Kate Hopes 'Back To Nature' Encourages "Quality Time Outside For Families"

The Duchess of Cambridge returned to the RHS Chelsea Flower Show this morning to show a group of children her garden.

The visit was an opportunity to see the benefits of the garden in action with a group of children and a chance to thank the group of collaborators involved in the project since its inception.

The Palace shared an excellent video of Kate discussing the garden and the importance of nature.

Kate said: "It really ties into some of the early years work I've been doing and I've been really trying to learn about the impact, the importance and relationship of our early childhood experiences on our later adult life. An amazing fact I learned recently was that 90% of our adult brains are developed before that age of five. That's why I think it's so important that all of us whether we're parents or carers or families members really engage in quality time with children and babies from a really, really young age".

The Duchess continued: "I really hope this woodland we've created, in a huge collaboration, really inspires families and kids and communities in general to get outside. Enjoy nature. Enjoy the outdoors and really spend quality time together". 

The Duchess also discussed scientific research and the skills children learn outside "It's really an open playground".

Kate climbs the treehouse.

A helping hand.

Kate and the children enjoyed an array of outdoor activities including reed boat baking and marshmallow toasting.

A closer look at the leafy display.

Kate chose boulder hopping in the Lake District as a treasured childhood memory.

The Duchess posed for a photo with the group.

The Duchess with landscape architects Andree Davies and Adam White, of Davies White Landscape Architects. The trio have worked closely since last autumn to make their dream for 'Back To Nature' a reality.

On Instagram, the Palace thanked all those who joined Kate.

A fun video from the visit.

In case you missed it, the Palace shared a fantastic video from the Cambridge family visit yesterday. It's full of moments featuring the children playing and having fun. At one point, William asks Charlotte if she wants to help George and she replies "No". She also says "Ooh la la" whilst exploring. George is seen climbing rocks and pointing out elements to William (he's such a big boy now). And don't miss Louis making a beeline for the camera :)

More from the Mail Online:

'Meanwhile Kate's children, Prince George, five, Princess Charlotte, four, and Prince Louis, one, were actively involved in collecting twigs, logs and moss from around Anmer Hall, their Norfolk home. They built a rustic tepee-style den and fire pit at the heart of the garden. 'They've been involved every step of the way and the duchess was excited for them to see the finished result,' said an aide. Children – both hers and others – have always been at the heart of this project.' 

Hello! reports:

'The Duchess of Cambridge has admitted her children surprised her during their visit to her woodland garden at the RHS Chelsea Flower Show. When she returned to the garden on Monday morning to show it to a group of schoolchildren, Kate revealed: "The children played last night in a way I hadn't imagined. They were throwing stones. I hadn't actually thought that that was what they would be doing.
"They kicked their shoes off, and wanted to paddle in the stream… using it in a way that I hadn't anticipated," she added.

As she helped children from two local primary schools make little boats from reeds and launch them into the stream, Kate got down on her knees and told them: "Now we need sticks to get these ones going."

Later as she sat by the fireside helping the youngsters to thread marshmallows on to sticks to toast over the fire, she said "I love the smell of the smoke," she said. "It's great, isn't it?" One girl, Maya Bell-Springer, six, from Christ Church primary school in Battersea, who was sitting in a mini-den made of hazel sticks, beamed with delight as she said: "It is lovely and relaxing." She said afterwards: "She helped me cook my marshmallows. It was awesome."

We've seen several casually stylish ensembles from Kate this week. 

This morning, she wore the elegant Mabel Shirt by M.I.H. Jeans. The $325 broderie anglaise piece features scallop trim on the neck and puffed sleeves. The delicate floral detail is very pretty. It's currently available at Orchard Mile.

Kate teamed the shirt with a pair of buttoned culotte trousers by Spanish brand Massimo Dutti (with thanks to April Girl). 

Kate's belt is an older Massimo Dutti style (with thanks to Middleton Maven).

The Duchess opted for her comfortable Superga Cotu Sneakers. They are available in multiple colours at Nordstrom.

Kate accessorised with her £135 Monica Vinader Siren Wire earrings.

