The Duchess Wears Gucci for Early Years Q&A Video

Hello-Hello, I am back with a brief follow-up to the post from Friday that covered the results of landmark research into the Early Years (pregnancy through age five) in the UK. Over the weekend, two more videos about the results were released, and Friday’s post was already so long it makes more sense to put the new information in a separate post. 

We’ll start with a new four-minute video with the Duchess. 

Last week the Kensington Palace Instagram page solicited questions about the Early Years project. 

In the new video, the Duchess answers some of the questions. 

Thank you so much to everyone who submitted a question throughout the week – we’ve seen such an incredible response, touching on so many different aspects of the early years.

This is just the start of the conversation. Thank you for being part of it. pic.twitter.com/jqqV3sMV2R

— The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge (@KensingtonRoyal) November 28, 2020

 More from this People story: 

“I just want to say a huge thank you to everyone who sent in their questions. There are a huge number here with loads of wonderful emojis attached to them,” the mother of three said in a video posted on Instagram.

And from this Hello story: 

When asked during the session what sparked her interest in the Early Years, the Duchess replied: “I actually get asked this question a lot. I think people assume because I am a parent, that’s why I’ve taken an interest in the Early Years.

“I think this really is bigger than that. This isn’t about – just about – happy healthy children, this is about the society I hope we could and can become. Right from the early days, meeting lots of people who are suffering with addiction or poor mental health, and hearing time and time again that their troubles now in adulthood stem right back from early childhood experience.”

Kate chuckled when talking about a question that asked, “How do you manage toddler tantrums in your household especially with multiple children?” 

The Duchess said, “Yes, that’s a hard one. I’d also like to ask the experts myself.”  More from The Daily Mail: 

On the subject of temper-tantrums, deputy head of the Early Years programme at the Anna Freud Centre, Alice Haynes, intervened using her own experience with her two-year-old son after the duchess joked she wanted advice for that question herself.

She said: ‘When my son has a temper-tantrum, I try to put into words how I think he might be feeling in a slow and calm and gentle way.’

And from this Hello story: 

The royal even opened up about her own childhood after being asked: “What did you like most in your childhood?”

“That’s a very good question,” started Kate. “I loved spending time outside and that has stuck with me for my whole life.”

This weekend’s second item was the fifth video in a series covering 5 Big Insights from the Early Years research. The first four insights: 

• Insight #1: People overwhelmingly believe that a child’s future is not pre-determined at birth. However, most of us don’t understand the specific importance of the early years. 
• Insight #2: 90% of people see parental mental health and wellbeing as being critical to a child’s development.
• Insight #3: Feeling judged by others can make a bad situation worse. 70% of parents feel judged by others & among these parents, nearly half feel this negatively impacts their mental health. 
• Insight #4: People have been separated from family and friends during the pandemic and at the same time parental loneliness has dramatically increased. Disturbingly, people are also less willing to seek help for how they’re feeling. 

Here is Insight #5: During the COVID-19 pandemic, support from local communities has substantially increased for many – but not for all. 

And lastly, the fifth and final Insight from our #5BigInsights: During the COVID pandemic, support from local communities has substantially increased for many – but not for all. pic.twitter.com/uvTsbpR8nA

— The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge (@KensingtonRoyal) November 28, 2020

Also this weekend, a column in The Telegraph featuring one of the doctors working on the Early Years project, Dr. Xand van Tulleken, an associate professor of public health at University College London who worked on the research project along with his twin brother, who is a virologist. In the piece, he talks about why he wanted to be part of the project and his experiences working with the Duchess. 

What drew us both to her cause is the very different approach it has taken from other similar projects we have been involved with. This is not a flash-in-the-pan campaign, with a well-known name as the figurehead, peripherally involved. Nor is it one person’s whimsical idea that it would be ‘nice to do something for children’.

As was absolutely clear at that very first meeting, the Duchess has shaped this project. She is absolutely across the research and the data on early years. It would be easy for her to sit back and hand it to the experts in the room that day, with all their PhDs. But, as we saw, she has worked hard to become an expert herself. That interest in early years will outlast politicians and even scientists.

Below, the Duchess at HMP Send, a women’s prison, in January while rolling out the Early Years 5 Big Questions research survey. 

We return to The Telegraph column: 

The mental health of parents with early years children is another issue the survey’s findings highlight. Last week, the Duchess began a conversation to try to nudge our priorities as a country around these issues. There are many very good organisations working in the early years space, but not many can match the Royal Foundation’s reach and scope. Especially since it has done that rare thing: it has asked questions rather than, as is so often the case in this area, telling parents what to do. Such an approach allows you to build a strong base for a long-lasting commitment.

There is nothing insubstantial about this work.

Now for our look at what Kate wore in the new videos, starting with the piece answering questions about the project. 

The Duchess brought back a much-discussed piece, a blouse first worn for a March 2019 visit to a children’s center.

It is the Gucci Silk Crepe Pussy Bow Blouse ($1300). Made of 100% silk satin georgette in a color called ‘pale violet orchid,’ the blouse featured a loose silhouette, self-covered buttons, and distinctive bow. 

The chatter about the blouse was prompted by Kate’s decision to wear it ‘backward,’ with the buttons going down the front instead of the way it was modeled in online images. 

In the new video, the Duchess also wore her “Alia” style (£62) earrings by Welsh brand Spells of Love, shown below as worn for a previous engagement.

In the Insight #5 video, the Duchess wore her Zara Waffle Knit Blazer.

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Friday’s post also included Black Friday shopping discounts. Many of those offers are still in effect. Below, additional deals offered for Cyber Monday.  

• Catherine Zoraida has Kate’s Fern Hoop earrings discounted by 20%. 
• Kate’s Parker Trousers are 30% off (now $175), as is her Dora Clutch (also now $175) in the LK Bennett sale.
• Bobbi Brown, whose makeup Kate wore at her wedding, is offering 30% off sitewide. 
• Boden is offering 30% off womenswear (there are some exclusions) with promo code N7X7.  (Not on sale, but available for pre-orders: Kate’s Abercorn Scallop Cardigan ($110) with shipping expected in 11 weeks.) 
• Annoushka is discounting its collections by 20%, bringing the price of Kate’s Baroque Pearls from £369 to £300 (about $400 at today’s exchange rates).
• The Brora USA site is 25% off everything except face masks.  (This ends at midnight, which could be midnight GMT, so you may want to shop this one sooner than others.)    
• Goat is taking 30% off a ‘select group of merchandise‘ with promo code AW20PREVIEW
• Orvis has quite a few Barbour styles on sale. Shipping is free with promo code SHIPFREE.  
• John Lewis has a selection of discounted Mulberry merchandise and some Barbour styles that are 20% off.  
• Tory Burch offers 30% off full-price goods and up to 60% off its sale section with promo code THANKS. 
• Temperley London is offering a sizable selection of discounted goods, including a few knit tops priced at £135. 
• Hobbs is taking 30% off everything on its US site.  

LINKAGE: 

• The Royal Foundation’s microsite about the 5 Big Insights is here; the full research report may be read here; a video of Kate’s keynote address to a forum on the research results is here.
• The Daily Mail’s story about the Q&A video is here; The Mirror’s piece is here; a Hello article is here; People’s story is here