Kate Middleton visited a mother and baby unit within a women’s prison on Tuesday, as she continues her “gradual” return to work.
Princess Kate, who is said to be “thrilled” to be back at work, visited HM Prison Styal in Wilmslow to highlight the importance of strong relationships between incarcerated mothers and their babies. The unit provides care for new and expectant mothers with support for babies who have to spend the first eighteen months of their life in prison.
The Princess of Wales is a keen advocate for early childhood development – specifically the importance of the first five years of life – and has previously visited prisons around the country to learn more about the support offered to inmates who give birth while incarcerated or have young babies.
During Tuesday’s visit, Kate toured the mother and baby unit (MBU), visited a nursery for infants who will spend the first few months of their lives inside the prison, and met with specialist staff supporting new mothers. She also learned more about the charity Action for Children of which she is patron, and which works closely with the prison and runs mother baby units at other prisons around the country.
The royal looked happy and relaxed as she toured the grounds in the rain, taking shelter at one point under an umbrella. Sources close to Kate say she wants to break down the stigma surrounding women having babies while in prison and focus on the importance of the bond between mother and child, even in challenging situations. The MBUs aim to help women break the cycle of reoffending.
Princess Kate spoke to some of the inmates about their experiences of having babies while serving a sentence – some are incarcerated for life – and talked to staff about the importance of inmates having the chance to form attachments with their babies.
The princess is committed to raising awareness about the importance of the early years and opened the Royal Foundation Centre for Early Childhood in 2021. In 2023, she launched the Shaping Us campaign, which focuses on the importance of early development. Early years practitioners work within the MBUs, ensuring that babies are provided with the best possible care at the prison.
Last year, Kate was forced to put her work on hold following her shocking cancer diagnosis, but having been given the all-clear in September following a course of preventative chemotherapy, Kate has been eager to get back to work.
Last week, which marked Children’s Mental Health Week, the royal joined a group of children on a visit to the National Portrait Gallery – taking a minibus to the museum and befriending a young girl called Grace. Late last month, Kate traveled to Wales to visit a children’s hospice and a textiles manufacturer for her first away day in over a year.
Palace sources say while the princess has had a busy start to the year, she will pace herself over the coming weeks. While she is not set to join Prince William on an overseas tour this year, she is, palace sources say, committed to focusing on her projects and charity commitments “picking up where she left off this time last year.”
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