Princess Kate's Surprise School Visit Highlights Children's Mental Health Week
The Princess of Wales made an unexpected appearance at Castle Hill Academy in Croydon, where she enthusiastically participated in arts and crafts activities with young students to mark Children's Mental Health Week. Kate, 44, was seen smiling broadly as she conversed with pupils during her visit, which was organized through her role as patron of the mental health charity Place2Be.
Engaging with Students and Parents
During her time at the school, the royal not only interacted with children but also met with parents who have benefited from Place2Be's support services. She visited the school's art studio, where she joined students in coloring worksheets and cutting tissue paper, sharing laughter and conversation throughout the creative session.
Photographs from the event captured heartwarming moments, including delighted pupils presenting the Princess with bouquets of flowers, which she accepted graciously. Following these interactions, Kate held discussions with the academy's leadership team about Place2Be's comprehensive approach to supporting children's mental health and addressing specific challenges faced by families in the New Addington area.
Royal Family's Separate Engagements
The visit occurred during a week when Prince William was undertaking a solo tour in Saudi Arabia, approximately 4,000 miles away. During a football training session with young female players in Riyadh, William's absence from his wife became a topic of conversation when a participant asked if Princess Kate had accompanied him.
"No she's not here sadly," William responded to the disappointed young player, who expressed their regret with an "aw." When another child suggested he bring his family on a future visit, the Prince of Wales remarked that they would enjoy Saudi Arabia and praised the players' football skills, predicting they would soon compete at World Cup level.
William's Saudi Arabia Activities
The heir to the throne participated in training drills with youth squads aged ten to 15 at Riyadh Training Centre, even attempting a crossbar challenge during which he scored three goals instead of hitting the crossbar. He shared that this was his first visit to Saudi Arabia and noted the contrasting weather conditions compared to the UK.
As a farewell gift, William received a Saudi national shirt and smaller versions for each of his three children—Princes George and Louis, and Princess Charlotte—with their names printed on the backs. He commented on his children's love for sports as he departed the training facility.
Kate's Recent Charitable Contributions
Earlier this month, the Princess of Wales donated a rose named 'Catherine's Rose' to HMP Styal's mother and baby unit in Cheshire to raise funds for the Royal Marsden Cancer Charity. The floribunda rose, which produces coral-pink blooms, was planted by a mother and child who had met Kate during her visit to the prison unit last February.
The rose was named after Kate by the Royal Horticultural Society in May and forms part of her fundraising initiative for the cancer charity. Five hundred of these plants have been distributed to green spaces and wellbeing gardens across the UK, including several of Kate's patronages. The Princess, who was treated at the Royal Marsden for cancer in 2024, is now in remission.
Amanda Taylor, operational director of children's services at Action for Children, expressed gratitude for the donation, noting that the prison gardens provide valuable outdoor space for mothers and babies to enjoy nature. During her February 2025 visit to HMP Styal, Kate met with four inmates who have children and toured their accommodation and nursery facilities.
