The Duchess in a Casual Ensemble for her First Engagement as Joint President of the Scout Association

We learned of a new role for the Duchess today, as Kensington Palace announced she is the Joint President of The Scout Association with The Duke of Kent. 

HM is the Patron of the Scout Association. As far as I know, this is the Duchess’s first role as president of an organization. Kensington Palace released a video about the news. 

Today The Duchess of Cambridge has become Joint President of @UKScouting with The Duke of Kent. pic.twitter.com/I1t0JA8TEq

— The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge (@KensingtonRoyal) September 29, 2020

Many will recall the Duke of Kent is President of the All England Lawn Tennis and Croquet Club. Here you see him with the Duchess at Wimbledon last year. 

The UK Scouting Association supports almost half a million people from all backgrounds aged 6-25, helping them learn skills needed to prepare for their futures. It is the largest co-educational youth movement in the country. 

The Duchess was a Brownie when she was young and has long been a scouting supporter.  You may remember her at a very snowy scouting event in 2013. 

The Scouts site notes: 

HRH The Duchess of Cambridge, who has helped Scouts in so many ways over the last eight years, is the first woman to hold this post in our 113 year history. Together with HRH The Duke of Kent she champions the power of Scouting and oversees the Council, the Scouts’ governing body. Beginning her support for Scouts as a volunteer while living on Anglesey, The Duchess has been a great friend of the movement and a constant champion for young people. She is a great believer in the power of volunteering and has a particular interest and expertise in early years’ education. 

Below, Kate at the annual Scouts parade at Windsor Castle in April 2013.   

Here you see her with Beaver Scouts in 2014. 

In 2016 she helped scouts celebrate the organization’s 100th anniversary. 

In a statement, the Duchess said, “For many children and young people, The Scout Association plays a key role as they build relationships and develop the skills they need to succeed in later life.” 

In March of last year, Kate joined scouts at the organization’s headquarters to learn about a new program for four and five-year-olds. 

To mark today’s announcement, the Duchess spent time with the 12^th Northolt Scout Group in West London.  Below, arriving with Matt Hyde, the CEO of UK Scouting. 

She wanted to hear how they have adapted to conditions created by the pandemic. 

Today’s activities were with Beaver and Cub Scouts. 

More from Simon Perry’s People story. 

Kate, 38, headed to an economically-challenged area of northwest London to join the scouts as they showed her how they have been able to go back to their groups since the coronavirus pandemic and take part in socially-distanced activities.

The group made whirly-bird paper helicopters.

Working on her whirly-bird. 

It looks like a Whirly-bird Faceoff. 

More from The Daily Mail’s coverage: 

Speaking to Beaver Scouts while cutting out and decorating whirlybirds, she said: ‘It is a shame you haven’t been able to go on any camps. It has been hard to get out and see your friends.’

After her whirlybird fell to the floor, she said: ‘I don’t think I’ll get full marks.’

The Duchess also spent time with youngsters making cards as part of Care for Care Homes, a program connecting scouts with people in care homes. 

The Cub Scouts, aged 8 to 10, were working on the cards. 

Here is a quick video from Richard Palmer of The Express as Kate roasted marshmallows. 

The Duchess of Cambridge has been roasting marshmallows and doing other activities with Cub and Beaver Scouts in Northolt, west London. She today became joint president of The Scout Association with The Duke of Kent. The Queen is patron of the organisation. pic.twitter.com/rPeAQrJ6PL

— Richard Palmer (@RoyalReporter) September 29, 2020

 She laughed with the children as they ate their marshmallows. 

Kate spoke with volunteers to thank them for all of their work on behalf of scouting, and also chatted with parents and carers of those receiving support from the scouts.

And she was given the Silver Wolf Award medal, the Scout Association’s highest award; the Duke of Kent has also been awarded this honor.  

Now for our look at what Kate wore today. 

We begin with the Massimo Dutti Sky Blue Plain Shirt in Pure Linen ($69.90).

