The Princess of Wales has delivered a powerful message to the UK's corporate elite, championing a business culture that values compassion as highly as commercial success.
A New Blueprint for Business
Speaking at a summit in the City of London hosted by her Royal Foundation Business Taskforce for Early Childhood, Kate addressed a gathering of senior executives. She passionately argued that profitability and positive social impact are not mutually exclusive. Her rallying call urged a fundamental shift in priorities, asking leaders to value time and tenderness just as much as productivity and success.
The future Queen explained that her dedication to early years development, which she has described as her life's work, is rooted in a core belief. The love we feel in our earliest years fundamentally shapes who we become and how we thrive as adults, she stated during her opening speech on Tuesday 18 November 2025.
Weaving a Stronger Social Fabric
Kate elaborated on the interconnectedness of all environments, from the home to the office. Every one of you interacts with your own environment; a home, a family, a business, a workforce, a community. These are the ecosystems that you yourselves help to weave, she told the assembled leaders, which included figures like Richard Walker, executive chairman of Iceland Foods, and Dame Amanda Blanc, Aviva group chief executive.
She challenged them to envision a world where every environment is built on this balanced foundation. Directly addressing the core tension of modern business, she asserted, As business leaders you will face the daily challenge of finding the balance between profitability and having a positive impact. But the two are not and should not be incompatible.
The Economic Imperative of Early Investment
The event served to drive action based on a report produced by the taskforce in 2023. This report outlined a series of interventions for businesses, including:
- Creating a culture that prioritises childhood.
- Supporting parents with greater resources and workplace flexibility.
The report made a compelling economic case, stating that the nation could benefit from an estimated £45.5 billion through strategic investment in early childhood.
In a poignant conclusion, the Princess emphasised the universal value of care. I believe in restoring the dignity to the quiet, often invisible work of caring, of loving well, as we look to build a happier, healthier society, she said.
Demonstrating her deep personal commitment, Kate decided to stay for the afternoon session after her speech and a private lunch, rather than departing as scheduled. A source close to the event noted, She stayed on this afternoon to hear more about how current taskforce members are inspiring some of the biggest businesses in the UK to make change too.
