Radio host Roman Kemp has described a surprisingly ordinary yet surreal moment involving the Princess of Wales during a visit to his parents' home for a mental health project.
A Surreal Royal Encounter
The 32-year-old presenter revealed that upon arriving at the residence of his parents, Martin Kemp and Shirlie Holliman, the future Queen immediately noticed everyone was shoeless. Kate Middleton, 43, then offered to remove her own shoes, creating what Roman called a 'surreal' sight.
He told The Sun: "I remember when she arrived she could see everyone else had taken their shoes off so she offered to take hers off. It was surreal. Somehow you never expect to see a member of the Royal Family in their socks!"
Building a Friendship Through Mental Health Work
The encounter stemmed from a professional collaboration that blossomed into a personal connection. The Princess of Wales initially approached Roman to film content for a mental health initiative and had originally proposed using his own house for the filming.
Roman suggested using his parents' property instead, which led to the memorable shoeless meeting. The correspondence didn't end with the visit, however. Roman disclosed that a few weeks later, Kate sent a heartfelt thank-you letter which his mother has kept.
The letter contained a charming personal touch, with the Princess mentioning that Prince George loved the juice served during their visit and even asked if there was any chance of getting more.
"Working with her was amazing," Roman added. "She very kindly wrote me a thank-you note too, which I have framed on my wall at home."
Launching a New Initiative for Parents
These personal revelations coincide with the launch of a significant new project spearheaded by the Princess. Kate's Royal Foundation Centre for Early Childhood has invested £100,000 into research examining how parents can better manage technology-related distractions that often interfere with family life.
The programme aims to help families strengthen their relationships by minimising disruptions caused by digital devices, according to the Express.
Christian Guy, executive director of the Royal Foundation Centre for Early Childhood, explained the initiative's importance in a statement: "There have been numerous studies about how digital devices impact relationships, but there is currently a lack of evidence about what is causing people to turn to their digital devices at times when it is interrupting family life and, importantly, how to help people reduce this unwanted interference."
The Centre is seeking to address these gaps in research to find practical solutions that will make a tangible difference to the daily lives of families across the UK.
