The Princess of Wales shared touching moments with young children during a visit to a leading mental health charity, where she learned about a groundbreaking new programme designed to support health visitors.
A Hands-On Royal Engagement
During her visit to the Anna Freud Centre in north London, Kate, who is the charity's patron, engaged warmly with parents and their toddlers who are helping to shape a new training curriculum. The future Queen's Royal Foundation Centre for Early Childhood has launched this initiative in partnership with the renowned mental health organisation.
The princess was seen cooing over toddlers and even had her fingers held by eight-month-old Judah while chatting with his father, Andy Apraku, a secondary school teacher from Croydon. At one point, the infant even began sucking on her fingers, prompting a light-hearted comment about him being hungry.
Kate also tried to make friends with 13-month-old Amelia Baddeley by offering her a red toy car, successfully engaging the toddler who wandered over to play with the royal visitor.
Shaping the Future of Early Years Support
The new training programme, which is currently being developed with input from parents, grandparents, and experts, is expected to launch next year. It aims to enhance the work of health visitors in supporting the early social and emotional development of children.
Professor Eamon McCrory, Anna Freud's chief executive, emphasised the programme's focus on nurturing the key skills that form the bedrock for future life outcomes. He noted that the princess specifically highlighted the importance of including lived experience in such projects to ensure what's developed is accessible, relevant, and needed.
During her visit on Thursday 27 November 2025, Kate told participating parents: "Thank you for being part of the programme, it really matters." She also participated in discussions with experts, academics, teachers, and child psychologists about the crucial role of trusted relationships in childhood.
Continuing a Legacy of Child Welfare
The institution Kate supports as patron continues the work of its namesake, Anna Freud, the pioneer of child psychoanalysis and daughter of Sigmund Freud. She established the Hampstead War Nurseries in 1941 to address the social and emotional upheaval faced by children during wartime, which evolved over decades into the current centre of teaching, research, and service provision.
Before concluding her visit, the Princess of Wales took time for a brief meet-and-greet with members of the public and chatted with children from a neighbouring school, demonstrating her ongoing commitment to early childhood development and mental health initiatives.