And Cartier watch.

The Duchess will return later today with the Queen and other members of the royal family.

The Cambridge Children Explore Kate's 'Back To Nature' Garden!

Following last night's release of new images of the Duchess involved in the finishing touches for her 'Back To Nature' garden, the Palace had another very special surprise in store tonight. As thought, Kate and William took George, Charlotte and Louis to the RHS Chelsea Flower Show which was, in part, inspired by the Cambridge children's childhoods in Norfolk and Kensington Palace. It's the most informal shoot of the family we've seen to date, with a selection of outstanding candid family shots. It's fantastic to see official shots of the Cambridges and their children against the backdrop of one of London's most stunning annual attractions.

Kate very much wanted 'Back To Nature' to evoke the beauty and wonder of time spent outdoors. She filled it with memories, from her own childhood in Bucklebury, to forget-me-not in memory of Princess Diana; she even included a memory from the Queen (I'm looking forward to finding out which element was inspired from HM). Most of all, the garden is about stressing the importance of outdoor play and the endless benefits it offers for the generation of children currently growing up today - both physically and mentally. It's the latter that's played an integral part of this project for the Duchess, indeed, it's been reported she's been concerned about the vastly increasing amounts of time children are spending in front of screens rather than outside in the fresh air. She read Richard Louv's 2005 book Last Child in the Woods. The author coined the phrase "nature deficit disorder" in the book.

The importance of the message the garden delivers is demonstrated beautifully in these images, taken by Matt Porteous, who has photographed the Cambridge children several times. From exploring the garden, to paddling their feet in the stream, the hope is 'the Kate Effect' will encourage families to spend more time outdoors. The Palace says Back To Nature "seeks to recapture for adults the sense of wonder and magic that they enjoyed as children, in addition to kindling excitement and a passion for nature in future generations".

Following in Mum's footsteps, Charlotte road tests the swing :)

And not one to be left behind, Louis gives it a go - with a little assistance from Dad.

Kate recently revealed Louis is keeping them on their toes; as you can see he's very eager to go and looks like he's ready to run to the camera in this photo.

The photo is reminiscent of George's first birthday portrait, taken at the Natural History Museum.

It's possible Louis wore George's red stripe Neck and Neck dungarees. You might remember, the prince wore them for his polo debut on Father's Day 2014.

Charlotte was pretty in pink in Rachel Riley's Ditsy Floral Button Front dress.

Take a look at this video. It's full of moments featuring the children playing and having fun. At one point, William asks Charlotte if she wants to help George and she replies "No". She also says "Ooh la la" whilst exploring. George is seen climbing rocks and pointing out elements to William (he's such a big boy now). And don't miss Louis making a beeline for the camera :)

It appears the Duchess wore the Floral Ruffled Maxi Dress from & Other Stories (with many thanks to Laura).

The piece is described as: "Long sleeve button up maxi dress in an allover floral print with a waist tie, puff shoulder and ruffled hem, mandarin collar, slanted front pockets and a three button cuff".

A shorter version of the dress is also available from & Other Stories.

Sophia from Regal RepliKate identified Kate's earrings as the £8 Accessorize Polly Petal Drop earrings. They are available at Accessorize and Next.

A matching necklace is available for £15.

And Kate completed the look with a pair of Castaner Carina wedges (with thanks to Danielle). The Carina style is available in multiple colours at Net-A-Porter.

We'll see Kate with members of the Royal family including the Queen tomorrow for the garden's official unveiling. The Duchess will also speak about the creation of the garden on BBC's show from RHS Chelsea Flower Show.

Kate Gets into the Swing of It at RHS Chelsea Ahead of Garden Unveiling

Ahead of the unveiling of Kate's RHS 'Back To Nature' garden at the Chelsea Flower Show on Monday, Kensington Palace has offered a sneak peek at the completed project along with several new images of the Duchess. Kate visited privately on Wednesday and Friday, and spent over twenty hours digging, planting and overseeing the finishing touches. The image below shows Kate road-testing the swing. It's been a real treat to have a behind-the-scenes look into the endeavour, which looks fantastic.