The piece is 100% linen with a straight, loose cut. It also features a button front, point collar, long sleeves with button cuffs, side vents, and a shirttail hem. The shirt is made with fabric from the brand’s Join Life collection, “sustainably grown European linen [that] is naturally irrigated [with] no genetically modified seeds or defoliants…An environmentally friendly and water-saving process.” Many thanks to Anna for her DM suggesting this was the shirt, as well as Janine on Instagram. 

The Duchess brought back the Massimo Dutti Skinny Fit High-Rise Satin Trousers ($69.90) that we first noted back in June when she visited a garden center.

The trousers are made of a cotton/lyocell blend with a polished finish, five pockets, zip front, belt loops, and a snug fit. The product description points out the fabric is “TENCEL®Lyocell…. made of wood sourced from sustainably managed forests that guarantee reforestation.”

I think Kate wore her Really Wild Nubuck Vest today but want to take a closer look because the color looks darker than her Loden Green version in some photos. UPDATE 7:30 pm: After looking at lots of photos, I don’t think Kate is wearing the Loden Green vest. It looks more like the Really Wild Nubuck Waistcoat (£495, roughly $640) in dark brown seen below right.   

The one caveat: the buttons on Kate’s vest today do not match those shown online. Kate’s are not stamped with the Really Wild name (shown below right) as the buttons are seen in photos on the company’s site. It’s possible that when the Duchess purchased her vest that was not the case; we have no way of knowing how long she has had the piece.

We also saw the return of a UFO belt.  It’s interesting that in some lighting it almost looks like it has an iridescent sheen.

The Duchess’s face mask today looks like another Amaia Kids style.

It looks like the style made with Blue Pepper fabric (£15, about $20).   

This is a Liberty London print, and the masks are made with a double layer of the fabric with an additional layer that is a 50gr TNT filter; three filter refills are included. 

Kate wore her See by Chloé Liegi Ankle Boots, a combat-style boot made in suede with leather trim and a chunky sole.

It looked like the Duchess had on her official UK Scouts Adult Scarf (£8.50). It is “…blue with a red, white and blue border and a Union Flag badge on the apex.” 

The Duchess brought back the Spells of Love necklace first noted at last week’s parenting meetup at Battersea Park. The Double Strand Beaded Satellite Chain Necklace (£85, roughly $110 at today’s exchange rates; US shipping is £8.35) in 18K Gold Vermeil over sterling silver. 

Kate also wore the Gold Disc Circle Earrings (€49, about $58) by All The Falling Stars, the Galway-based jewelry firm whose necklace she wore last week.

The event was conducted within the current UK guidelines for masks and distancing. A gentle reminder comments are not the place to discuss/debate the merits of masks, current regulations, etc.  

VIDEO: 

Here’s a terrific video with Mona, who speaks about the ways her brother’s life has changed since he joined the Cub Scouts. 

Earlier today, The Duchess of Cambridge met young people and their families who’ve benefited from Scouts.

Watch Mona’s story below to find out how her brother’s life changed when he joined Cubs (and what it’s really like to meet The Duchess of Cambridge). pic.twitter.com/TIo4tJT457

— The Scouts (@UKScouting) September 29, 2020

 The Royal Family Channel offers about three minutes of video from today’s event. 

The Telegraph’s video offers some fairly clear audio of Kate chatting with the Scouts. 
 
The Evening Standard’s video is just about one minute. 

LINKAGE: 

• The UK Scouting website is here; the organization’s Facebook page is here; the Twitter feed here; the Instagram page is here
• The Scouts page with news of today’s announcement is here
• IN the USA you can learn more about the Girl Scouts by clicking here; visit the Boy Scouts site here
• The Daily Mail’s coverage is here; The Daily Mirror’s story is here; The Telegraph’s news story by Hannah Furness is here; the paper’s fashion piece by Melissa Twigg is here; article is here; 
• A Hello story is here; Simon Perry’s People piece is here; a Harper’s Bazaar article is here;