Kate Middleton Unveils Her Major New Project as Princess of Wales
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On Saturday, Kate Middleton wrote an open letter about how vital the earliest years of a child’s life are as she geared up to launch a major campaign on the subject. And today, her campaign Shaping Us is unveiled which she hopes will “make a huge difference to generations to come.”
The Princess of Wales attended a launch event at BAFTA in central London to mark the beginning of what she has described as a “long-term campaign” to shine a spotlight on a child’s start in life. “It is essential, to not only understand the unique importance of our earliest years, but to know what we can all do to help raise future generations of happy, healthy adults,” Kate said in a speech. She was accompanied by her husband Prince William at the event which was also attended by supporters of their Royal Foundation and the newly-established Royal Foundation Centre for Early Childhood.
Shaping Us will be a big focus for Kate as she begins her tenure as Princes of Wales. It builds on her already long-established work in this area following the gradual realization she had after she started royal duties in 2011 that many challenges adults face stem from experiences in their childhood. The Princess has studied this area alongside experts for many years and has been praised for her dedication and leadership on the subject.
“The way we develop, through our experiences, relationships, and surroundings during our early childhood, fundamentally shapes our whole lives. It affects everything from our ability to form relationships and thrive at work, to our mental and physical well-being as adults and the way we parent our own children,” Kate said in a statement today to mark the launch of Shaping Us. “These are the most preventative years. By focusing our collective time, energy, and resources to build a supportive, nurturing world around the youngest members of our society and those caring for them, we can make a huge difference to the health and happiness of generations to come.”
A 90-second claymation film is also released today which tells the story of a girl called Layla growing up from birth to age five. It will be screened in cinemas across the UK beginning Friday. “In the film, we see Layla navigate her way through various experiences as a newborn, a toddler and young child, with the help of those around her,” Kensington Palace said in a statement. “The film shows how her interactions with people and places— from her parents’ cuddles, to a reassuring arm on her shoulder from a nursery teacher and supportive cheer from a swimming teacher—stimulate her brain and development.” Experts working with Kate on the campaign cited factors such as quality early years education, accessible local parks and safe affordable housing as being significant in shaping outcomes for children and families.
The Princess will be making a number of appearances both in-person and online this week to promote the campaign.
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