The Duchess of Cambridge opened up about her children Prince George and Princess Charlotte during her whirlwind visit to Luxembourg on Thursday, revealing that her kids are learning how to ride a bike. Kate was attending a cycling-themed festival in the capital's city centre where she met numerous cyclists. The Duchess, 35, spoke to professional cyclist Frank Schleck, who has two daughters.
"We talked about how they [children] really appreciate riding a bike. For kids, it's great because they can exercise and – as long as it's safe – go to school without their parents," said Frank. "She said their kids have bikes and that they're always excited about trying to ride." Kate was also presented with a customised cycling jersey by adorable six-year-old twins Liam and Mike, the sons of former Tour de France star, Kim Kirchen. "[The Duchess] said she has no excuse now not to get on a bike," said Kim.
Kate met amateur and professional cyclists in Luxembourg
See the Luxembourg tourist hotspots Kate visited
During the festival, Kate watched a team of Luxembourg road cyclists perform on stationery spinning bikes. She also unveiled three murals honouring cycling by artists Chiara Dahlem, James Straffon and Joël Rollinger. The Duchess then went on to meet a group of local schoolchildren, some of whom have special educational needs. The children were painting their own versions of cycling jerseys, using templates of bicycles. Kate, who is a fan of art and studied history of art at university, asked the youngsters whether they enjoyed cycling, and complimented them on their pictures. Raquel, 13, said George and Charlotte's mum was "really nice and really pretty".
She met the Grand Duke and Grand Duchess at the palace
Later that day, Kate had a meeting with the Grand Duke and Grand Duchess of Luxembourg. The Duchess, who looked stunning in a pale blue bespoke Emilia Wickstead dress, was invited to the palace where the royals all posed for a group photo. The Duchess' one-day trip aims to improve the UK and Luxembourg's already strong relationship, and was taken at the request of Her Majesty's government.