In January, it was announced the Duchess had spent several months co-creating the RHS 'Back to Nature' garden. Inspired by childhood memories of the natural world and moments that will be created by families in the future. The vision for the garden was to recapture for adults "the sense of wonder and magic" they enjoyed outdoors as children. It is understood the Cambridges' Norfolk bolthole Anmer Hall served as inspiration and the final result will include features from their own garden. 'Back To Nature' is packed with elements evoking childhood, including a treehouse, waterfall and stream, rustic den, campfire and stepping stones. Indeed, it's been reported Kate will take George, Charlotte and Louis to see the garden in the coming days. Whether that will be Monday's preview day or a private family visit is not known yet.

“I believe that spending time outdoors when we are young can play a role in laying the foundations for children to become happy, healthy adults.” - The Duchess of Cambridge.

The Palace revealed the garden is "filled with incredible edibles, plants for craft activities, forest scents and a diverse range of plants, shrubs and trees of different heights and textures". The garden includes forget-me-nots, a favourite of Princess Diana.

The Telegraph reports:

'The Duchess of Cambridge has spoken of the “overriding and debilitating” sense of isolation too many parents still experience in their children’s early years, as she shares her hopes of overcoming a “fear of judgment” to allow them to ask for help.
On Monday, The Duchess unveils her children’s garden at the annual Chelsea Flower Show, said she found it “heart-breaking” to know that “there is a long way to go” to ensure all children grow up happy, healthy and ready to fulfil their potential.

In a letter to experts, she spelled out her ambition that their work would help to “bring about the transformation that will make positive change for generations to come”, breaking a cycle of disadvantage and trauma they had seen all too often in Britain.

In creating the “Back to Nature” garden at RHS Chelsea, the Duchess is understood to have wanted to emphasise the importance of outdoor play on early years development. “In recent years I have focussed much of my work on the early years, and how instrumental they are for outcomes later in life,” she said. I believe that spending time outdoors when we are young can play a role in laying the foundations for children to become happy, healthy adults.”

More from Harper's Bazaar:

“What happens in our early years is vital to our being able to engage positively in school, and in work and society, and ultimately, to how we bring up our own children,” the duchess says of the scientific research presented to her by the group. “The first few years of life, from conception to five, are pivotal for our future health, happiness, and ability to cope with adversity—and probably more so than at any other point of our lifetime. Understanding that our brain develops to 90 percent of its adult size within these first five years helps crystalize how our experiences in these earliest years are so impactful, and influences who we become as individuals.”

Over the course of this year and beyond, the Duchess will continue to focus on this area of work through engagement with academics, policy makers and organizations. Her goal is to support the efforts of as many people working across the early years as possible, including researchers, practitioners, and charities.

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

The Duchess graces the covers of tomorrow's Sunday Telegraph and Mail on Sunday.

Over the past number of months, Kate has worked with architects Davies White and together, they visited nurseries, suppliers and craftspeople who have been building elements of the garden.

The Evening Standard reports 'the Kate Effect' has seen sales of tickets for the Chelsea Flower Show surge:

'Kensington Palace revealed in January that the Duchess of Cambridge would help design a garden for the annual celebration of horticulture alongside landscape architects Andree Davies and Adam White and the Royal Horticultural Society.

The announcement led to an overnight doubling of ticket sales and all 168,000 are expected to have been snapped up by today or tomorrow. That puts the “sold out” date almost a fortnight ahead of 2018, when tickets were still available on the opening day.

“When the duchess’s involvement was announced, visits to the RHS Chelsea web pages increased by 100 per cent and there was a huge surge of people wanting tickets.”

The Royal Horticultural Society announced 'Back to Nature' will be relocated to a NHS trust after the show - with the chosen trust announced over the coming week.

It's always fun to see Kate's off-duty style. The Duchess was casual and chic in the Jaeger Blue Stripe Linen Roll Shirt (with thanks to Middleton Maven). The £99 piece is described as: "Lightweight in blue and white striped linen, this breezy shirt is styled with ¾ length sleeves, a polished collar and buttoned patch pocket." It's available at John Lewis and Jaeger. UPDATE: With thanks to HRH Kate, it seems Kate wore an older style of a very similar shirt by the brand.

