have ok’d that, & she has seemed to have a v brave attitude about her own welfare, in starting to head out. She could easily have stayed hunkered down at home. I hope they had lashings of hand sanitizer everywhere!
Definitely! The children don’t have gloves on either. I feel like they would ask, “Why are you wearing gloves?” which would make things unnatural and kids would think it weird (I would as a child anyway.) Kate has always preferred a more natural approach to things, so no gloves seems more her style. It adds that down-to-earth element.