It was a packed day for The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge in Luton yesterday, where Prince William offered his support and advice to bereaved children, revealing he misses his mother every day.
Picture by: James Whatling
The visits started in the city’s iconic Bute Mills, to see local organisations working with young people, with a focus on mental health and emotional wellbeing. Following a £3.2 million renovation, the building re-opened in April as the new home for Luton-based, national charity Youthscape.
William and Kate will meet people working with mental health organisations CHUMS and Our Minds Matter. Both local organisations are striving to raise awareness and address stigma issues.
While touring the facility, William and Catherine joined a group of youth in the kitchen where they had been making brownies.
Catherine shared how, when she tries to cook with Prince George, the ingredients for the sweet treat they are baking end up all over the place and there is so much mess. (Can you imagine how cute an Anmer Hall Kitchen photoshoot could be?) The Duchess tucked into a brownie and said they were delicious.
Kate also mentioned that her son, now 3, would really enjoy the sensory play with spaghetti.
Picture by: Splash News
Next, the Duke and Duchess visited Keech Hospice Care, where they met with families who use the centre and volunteers who work there.
Keech Hospice Care’s mission is to help children and adults to live pain and symptom free, to spend time with their family and friends, to understand what is happening to them, and to stay out of hospital.
William and Kate attended a reception before unveiling a plaque to mark 25 years of the adult hospice.
Picture by Eddie Keogh/WPA-Pool
William did something while visiting the hospice that we don’t see him do often…he spoke of how much he misses his mother. The Prince did this when speaking to a family receiving bereavement services after losing their mother.
“It’s OK to feel sad.” William said, “I know how you feel. I miss my mother everyday.”
Diana, Princess of Wales died almost 19 years ago, on 31st August 1997 in a car crash in Paris.
It was the stand out moment of the visit seeing William opening up on such a deeply painful subject to help a family going through the same terrible time he did. Prince Harry recently spoke of his regret not opening up about his grief in another event for mental health awareness.
I really love it any time Catherine visits a children’s hospice facility. She is such a natural with children and you can tell that she really cares…here’s hoping for a special visit while in Canada too.
Finally, the Duke and Duchess visited Hayward Tyler Luton, to present them with The Queen’s Award for Enterprise (International Trade), and to open their newly built Centre of Excellence. Hayward Tyler provides submersible motors to all the Royal Naval submarine fleet.
This article was first posted on A Petite Princess
