First solo outing of the year. Princess Kate was all smiles during a royal engagement at Foxcubs Nursery on Wednesday, January 18.
“Learning through play at Foxcubs Nursery!” an Instagram posted from the Princess of Wales’ joint social media account with husband Prince William captioned a video. “Outstanding early years settings like this play a huge role in positively shaping a child’s development. The collaboration between staff and parents is just one of the ways children here are supported in their first five years.”
In the clip, Kate, 41, was seen greeting kids during her visit to help raise awareness about the importance of early childhood. She also took part in some arts and crafts activities with the little ones before talking with the nursery teachers.
William, 40, and Kate recently made a joint appearance amid drama with Prince Harry when they opened the new Royal Liverpool University Hospital on Thursday, January 12.
Kate’s appearance marks her first solo engagement of this year — which comes after Harry’s press tour for his bombshell Spare memoir. In the book, the Duke of Sussex, 38, addressed his relationship with his brother’s wife over the years.
According to Harry, it was difficult for him to bid “farewell” to William on his wedding day in 2011. “The brother I’d escorted into Westminster Abbey that morning was gone — forever. Who could deny it?” he wrote. “He’d never again be first a foremost Willy. We’d never again ride together across the Lesotho countryside with capes blowing behind us. We’d never again share a horsey-smelling cottage while learning to fly. Who shall separate us? Life, that’s who.”
The BetterUp CIO noted that he “loved” his new sister-in-law despite the changes in his dynamic with the Prince of Wales, adding, “I felt she was more sister than in-law, the sister I’d never had and always wanted, and I was pleased that she’d forever be standing by Willy’s side. She was a good match for my older brother. They made each other visibly happy, and therefore I was happy too.”
Harry also opened up about Kate’s tumultuous relationship with his wife, Meghan Markle. He recalled tensions running high ahead of his nuptials to Meghan, 41, in 2018.
“[Kate] had other problems with the way Meg was planning her wedding. Something about a party for the page boys? The page boys? Half the kids in the wedding are from North America. They haven’t even arrived yet,” he continued, noting that Kate sent apology flowers after the misunderstanding which left the Suits alum in tears. “It was intolerable — but temporary.”
Shortly after the memoir hit bookshelves, a source exclusively told Us Weekly that Kate was not happy with how Harry wrote about her. “Kate feels that Harry’s actions are atrocious,” the insider shared. “She is appalled at him for dragging her name through the dirt and is finding it hard to forgive.”
A second source revealed that William “doesn’t see how” his younger brother could “come back into the fold” of the royal family. “At this point, he’s got no plans to speak to Harry,” the insider told Us. “He’s come to terms with the fact [that] he’s lost his little brother and quite possibly for life.”
Meanwhile, another insider said that Buckingham Palace “does not love” that Harry included private messages between Kate and Meghan in his book.
“They claim it’s just part of the story, and in any event, it’s egregious of Harry to publish these abbreviated excerpts,” the source detailed, adding that the texts “clearly show that there are two sides” to every story. “Harry feels strongly it’s important to get the true account of what happened out there.”
Scroll down to see photos from Kate’s first solo outing: