Kate Talks Feeling Broody & Why She Loves Being a Princess in Ballymena

Day two of the Baron and Baroness of Carrickfergus' visit to Northern Ireland focused on organisations working to create a brighter future for the next generation.

The day began at Hillsborough Castle where they met with members of the Police Service Northern Ireland.

The private meeting saw the couple meet members of the PSNI who have been affected by mental health issues.

They discussed the challenges policing presents and support mechanisms.

A royal source told The Mirror: "William and Kate requested to meet the police officers and the staff at the PSNI to discuss the work being done to provide mental mental support for those in the service. William has spoken candidly about how he was supported during his time as an air ambulance pilot and he was very interested in the concept of sharing of ideas and experiences between all of the emergency services and armed forces so that the best results can be achieved. The Duke and Duchess had some great ideas about how that can work across the country and it's something they are both passionate about."

Chief Constable George Hamilton said "It was lovely that the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge had asked to meet police officers to get an understanding of the pressure they're under from a wellbeing perspective. I think the staff certainly appreciated the opportunity to talk to Their Royal Highnesses".

From there, William and Kate travelled to Ballymena, a town in Country Antrim.

A very warm welcome awaited the couple with a large crowd cheering as they arrived.

The Duchess greeted locals and thanked them for coming out.

Kate was particularly taken by one little boy named James. She told his Dad Alan: "He's gorgeous. It makes me  broody". Alan laughed and asked "Baby number four?". Kate replied "I think William would be a little worried".

🎥 Little James Barr was a huge hit with the Duchess of Cambridge here in Ballymena.

Kate Middleton joked that he’s “making her feel broody”! 👶🏼 pic.twitter.com/LRRVK137zD

— Damien Edgar (@damien_edgar7) February 28, 2019

Nine-year-old Hannah Ritchie told Kate she's writing a biography of her for school.

She knelt down and asked Hannah if she had any questions for her. Hannah asked her why she likes being a princess. Kate said meeting "special people like you" much to Hannah's delight. The Duchess added: "I love working with young people. Everyone is so brave and strong in some of the places we go. It's very nice to meet you. Good luck with the biography." Valentine Low captured a video of the meeting.

This is Kate telling Hannah what she likes about being a princess. Video courtesy of Bronagh Dobbin. pic.twitter.com/QsVW6BesG0

— Valentine Low (@valentinelow) February 28, 2019

More from The Telegraph:

'Teacher Susan McKeegan said: "I told her that in literacy we are doing biography, and one of my pupils is doing a biography about her. She asked who the pupil was. I introduced her to Hannah. She very nicely went over and spoke to her, and asked if she had any questions."

 Ms McKeegan told the Duchess: "She is going to have a quote direct from you for the biography!" She added: "Hannah was excited, and really hoping she would get a chance to speak to her. She [Kate] was lovely and genuine."

Kate's private secretary Catherine Quinn was by her side.

And longtime protection officer Emma Probert.

A wave from Prince William.

A video from the walkabout.

Their next stop was the Braids Arts Centre.

They visited the charity Cinemagic, who have used film, television and digital technologies to engage with over 500,000 young people.

The charity uses visual arts to increase opportunities and develop skills for young people from all backgrounds.

Cinemagic embraces the magic of film and offers young people the chance to develop real skills, explore opportunities, and reaffirm their belief in what they want to do and their own ability to achieve it. The charity has recently  produced two feature films, A CHRISTMAS STAR and GRACE AND GOLIATH; secured worldwide distribution for both films; developed award-winning “behind the scene” documentaries; produced over 100 short films; and supported hundreds of young trainees to secure work in the film and television industry. Well known patrons that share in its ethos include Pierce Brosnan, Liam Neeson Saoirse Ronan, Colin Farrell, Suranne Jones, Paula Malcomson and Julian Fellowes.

They watched a brief performance.

A video of the couple participating in an arts and crafts session.

Their final stop was a visit to Ballymena and Little Steps Sure Start.

The programme supports parents with children aged under four years old living in disadvantaged areas in Northern Ireland. William and Kate learned about some of the different programmes that Sure Start provides to understand how the organisation supports parents and provides best practice for early years work.

There was a darling moment when Kate met a little girl in the creche wearing a pink tutu.

She gave Kate a little bunch of daffodils. Tomorrow is St David's Day in Wales, daffodils are traditionally worn to mark the day.

Another photo of the meeting? Definitely :)

During a chat with parents, they discussed parenthood struggles. More from Hello!

