The Duchess Wears Iris & Ink for Lancashire Engagements

Today, the Duke and Duchess were in Lancashire for multiple engagements. Their first stop was at Clitheroe Community Hospital. 

They were at the hospital in their roles as joint patrons of NHS Charities Together. They spoke with staff members to hear about their personal experiences through the pandemic.

NHS Charities Together reports, “East Lancashire has been one of the areas worst affected by Covid-19. The relentless pressures on services and tragic loss of patients and colleagues have inevitably taken a toll on all NHS staff, with nearly two-thirds saying their part in the response to the pandemic has had a negative impact on their mental health – and many reporting depression, anxiety and even post-traumatic stress.”

Kensington Palace social media noted the Duke and Duchess were “At Clitheroe Community Hospital in Lancashire today to meet with staff who work both here & across this rural community, and hear about their experience in response to COVID-19. Pressures across the local system have meant that teams here have felt the strain of the pandemic.”

I believe an NHS Charities Together grant funded the benches you see below.

More from Simon Perry’s People story.

William and Kate met with doctors, nurses and other health workers at Clitheroe Community Hospital. The couple was particularly interested to hear how NHS Charities Together, which the couple has promoted through the last two years, has supported hospitals and their staff over the past two years.

More from The Burnley Express: 

Staff at Clitheroe Community Hospital say Prince William and Kate Middleton’s visit provides “a huge boost” to the entire team at a time when colleagues are feeling exhausted.

The royals met a four-legged staff member-in-training. (Slight exaggeration.)

That is Alfie, a cockapoo puppy being trained as a therapy dog for patients and staff.

More from The Telegraph’s story. 

The pup, who is being trained to support patients and colleagues at Clitheroe Community Hospital, in Lancashire, liked the Duke so much he even gave him a lick on the cheek.

The Duchess also enjoyed a cuddle with the animal, who she described as “so sweet” – but said the family’s own pet may be a little jealous at the attention given to Alfie.

“Our dog is going to be very upset,” she said.

The duo also met Jasper, a six-year-old cockapoo who has been a therapy dog for years. Kensington Palace reports that NHS Charities “..funding has provided two therapy dogs – six-year-old Jasper and Alfie, who is brand new to the team! An NHS Charities Together grant is covering Alfie’s expenses and training.” Below, one more photo from the hospital visit.

The next stop for the royals: Church on the Street in Burnley. On the right, you see Pastor Mick Fleming.

More from Mail Online’s coverage: 

Mick is a former drug dealer who set up Church on the Street in 2019 to help the homeless and people living in some form of poverty in Burnley and surrounding area. Since then, the project has grown and the Church now offers refuge and a safe space for anyone in the community that may be struggling, including those having difficulty with their mental health.

Occupying a former gym, Church on the Street provides a food bank, a clothing bank, hot showers, laundry facilities, a café, recovery groups, addiction and mental health support, access to a qualified counsellor, and a safe space for up to two hundred people at any one time. 

The royals wanted to meet staff members and volunteers and hear about their motivations for working at the facility. A Kensington Palace social media post noted, “Located in one of the most deprived areas of Lancashire, this small charity called Church on the Street is creating vital support for those struggling with:  homelessness, addiction, and mental health issues.” 

The Duke and Duchess posed for photos. Here you see the couple with Deacon Glover, age 11, who lost his mother last year.

We return to the People story.

Fleming told PEOPLE that William showed great empathy with a young boy who had lost his mother — like the prince. 

“They were amenable and down to earth and really engaged,” he said. “They sat down with some of the guys who come in here and with myself. They used their own experience to talk to them. There was a young boy who has lost his mother and the prince talked to him about it and spoke about losing his own mother and passed on his experience.”

“He said, ‘Don’t stop talking about your mother,’ and gave him his own perspective. It was a very touching moment,” he added.

The Duchess with Trudi and Alastair Barrie and their daughter, Anastasia. 

Rebecca English of The Daily Mail reports, “William, looking at his wife gazing adoringly at the baby, said: ‘Don’t give her any ideas!’ amid much laughter. ‘You can’t take her with you,’ he told Kate, smiling.

The couple looked like they enjoyed their time at Church on the Street.

Lady Parky tweeted a video of the Cambridges as they left Church on the Street. 

…and this of them leaving.. #DuchessofCambridge #DukeofCambridge #churchonthestreet #burnley #cambsinlancs pic.twitter.com/TShJwBhbME

— Lady Parky by day Mrs Parky by night… (@LadyParky79) January 20, 2022

Now for our look at what Kate wore today. 

Many recognized her Cashmere Wool Camel Coat by Massimo Dutti.  Made of 95% wool with 5% cashmere, the style features a double-breasted silhouette with front flap pockets, peak lapels, and a deep back vent. The coat was paired with the turtleneck and probably the skirt in mid-March of last year when the Cambridges visited an ambulance station in East London. UPDATE: With thanks to Rachel for her comment, the turtleneck does not look like the one worn in March as seen below.

We first saw the Duchess wearing the coat in January 2020, then the March 2021 engagement mentioned above, and once more during the May 2021 Scotland trip. 

The separates appear to be by Iris and Ink. The label is a house brand for The Outnet, the discount/off-price arm of Net-a-Porter.  More specifically, she was wearing the Éloise turtleneck ($190) and Ernestine skirt ($215, now sold out): Both pieces are a blend of 95% merino wool with 5% elastane that is described as a mid-weight knit. The top has a standard turtleneck collar, and the skirt features an elastic waistband and fluted hem; both are made with contrasting ribbed panels. 

If the styles look familiar, it may be because the Duchess wore the same pieces in green in a Remembrance video released by Kensington Palace last November.  

The Duchess wore a new pair of boots. Possibilities include the Saint Laurent Jane 95 (below left) or Saint Laurent Jane 90 Boots (below right), with thanks to Mallory and Middleton Maven for the ID possibility and insight.

One FYI, what looks like a zipper pull with the YSL logo is just an embellishment (shown above on the left). Both pairs are pull-on styles. We do not have terrific photos of the boots; I’m not 100% convinced this is what she is wearing, although it certainly looks like it could be a match. I’ll be more comfortable when we have a better view of the boots. 

The Duchess brought back her Mini Pyramid Charm Hoop Earrings ($110) by Missoma.

I’ll leave you with one more photo from the Church on the Street engagement.  

LINKAGE: 

• The NHS (National Health Service) Charities Together site is here; its Facebook page is here, its Twitter feed here, and its Instagram page here. Read an NHS Charities post about today’s visit here. 
• The Burnley Express piece is here; The Daily Mail’s coverage is here; The Daily Mirror’s article is here; The Evening Standard’s piece is here; a BBC profile of Pastor Mick Fleming is here. 
• Simon Perry’s People story is here; A Hello story and photo gallery are here.