The Duchess of Cambridge has revealed she would like her three children - Prince George, Princess Charlotte and Prince Louis - to join the Scouts when they are older. During her visit to the Scouts' headquarters in Gilwell Park in Essex on Wednesday, Kate learnt more about their new pilot schemes to bring Scouting to children aged four to six. The royal was given a guided tour by a group of four teenage Explorer Scouts including 17-year-old Tahseen Patel from Blackburn.
© Photo: Getty ImagesDuchess Kate at the Scouts' headquarters in Essex
After their introduction, Miss Patel said: "She was interested in the early years and how you learn things in Scouting that you don't learn in school and elsewhere, like you learn way more things in Scouting." She added: "And how she wants her children to grow up in the Scouting movement, not just in school, because she tries doing things at home but there's only so much you can do and you need to build relationships with other people."
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Asked if Prince George had joined the Scouts, Miss Patel said: "He hasn't yet, but she said she'd love him to." Miss Patel added that Kate wanted all of her three children to join. She said that if George joined the Scouts "he'd be like a little ambassador". George is currently aged five, too young to join Beaver Scout, which starts at aged from six to eight. Kate also got inside a den built by Beaver Scouts while on the visit, and the group tested whether it was waterproof by pouring water onto it.
A team of Scouts showed her around some of the Park's features, including the Gillwell Oak, which is more than 400 years old and is said to have been used as a hiding place by the infamous 18th century highwayman, Dick Turpin. "It's beautiful," she shared. "I can see how schools and parents will really value what’s on offer here as they’re not always able to provide all these activities." She then planted a sapling Oak to mark the 100th anniversary of Gilwell Park. Dressed in casualwear for her laidback engagement, Kate joked: "Normally I have to do this in high heels, this is much easier."
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