Kate shadows midwives and consultants in private maternity unit visit

The Duchess of Cambridge has spent two private days in a London hospital’s maternity department, learning about the work of staff.

Kate shadowed midwives and consultants at the maternity unit of Kingston Hospital in south-west London during Tuesday and Wednesday, the Court Circular – the daily record of official royal engagements – has revealed.

With three children under the age of seven – Prince George, aged six, four-year-old Princess Charlotte, and Prince Louis, who is 19 months old – the duchess is focused on improving early-years support for children and their parents.

Kate has established a steering group of experts to look at the issue and they have been working on producing what the duchess’s Royal Foundation website has described as a “significant new body of work”.

The group, which first met in May 2018, is considering how the duchess and foundation can help improve the outcomes for youngsters, looking at preparations for parenthood, pregnancy, and a child’s early years.

In a letter to the steering group, released earlier this year, Kate said: “There are undoubtedly challenges in trying to bring about the transformation that will make positive change for generations to come, and help break the inter-generational cycle of disadvantage and trauma, yet I am inspired every day by the people I meet and am committed to supporting this endeavour…

“I hope my long-term commitment to working in the early years will help make a difference over a generational timescale.”