The Duchess of Cambridge is making her much-anticipated return to the royal circuit next week, with Kensington Palace announcing her first official engagement following her maternity leave. Kate, who gave birth to Prince Louis in April, will visit Sayers Croft Trust's Forest School and Wildlife Garden at Paddington Recreation Ground on Tuesday 2 October.
Last spring, the palace confirmed that Kate would be taking the summer off and would not return to official duties until the autumn, although they did not reveal an exact date. They also noted that the Duchess' priority would be to look after her three young children: Prince George, five, Princess Charlotte, three, and five-month-old baby Louis.
© Photo: Getty ImagesKate has said her priority will be her three young children
But the hard-working royal will also continue to support her patronages and charities, not to mention attend big family events such as Princess Eugenie's royal wedding on 12 October. Kate, who champions the issue of mental health especially in children, also typically marks World Mental Health Day every October.
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Last year she attended a reception at Buckingham Palace with Prince William and Prince Harry; it was coincidentally the first time Kate had made a public appearance since confirming her third pregnancy. Also that year, she starred in a video for her patronage Anna Freud National Centre for Children and Families, where she encouraged children to talk about their "big" and "small" feelings.
A look back at Kate's great maternity style:
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While the rest of her schedule has not yet been confirmed, Kate, 36, is set to have a busy autumn. She is expected to step out for big royal family events including the Royal Festival of Remembrance and the laying of the wreath at the Cenotaph on Remembrance Day in November. The Queen is also preparing to welcome King Willem-Alexander and Queen Maxima of the Netherlands to Buckingham Palace for a state visit from 23 to 24 October, so Kate, alongside other senior royals, could make an appearance at the state banquet – wearing a glittering tiara, of course.
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