Alexandra notes Kate's blue stripe t-shirt appears to be the same piece Pippa wore during the photoshoot for her book Celebrate.

It appears Kate wore her Berghaus Supalite II boots.

It looks like Kate accessorised with her Kiki McDonough Lauren leaf earrings.

And Cartier watch.

Looking forward to seeing 'Back To Nature' in its entirety on Monday.

Duchess Kate Returns To Bletchley Park For Special D-Day Exhibition

The Duchess of Cambridge returned to Bletchley Park in Milton Keynes today, to view a special D-Day exhibition in the newly restored Teleprinter Building, marking the 75th anniversary of the D-Day landings.

Kate first visited Bletchley Park in 2014 to explore a family connection; her paternal grandmother Valerie Glassborow worked as a "Duty Officer" at Bletchley with her twin sister Mary during the war. As with so many people who worked in British Signals Intelligence, very little is known about their work. Valerie's records were among many destroyed after the war.

Valerie married RAF pilot Peter Middleton in 1946 in Leeds and they had four children including Kate's father Michael Middleton. Valerie died aged 82 in 2006 and her husband Peter died on 2 November, 2010 aged 90. William and Kate's engagement announcement was delayed because of his death. Kate was very close to both of them.

During the 2014 visit Kate remarked: "It's so moving for me, and to be here as well. I was aware of it when I was a young girl and I often asked granny about it but she was very quiet and never said anything."

For a 2016 puzzle book produced by GCHQ, the UK’s Signals Intelligence and Cyber Security agency, the Duchess wrote: "I have always been immensely proud of my grandmother, Valerie Glassborow, who worked at Bletchley Park during the Second World War. They hardly ever talked about their wartime service, but we now know just how important the men and women of Bletchley Park were, as they tackled some of the hardest problems facing the country".

Today, Kate was delighted to learn the names of her grandmother and great-aunt are the latest additions to Bletchley's Codebreakers' wall.

More from the Mail Online:

'The Duchess of Cambridge spoke of how her code-breaker grandmother felt unable to tell her about the vital work she did at Bletchley Park before she died, as she told other veterans: ‘You were so very important.’ 

Kate, 37, who was shown a new memorial of bricks containing the name of her grandmother and great-aunt when she visited the legendary Second World War headquarters today, said her said her granny - like so many others - had been ‘so sworn to secrecy that she never felt able to tell us’ about what she did.'

In August 1938, the arrival of 'Captain Ridley's Shooting Party' at Mansion House in the Buckinghamshire countryside was to set the scene of one of the most remarkable stories from World War II. They appeared to be a group of friends enjoying the end of summer, even bringing a chef from the Savoy Hotel with them. But appearances were deceptive, the small group comprised of members of MI6 and the Government Code and Cypher School turned codebreakers. Their job - to see whether Bletchley Park would work as a wartime location.

More from Bletchley: "The mission was to crack Nazi codes and ciphers. The most famous of the cipher systems to be broken at Bletchley Park was the Enigma. There were also a large number of lower-level German systems to break as well as those of Hitler's allies."

In early 1939 the codebreakers returned to Bletchley Park to begin their war-winning work.

The Mansion today.

The focus of today's visit was very much on the fascinating D-Day exhibition.

It includes an immersive film, based on newly declassified material, which shows how the intelligence effort coordinated at Bletchley Park helped specifically in the success of the D-Day landings at Normandy. Using sophisticated codebreaking techniques, workers at Bletchley Park fed crucial information to Allied forces in the critical months, weeks and days leading up to D-Day on 6th June 1944.

Kate viewed the interactive exhibition and met those involved in the restoration of the building.

The Duchess then joined a group of schoolchildren involved in a workshop based on the new exhibition, which allows pupils to take on the role of codebreakers, intercepting and deciphering German communications in order to understand their order of battle and decide whether the Operation Fortitude deception plans have been successful.

