Pregnant Kate Middleton has revealed that she can feel her baby moving. On a visit to Grimsby on Tuesday, a wellwisher asked, "How is the baby? Is it moving?" Kate replied, "Yes, very much so."
Prince William's wife didn't let her admirers down and looked stunning in a chestnut brown Celeste wool coat from Hobbs. The piece is a staple of Kate's wardrobe, and continues to be part of her maternity wear. The coat was teamed with a pretty patterned dress from London high street label Great Plains. She completed her look with trademark black suede court shoes and a matching clutch bag.
Her makeup was flawless and her hair was styled in signature bouncy curls. She wore the discreet 18-carat Annoushka gold and pearl drop earrings that she has sported on various occasions recently including her visit to Hope House in London.Locals had pulled out all the stops for the royal, who arrived to chants of "we want Kate!". Clearly feeling a connection to the people of Grimsby, she let them in on the progress of her pregnancy. The streets of the coastal town were packed with excited people who gave the Duchess of Cambridge – and her burgeoning bump – a warm welcome despite the freezing fog which delayed her arrival by an hour and a quarter. Some of the wellwishers had arrived as early as sunrise to catch a glimpse of the young royal. Despite the delayed start, she managed to make time for everyone and left her last stop 15 minutes later than expected.
Little Lucy Bell, three, presented the VIP guest with a posie of flowers. As the mum-to-be accepted her gift, she clutched Lucy's tiny hand in hers as she thanked her. The Duchess's helicopter set off from Kensington Palace at around 11am touched down at Humberside Airport at 12.15pm. From there she made her way to her first engagement at Grimsby's Fishing Heritage Centre where around 300 people were waiting to greet her.
Local fisherman John Vincent, 68, had the honour of guiding his royal visitor around the Heritage Centre. "Never in my life did I think I would get to talk to the future Queen," he said. "I wish my parents were alive to see it."
Kate then carried out her first official engagement for Prince Charles's flagship charity, The Prince's Trust, while in town. Her father-in-law's organisation runs a series of programmes aimed at reducing youth unemployment, something which is at a record high in Grimsby. The Duchess met young people who are turning their lives around on The Trust’s Team programme, delivered in partnership with Humberside Fire and Rescue Service, at Grimsby’s Peaks Lane Fire Station. She shared sandwiches with the fire crews and was shown their fleet of fire engines.She then made an unplanned stop to speak to ten patients from St Andrew's Hospice who described her as "warm and lovely".Hundreds of cheering pupils lined the approach while waving flags to welcome Kate to her last stop, the Havelock Academy secondary school. She officially opened the school and met pupils who were taking part in the Duke of Edinburgh scheme. She was shown around the school and watched students involved in an art class. Pupils performed a medley of Queen songs for her before she unveiled a plaque to mark the school's official opening.
Report by Andrea Maltman
Additional reporting by
Judy Wade