The Princess of Wales has written a heartfelt letter paying tribute to Ty Hafan children's hospice to mark Children's Hospice Week. She hailed hospices as "extraordinary places" that allow youngsters to "experience joy, belonging and the freedom to be who they are".
Princess Praises Remarkable Work
The princess praised places like Ty Hafan in Sully, Vale of Glamorgan, as "remarkable". It comes after Kate followed in the footsteps of Princess Diana when she was made patron of Ty Hafan children's hospice. The announcement was made in January 2025 during a surprise trip to the hospice on the outskirts of Cardiff.
She is also the royal patron of East Anglia Children's Hospices (Each). Kate described the specialist centres looking after children as providing families with a "dependable, compassionate and restorative space to breathe" and said staff were "dedicated professionals who walk alongside families at every stage".
Chief Executive Expresses Gratitude
Irfon Rees, chief executive of Ty Hafan, said Kate's message "reminds us all of the importance of supporting your local children's hospice so that no family has to live their child's short life alone".
In her letter marking the week, the Princess of Wales wrote: "Children's hospices are vibrant, joyful and nurturing environments where children can simply be children; to play, explore, express themselves and connect with others. For families, hospices offer a dependable, compassionate and restorative space to breathe, be together, and find strength in a community that understands their journey. This expert, holistic care is delivered by dedicated professionals who walk alongside families at every stage, often over many years, throughout a young person's life and, when needed, into death and bereavement."
Children's Hospice Week
Led across the UK by Together for Short Lives, the charity for children's palliative care, Children's Hospice Week is the only week of the year dedicated to raising awareness of children's hospice services and runs until Sunday.
The princess added: "When we shine a light on the remarkable, yet often unseen, work that children's hospices do to help families live as fully as possible, we can break down one of the greatest barriers they face: the fear that reaching out means giving up hope, or that care only begins at the very end. Even in the most challenging circumstances, when children are surrounded by attuned care, opportunities for expression, and environments that nurture their whole selves, they can experience joy, belonging and the freedom to be who they are. These extraordinary places remind us that even in the face of serious illness, childhood remains a time of creativity, connection and possibility."
Support from Charity Leaders
Ty Hafan chief executive Mr Rees said: "We are deeply grateful for the ongoing support of our Patron, HRH The Princess of Wales, for Ty Hafan and indeed the whole children's hospice movement. In this message Her Royal Highness has shared during Children's Hospice Week, the princess talks of the joyful, vibrant and nurturing environments of children's hospices and also of how they provide dependable, compassionate and restorative spaces for families facing immense challenges. By doing so Her Royal Highness is drawing the attention to the profound difference that children's hospices, including Ty Hafan, make to the lives of so many families and reminds us all of the importance of supporting your local children's hospice so that no family has to live their child's short life alone."
Nick Carroll, Together for Short Lives' chief executive added: "Across the UK, children's hospices help families live as fully as possible together, with expert care and support at every stage. As the princess reflects, that support is there from the moment a family needs it, as they navigate their child's life, death, bereavement and beyond. Helping more people understand this means more families feel able to reach out for care."