'The Duchess of Cambridge bonded with fellow mothers over their parenting experiences during her visit to Ballymena on Thursday. Kate, who is mum to Prince George, Princess Charlotte and Prince Louis, chatted to parents at the St Joseph’s SureStart facility, where she praised mothers who had overcome their "struggle" with breastfeeding.

Speaking after the visit, one mum, Rebecca White, said: "They were really encouraging about breastfeeding. They said we were all doing a good job, that it was really hard, it was a struggle and well done for keeping going."

The Duke and Duchess also spoke about the sleep deprivation they experience with their three young children, saying they choose to get up in the night whenever George, Charlotte or Louis wake rather than rely on their staff. Kathryn Ward, a 26-year-old mother-of-two, revealed: "They were chatting a bit about sleep deprivation. Even though they get the help that they have, they’re still parents as well and want to get up with their own kids. So they understand the stresses and pressures were going through, even though they got a couple of people more hands on. They were fantastic. Really on our level."

A video from the final engagement.

Kate hit a stylish note in the lavender blue Mulberry Ashleigh cape coat.

The £1995 lavender blue coat is described as "A reinterpretation of the iconic trench, the full length Ashleigh Coat takes a new look at the trench design, featuring a removable shoulder cape, oversized collar and a belt to cinch the waist." It's been sold out for some time.

The coat is from the Autumn/Winter 2018 Collection.

Several of you noted the coat is reminiscent of several of the designs worn by Emily Blunt in the recent Mary Poppins Returns movie.

And of course the one and only Julie Andrews.

Others noted similarities between the look and the Beauxbatons from Harry Potter.

The Duchess wore a bespoke fitted Jenny Packham dress in rich blue.

A closer look at the belt.

The Duchess wore her navy suede Rupert Sanderson Malory pumps.

Kate carried her Jimmy Choo Celeste clutch in navy.

And accessorised with Diana's sapphire and diamond earrings.

A quick recap of Kate's Northern Ireland wardrobe: Yesterday, the Duchess arrived in her red Carolina Herrera coat and L.K. Bennett boots before quickly changing into the Barbour Longshore Quilted Jacket, Ralph Lauren sweater, and Sweaty Betty x New Balance trainers. Last night, it was a mint green Missoni lurex dress with Kiki McDonough jewellery and Gianvito Rossi pumps and a Mulberry clutch. And today it was Mulberry and Jenny Packham.

And that's a wrap for William and Kate's Northern Ireland visit. The trip encompassed their interests in mental health and working with young people combined with their love of sports and the outdoors. I was delighted to see Dame Mary Peters honoured at the reception last night, it was incredibly fitting for the couple to meet her on the day she was appointed Lady Companion of the Most Noble Order of the Garter by Her Majesty the Queen. Today's walkabout was another highlight with quotes and great interaction. We've seen several historic trips to Northern Ireland in recent years and I've long been hoping to see William and Kate undertake a longer visit there. As the future King and Queen Consort, it's vital they utilize these years to forge links across the UK and Commonwealth. Speaking of which, I do hope we'll see a royal tour for the Cambridges soon. Where would you like to see them visit?

We also have word on engagements for the couple next week:

Tuesday, 5 March - The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge will join the Queen and members of the royal family for a reception at Buckingham Palace to mark the 50th anniversary of the investiture of the Prince of Wales.

Wednesday, 6 March - An away day in Blackpool for the Duke and Duchess. They will first visit Blackpool Tower where they will join a roundtable briefing about the town’s recent history and investments underway. William and Kate will spend time on ‘Comedy Carpet’ on the promenade. From there, it's Blackpool Central Library where they will join two separate discussions focusing on issues and initiatives of particular relevance to each of their ongoing charitable interests. The Duchess will continue her work on early childhood and join people involved in Blackpool’s ‘A Better Start’ programme. Finally, the Duke and Duchess will visit Revoe Park, a recently revamped community garden and park that has been transformed.

What were your highlights of Royal Visit Belfast?

Kate in Green Missoni Dress for Belfast Reception

The Baron and Baroness of Carrickfergus concluded a busy day in Belfast with a party at Empire Music Hall to celebrate young people who are making a difference.

The Duchess arriving.

William and Kate arrived in Belfast this afternoon and began with a visit to the Irish Football Association where they learned about several initiatives supporting young people to progress in sports and supporting the mental health of youngsters. The sporty day saw the royal couple take to the pitch for a game of football before travelling to Fermanagh to visit charity Extern at residential activity centre Roscor Youth Village. It was canoeing, archery and walking tightropes before they returned to Belfast for this evening's reception.

The Empire Music Hall is one of Belfast's musical hotspots offering three floors of bars, blues, rock, jazz and comedy.

The Duchess surprised guests by pulling a pint of Harp.

As William took his turn he said: "Look at that bad boy. Perfect. It's good enough for an advert."

The Prince looked very pleased with the results :)

The band LARKS took to the stage; guests encompassed representatives from Northern Ireland’s business, arts and sport sectors.

The evening was hosted by the Queen's representative Mrs Fionnuala Jay-O’Boyle CBE.

The Baron and Baroness were delighted to meet Dame Mary Peters.

Earlier today Dame Peters was appointed Lady Companion of the Most Noble Order of the Garter by Her Majesty the Queen.

In medieval times, King Edward III was so inspired by tales of King Arthur and the chivalry of the Knights of the Round Table that he set up his own group of honourable knights, called the Order of the Garter. Nearly 700 years later, the Order is the oldest and most senior Order of Chivalry in Britain. The knights, now both male and female, used to be limited to aristocracy, but today they are chosen from a variety of backgrounds, in recognition for their public service.

Mary Peters was born in Lancashire, but moved to Northern Ireland when she was eleven after her father's job was relocated. During her time at Portadown College the headmaster introduced her to athletics. In the 1972 Summer Olympics in Munich, Peters won the gold medal in the women's pentathlon, setting a world record score. The win came at the height of the Troubles. After her victory, death threats were phoned into the BBC: "Mary Peters is a protestant and has won a medal for Britain. An attempt will be made on her life and it will be blamed on the IRA... Her home will be going up in the near future." Despite this, Peters insisted she would return home to Belfast. She was unable to live in her flat for three months after her return due to fears for her safety. In 1975, she established the Mary Peters Trust to support talented young sportsmen and women, both able-bodied and disabled, from across Northern Ireland. Today, the trust is Northern Ireland's leading sporting charity. 

During a speech, William praised Mary Peters work. More from the Mail Online:

'Catherine and I are grateful to be amongst so many inspirational young leaders this evening. Over the course of the day, we've had the great privilege of meeting some of you personally and seeing first-hand the work that you are doing.

From using sport to encourage people to talk openly about mental health to delivering services to children and young people who are at risk of entering care or custody - the work you do transcends community divisions and is helping deliver a brighter future for everybody in Northern Ireland. And as we celebrate those who are leading that change for the next generation, it is also fitting that we recognise somebody else in the room this evening - who helped inspire so many of you in the first place.

'Mary Peters, is not only one of the United Kingdom's sporting legends, she's also inspired generation after generation to come together in times of trouble and work for the common good - a lesson I hope many of us can learn from. So it was fitting today that Her Majesty The Queen has appointed Mary to be a Lady Companion of the Most Noble Order of the Garter - one of the UK's highest honours. And I hope you can all join me in thanking and congratulating her personally this evening.' 

Amid an incredibly challenging time in the UK, William's speech brought Brexit to mind. More from Martin Robinson:

'The Duke of Cambridge has urged people to 'come together in times of trouble and work for the common good' in a speech echoing the Queen's call for unity on Brexit as he pays a visit to Northern Ireland. Meanwhile the second-in-line used the opportunity to praise individuals seeking to work for 'the common good', which was thought to be a thinly veiled reference to Brexit, in a speech which echoed the sentiments of the Queen's a month earlier.'

A video from the night with footage of William's speech and the couple pulling pints.

William and Kate departing.

The Baroness looked elegant in the mint green Missoni Metallic Lurex Dress (with thanks to Middleton Maven). I suspected we would see Kate in green for the visit at some point; this was a very nice choice for the occasion.

Made in Italy, the £1,325 dress is described: "Missoni's whisper-weight mint Lurex dress is woven with shimmering threads and has an elegant V-shaped neckline - the pleated midi skirt looks really classic, too." The lightweight knit piece is available at Net-A-Porter.

Kate teamed the dress with her favourite Gianvito Rossi praline pumps.

Kate carried her Mulberry Bayswater clutch.

And debuted new Kiki McDonough jewellery tonight.

The pieces are from Kiki's Candy collection. The £2,100 mini Green Amethyst smooth cut stone earrings are set in 18ct gold with dazzling diamonds (with thanks to Emma and Laura).

The Candy Mini Green Amethyst and Diamond pendant.

To view today's earlier post covering William and Kate's sporty afternoon please click here.

The couple will have several engagements in Northern Ireland tomorrow before returning to London. Due to security reasons, I expect we won't see the itinerary until the morning.

Did you enjoy day one?