William & Kate Kick Off 2017 Engagements With Patronage Visits

The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge today visited the Child Bereavement UK centre in Stratford to help mark the location’s first anniversary.

The couple joined in on a Family Support Group session, speaking with families currently receiving support from the charity as they come to terms with their grief over the loss of a loved one, and learning about their Memory Jar exercise.

“You know I lost my mummy when I was very young too. I was (15) and my brother was 12,” Prince William told nine-year-old Aofie, whose father died of cancer, before saying it was “very, very important” to talk about the loss and not let any emotions remain bottled for too long.

The Duke and Duchess also spoke with volunteers and professionals who work with the centre to offer support.

Earlier in the day, Kate – who was wearing a royal blue coat dress from Eponine – also visited one of her own patronages, the Anna Freud Centre, at their Early Years Parenting Unit in Finsbury Park. Here, the Duchess was told about the support offered to families with children under the age of five.

Participating in a ‘theraplay’ session with mothers and their young children, Kate listened to their stories and experiences that led them to require support for themselves and their children, acknowledging that “parenting is tough”.

Filed under The United Kingdom
Tagged Children, Patronage, The Duchess of Cambridge, The Duke of Cambridge.

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