Kate and the students used a real Enigma machine.

The pre-show display.

A trailer from the exhibition.

The Duchess chatting with Elizabeth Diacon, who served at Bletchley from 1944 to May 1945 as a WAAF shift supervisor, and Georgia Rose, who served from 1943 to 1945 as a teleprinter operator and Morse slip reader.

Coincidentally, I enjoyed listening to Jonathan Freedland's broadcast from Bletchley for Radio 4's The Long View. The episode titled 'Women in intelligence and cybersecurity' compares efforts to recruit more women into intelligence and cybersecurity today to the recruitment of women at Bletchley Park during the War. It was fascinating to hear about the recruitment process; for example bilingual candidates or those with musical qualifications were highly sought after. By the end of the war, 75% of the codebreaking workforce were female - not just a groundbreaking statistic then, but by today's standards. Freedland speaks to Charlotte Webb, who worked at Bletchley. For those interested in learning more, Webb wrote an incredibly insightful book, Secret Postings: Bletchley Park to the Pentagon. To listen to the broadcast please click here (apologies if it is not available in your region).

The Duchess received a gorgeous posy from a very excited boy named Lawson before leaving.

Rebecca English reports Kate shared a little update on Louis:

'Mrs Rose offered her ‘congratulations on your beautiful family’, to which Kate revealed that little Louis, one, was already running amok. ‘Thank you so much. Louis is keeping us on our toes,’ she said. ‘I turned around the other day and he was at the top of the slide - I had no idea!’

Given four cuddly toys by the primary school codebreakers: a squirrel, fox, owl and rabbit for George, Charlotte, Louis and baby Archie, she said: ‘They love wild animals. They will look after these.’ 

A video from the visit.

Kate wore her Alessandra Rich Pleated polka-dot silk crepe de chine midi dress for the engagement.

The £1,225 piece is described: "Alessandra Rich was inspired by Alfred Eisenstaedt's 1945 photograph of a sailor kissing a stranger in Times Square for her Spring '18 collection. Capturing the essence of that iconic moment, this vintage-inspired dress is cut from polka-dot silk crepe de chine that falls to a pleated midi skirt."

Readers will recall, Kate wore the dress for Prince Charles' 70th birthday portraits.

Kate carried her Smythson Panama purse.

The Duchess wore her Emmy London Rebecca pumps in 'Riviera'.

And accessorised with her Annoushka pearls.

Very fittingly, Kate wore her grandmother Valerie's brooch.

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In other news, William and Kate are travelling to Windsor later today to meet Baby Archie. I expect they'll take George, Charlotte and Louis when they return home from their engagements. 

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With just one week to go until the 2019 RHS Chelsea Flower show officially opens to the public, Kensington Palace released three new image of the Duchess making preparations for her 'Back to Nature' garden.

Kate joined landscape architects Davies White and together, they visited nurseries, suppliers and craftspeople who have been building elements of the garden. The garden will highlight the importance of embracing nature for physical and mental health.

We'll almost certainly see the Duchess, and other members of the royal family accompany the Queen, on Monday 20 May, for the preview day. I'm very excited to see Kate's completed garden. Several elements of the garden mirror aspects of the outdoors, which the Cambridge children love. Wouldn't it be fun if George, Charlotte and Louis joined their parents? 

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And to mark Mental Health Awareness Week, Prince William joined Stephen Fry, Katy Perry, Alesha Dixon and Jameela Jamil to record a special one minute message encouraging listeners to take a minute, and really listen. The message was broadcast across 300 radio stations. Mental Health Minute comes days after the launch of Shout, a new 24/7 text messaging line for people in crisis. To find out more please click here.

Finally, it's officially Garden Party season! This year's Buckingham Palace parties take place tomorrow, the 21st and 29th. We can expect to see the Cambridges at one of them. A couple of readers have commented about the possibility of the young royals attending Lady Gabriella Windsor's wedding on Saturday. Simon Perry reports there will be a strong turnout from the family, but "William, Kate, Harry and Meghan won't be there".