ROYAL BUZZ
Kate Middleton admits recent months have been ‘difficult’
The Duchess of Cambridge spoke to students about spreading kindness during an online school assembly
Like the rest of us, the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic hasn’t been easy for Kate Middleton. The Duchess of Cambridge has been self-isolating at Anmer Hall in Norfolk with Prince William and their children—Prince George, Princess Charlotte and Prince Louis—since March. The mom of three admitted that it’s been a “difficult time,” while sharing a lesson on kindness to students during a virtual school assembly on Thursday. “We all have our ups and downs, especially when things change in our lives as they have in so many ways recently. This can cause us to have a huge range of different feelings. Sometimes these feelings can be good, but sometimes they may be uncomfortable, and we feel worried, angry or upset,” the Duchess told pupils of Oak National Academy, an online classroom that has been helping teachers remotely support their students amid the pandemic.
She continued, “Being unable to see your friends or spend time with your family will undoubtedly be frustrating for you, just as it is for them. It’s been a really difficult time for us all. But it’s important to know that these feelings and frustrations are totally normal, and that they won’t last forever.”
Kate used a lesson plan from Mentally Healthy Schools, which was developed in collaboration with the mental health charity Place2Be, of which she is patron, to speak about the “importance of spreading kindness.” The royal mom of three encouraged the youngsters to talk to someone, i.e. a friend, family member, or teacher, to make themselves feel a “little bit better.” She added, “And you can also play your part in helping others to feel better too, whether offering a friendly ear, or helping someone in need.”
Princess Charlotte’s mom stressed that “small acts of kindness” can go a long way. Kate said, “But as we help others, we mustn’t forget to nurture ourselves, by taking the time to focus on the things that make us feel happy too.” The Duchess recorded the message and spoke to Waterloo Primary Academy students from her country home in Norfolk.
While Kate has been busy working remotely throughout the pandemic, Prince William officially returned to public duties this week carrying out his first in-person engagement in nearly three months. The Duke visited the King’s Lynn Ambulance Station at the Queen Elizabeth Hospital in Norfolk on June 16 to thank ambulance workers who have been responding to the COVID-19 outbreak.
