Kate temporarily drops ‘royal’ status to help young children’s development – Inside the Palace

CATHERINE TEMPORARILY DROPS ‘ROYAL’ STATUS TO HELP YOUNG CHILDREN’S DEVELOPMENT

The Princess of Wales appeared to temporarily drop her ‘royal’ status to become a primary school helper for the day, accompanying a group of children on a minibus to the National Portrait Gallery.

I understand the executive minibus ride was organised and paid for by Kensington Palace, but many of the children on the bus had no idea who the Princess was – they were far more interested in the fun activities on offer, rather than their VIP helper.

On Tuesday, Catherine helped guide four and five-year-olds around a new interactive trail, which aims to help with their social and emotional development.

It is based on a new framework, which the Princess launched on Sunday, aimed at increasing awareness of Britain’s social and emotional skills. The free trail, open for six weeks to families and school groups, is the first project associated with Her Royal Highness’s initiative to persuade society to prioritise early childhood development.

Research has found that a decent early upbringing is crucial to improve a child’s life chances, making addiction or poor mental health (for example) less likely. During the trail, the children were encouraged to look at the portraits hanging in the gallery, and identify their emotions through their facial expressions – they also had a go at drawing their own self-portraits.

I understand rhe Princess has been working behind the scenes on her Early Childhood initiative for a number of months, and the new ‘Shaping Us Framework’ is expected to be used by other organisations across the UK.

Catherine’s long-term ambition is to change the way society prioritises the early years, but this is a big challenge.

Her Royal Highness cannot shape government policy in her role, but her public profile can highlight issues which would otherwise be overlooked.

Kate temporarily drops ‘royal’ status to help young children’s development

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WILLIAM SACRIFICES HIS SHOES TO HIGHLIGHT PLIGHT OF FARMERS

On Thursday, I spent the afternoon on a muddy farm in Angus with Prince William, known as The Duke of Rothesay in Scotland.

East Scryne Farm, near Dundee, produces around 800 tonnes of strawberries each year to sell to the UK’s major supermarkets.

He sacrificed the cleanliness of his suede lace-up boots (thankfully my leather ones wiped clean) to inspect the damage caused to the Polytunnels by the recent storm.

Repairs will cost around £200,000 – which is uninsurable due to a huge payout from a previous storm in 2012.

This highlighted the unpredictability farmers face on a daily basis, an industry already reeling from the effects of the recent Budget.
55 per cent of East Scryne Farm’s production costs are on labour, so the rise in employer National Insurance contributions means the farm is taking an even greater hit. A Government spokesperson previously said: “We had to take difficult decisions in the Budget to restore economic stability and clear the path for growth as part of our plan for change.

“As part of this, we are providing the certainty businesses need by capping corporation tax for the duration of Parliament and locking in permanent full expensing to boost investment.”

Staying politically neutral, Prince William focused on spotlighting an issue that often goes unseen.

Rural mental health and isolation were the topics the Prince discussed with a round table of young farmers, supported by Yellow Wellies: a UK-wide charity addressing attitudes and behaviours to farm safety and poor mental health in the next generation of farmers (under 40s).

The Prince told the group: “Mental health is a particular thing I care about – young male mental health particularly, although not exclusively. I love the countryside and I love farming as well, and I’m conscious that it’s an area that needs a little bit of support in understanding that there’s [support] out there for young farmers and all farmers. As well as making sure we are breaking down any taboos and stigmas around mental health. Because I think, in the farming world, it’s maybe not talked about as much as it is in other sectors and yet we know it exists. Isolation and mental health is all there.”

I understand rural mental health is something Prince William wants to challenge more and more.

Since acquiring the Stewardship of the Duchy of Cornwall, he has launched a mental health strategy for Duchy tenants “designed to prioritise farmers’ mental health and de-stigmatise the issue within the agricultural sector.”

Prince William pictured in Angus earlier this week

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KING INVITES HOLLYWOOD ROYALTY TO HIGHGROVE

King Charles continued his own ‘Slow Food’ philosophy at Highgrove last night during a special black tie dinner before the upcoming State Visit to Italy in April.

In a speech heard by guests, including the Hollywood actor Stanley Tucci and Italy’s Ambassador to the UK, Inigo Labertini, His Majesty said: “Good food brings people together and what we choose to eat helps to define us – as families, communities and nations. It brings us sustenance, but also comfort. It binds generations, as recipes are passed down from one to another. It is a thing of beauty – “edible art”, as you have put it, Stanley! And I know that it provides – as it doubtless will this evening – a topic of endless fascination and discussion around every Italian family dinner table. But it is about more than that: how we produce our food, and indeed our fashion, and how we source it is intimately entwined with the very future of our planet, and our ability to continue living on it sustainably.”

The food and drinks menu, some of which was grown in the King’s own garden, was created using entirely British ingredients blended with Italian culinary traditions and local flavours.

Buckingham Palace said the menu “aims to fully embody the principles of Slow Food”.

The Slow Food movement began in 1986, following nationwide protests in Italy over a McDonald’s fast food chain being placed in Rome’s iconic Piazza di Spagna.

It promotes “the right to good, clean and fair food for all, and strives to preserve traditional and regional cuisine”.

It is understood last night’s event also promoted Slow Fashion; The King and Queen met King’s Foundation students and were shown clothes made using heritage skills.

The garments aim to be more sustainable because it is hoped people will buy fewer, higher-quality items which last longer.

I suspect, however, that these clothes are far more expensive; in a cost-of-living crisis, many citizens tend to go for the cheapest option.

KING TAKES A SHINE TO ‘FRESHLY SHAMPOOED’ DOG

The King certainly knows his military regiments – something The Polish Social and Cultural Association (POSK) soon discovered when they guided His Majesty around their new art exhibition on Wednesday.

Works by the late Polish Jewish artist, Felix Fabian, were on display in the gallery of Europe’s largest Polish community centre, including a portrait of the Life Guards.

I was in the room, covering His Majesty’s engagement on behalf of UK broadcasters, when I heard him make the correction: “I’m afraid they’re not the Coldstream Guards, they’re the Life Guards!”

King Charles was pointing out the incorrect label below the painting, which read “Coldstream Guards.”

Ever the polite gentleman, His Majesty laughed off the mistake and took it in good spirits.

Shortly after, the King made his way upstairs for a reception with the Polish community, making a point of shaking hands with as many people as possible.

He spent time reconnecting with World War Two veteran Edmund Niedzielski; the 102-year-old told me he reminded His Majesty how he fought on the beaches of Normandy, and remarked how good the King’s memory was.

Outside, it was a white fluffy Pomeranian dog, named Prudence, who got the biggest laugh.

During a walkabout with members of the public, he joked with the dog’s owner: “You’ve just had it shampooed!”

The King’s wife, Queen Camilla, owns a rescue Jack Russel, Bluebell, who she adopted from Battersea Dogs and Cats Home.

Her Majesty was left “heartbroken” when her other beloved dog, Beth, was put to sleep in November last year.