Royals

Duchess Kate clocks in

In her first official visits since Princess Charlotte’s birth, Duchess Kate looked delighted to be back at work.
Catherine, Duchess of Cambridge

According to some rumours, Catherine, Duchess of Cambridge, has had such bad postnatal depression since the birth of her second child in May that she’s spent days in tears, and the thought of leaving the house to work has been overwhelming.

Others have claimed she decided her children – Prince George (2) and five-month-old Princess Charlotte – were her main priority and she wanted to put her royal duties on hold for the foreseeable future.

There were even allegations that she was just too lazy to carry out official visits, having got used to spending the British summer chilling out while her kids were being looking after by their nanny.

But Kate (33) has proved all the rumours wrong by returning to work after her maternity leave, looking delighted to be back and turning her official visits into resounding successes.

Kate was all smiles when she met inmate Isha Walker.

While her children will always come first, she is determined not to shirk the responsibilities that come with her royal role and, in fact, she has relished the opportunity to once again support the causes she strongly believes in.

Her visits to a centre that helps children with mental health issues, and then a rehabilitation programme for drug addicts in a women’s prison, left people in no doubt that she very much wants to be carrying out her duties.

One of the former inmates she met as HMP Send, who had successfully completed the rehab course, said Kate seemed keen on finding out more about the programme, and what the women had been through.

“When royals visit prisons, you kind of think it is for show, but you could see she was genuinely interested in addiction and mental health.” Another prisoner who spoke to Kate praised her for her down-to-earth manner. “She really puts you at your ease.”

The duchess sits with Amanda Cockran (left) and inmate Isha Walker. Isha has finished her rehab programme in prison and will be released next year.

Kate’s surprise visit to the Surrey prison was the subject of a media blackout until after she left, and even the women who got to meet her had no idea that their special guest was a member of the royal family until half an hour before she arrived. Some had thought they were meeting comedian Russell Brand, and when they found out it was Kate, they were “pleasantly surprised”, according to a prison worker.

Amanda Cockran, who runs the programme, said the duchess’ visit helped to remind the inmates they were not forgotten. To have someone show an interest in how they were rebuilding their lives

was “immense”.

She added, “The duchess was really grateful they had shared their stories. She was touched by their courage.”

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In fact, Kate was so moved by hearing about the women’s experiences – one talked about how she turned to heroin after suffering years of abuse and mental health issues – that she took the unusual step of getting her press office to release a statement after her visit.

While it was seen by some as an attempt to establish her credentials in tackling more “gritty” issues, it did seem to come from the heart.

“I was reminded today how addictions lie at the heart of so many social issues and how substance misuse can play such a destructive role in vulnerable people’s lives. I saw again today that a failure to intervene early in life to tackle mental health problems and other challenges can have profound consequences for people throughout their lives.

“I am grateful to the women I met for sharing their difficult personal stories with me.”

Kate met 12-year-old Mia, who has attention deficit disorder, in North London.

Her first engagement after returning to work was also for a similar cause that she cares about very much. Kate visited a centre in London that helps children and young people with mental health issues and after chatting with several children, she joined a young boy to play games that help with discipline and co-ordination.

“She seemed very happy to be there,” says one onlooker. “She smiled and laughed a lot.” If she has been suffering from postnatal depression, there has been no sign of it during her public visits.

Her aides say her public engagements will be “limited” because she’s still trying to juggle work with motherhood, but will continue to endorse causes that she feels strongly about. “She is making sure she is doing the things that really matter to her, especially at this busy time of her life,” says one insider. “She understands what a difference she can make, and that is important to her.”

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