Kate Middlton wearing pink blazer at Natural History Museum© Getty

Princess Kate interrupts family holiday to share supportive message

The Princess of Wales last appeared publicly at Wimbledon

Online Royal CorrespondentLondon
July 18, 2024

The Prince and Princess of Wales are now enjoying some quality time with their three children on their school holidays, but Kate showed her support for a special project with a new message.

The royal, 42, has been patron of the Natural History Museum since 2013, and the site opened new gardens within its grounds in South Kensington on Thursday.

Kate wrote in a message on Instagram Stories: "I am hugely supportive of the Museum's commitment to create a special space which encourages people of all ages to reconnect with nature and learn more about how we can protect our natural world.

"I know the power of nature to support our development and wellbeing, both by bringing us joy and helping to keep us physically, mentally and spiritually healthy. I hope these gardens will be inspiring and transformative for the thousands of people who visit."

The new gardens feature grassland, wetland and woodland habitats for visitors to explore, as well as a showstopping 22-metre-long Diplodocus as a centrepiece, affectionately named Fern by children in the local community.

Kate visited the site back in 2021 to see its development. The then Duchess of Cambridge, who was dressed in a pink blazer and high-waisted jeans for the engagement, surprised local schoolchildren as she joined them for an immersive story telling walk, making spiders from pinecones and later helping scientists to fix an acoustic monitoring device to a cherry tree to record wildlife activity in the garden. 

Take a look back...

WATCH: Kate gets creative as she surprises schoolchildren at Natural History Museum

The Princess also brought along a homemade jar of honey made by her own bees at Anmer Hall for the children to try. 

Kate gives children honey to try at Natural History Museum© Getty
Kate brought a jar of homemade honey for the children to try

Kate, a keen beekeeper, was pictured tending to her beehive in Norfolk in an image released in 2023 to mark World Bee Day. 

Last public appearance

The royal's message came just days after she made her second public appearance of the year at the Wimbledon Men's Final last Sunday with her daughter, Princess Charlotte, nine, and Kate's sister, Pippa Matthews

© Getty
Kate received a standing ovation from the crowd as she took her seat in the royal box at Wimbledon

The Princess presented the trophy to Wimbledon Champion Carlos Alcaraz following his victory against Novak Djokovic. 

Fellow tennis fan Charlotte had the sweetest reaction to meeting Spanish player Alcaraz behind-the-scenes after the final. Watch below…

WATCH: Charlotte has the sweetest reaction to meeting Wimbledon Champion

It is not known when Kate will return to her duties full-time, as her treatment is still ongoing. 

In a personal update ahead of her appearance at Trooping the Colour in June, the Princess said: "I have been blown away by all the kind messages of support and encouragement over the last couple of months. It really has made the world of difference to William and me and has helped us both through some of the harder times.

"I am making good progress, but as anyone going through chemotherapy will know, there are good days and bad days. On those bad days you feel weak, tired and you have to give in to your body resting. But on the good days, when you feel stronger, you want to make the most of feeling well.

"My treatment is ongoing and will be for a few more months. On the days I feel well enough, it is a joy to engage with school life, spend personal time on the things that give me energy and positivity, as well as starting to do a little work from home."

LISTEN: Inside the royals' love of sport

More Royalty

See more