The Princess of Wales has urged parents to prioritise time outside, saying that “spending quality time outdoors has never been more important.”
Kate, 44, spoke passionately about her long-running commitment to improving the lives of young children, encouraging families to put down their phones and experience the natural world together.
“Nature is such an extraordinary environment for us all and, in this tech-driven, digital age, spending quality time outdoors has never been more important,” the future queen said in a video shared on the couple’s official Instagram account.
Kensington Palace also unveiled a new collection of countryside portraits of Kate, photographed by Josh Shinner.
The princess appeared radiant in her favourite wax jacket, worn over a patterned jumper and pie-frill blouse. Her hair was styled in loose waves.
The film was recorded in Cornwall yesterday with the support of the Prince of Wales. As head of the Duchy of Cornwall, Prince William is understood to be taking a close interest in the project.
The long-planned filming took place as the prince’s estranged brother, Prince Harry, and his wife, Meghan, made a high-profile return to Britain as a couple.
The Princess of Wales has urged parents to spend more time outdoors, saying it has “never been more important”
Kate, 44, spoke passionately about her lifelong mission to improve young children’s lives and encouraged them to put down their phones and enjoy nature
The appearance is likely to be viewed as another example of William and Catherine continuing to focus quietly on their work and the causes that matter to them, despite the attention surrounding the Sussexes.
The new initiative from the future queen will see The Royal Foundation Centre for Early Childhood examine how nature can support the social and emotional development of babies and young children, helping lay the foundations for lifelong wellbeing.
The research will draw on evidence, expertise and practical experience from across the UK and around the world. Academics, early-years practitioners, charities and environmental organisations will work together to explore how nature-rich settings can help children become confident, curious, creative and emotionally healthy.
The project will also assess how existing developmental science can be applied more widely and effectively in nature-based environments.
In the video, Kate sets out her vision for the initiative and explains why this area deserves greater attention.
She says: “New scientific research increasingly shows just how important nature is for our psychological and physiological wellbeing.
“Nature is such an extraordinary environment for us all and, in this tech-driven, digital age, spending quality time outdoors has never been more important.
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“This project is about exploring how nature, creativity and relationships can best support the healthy development of babies and young children.
“We believe that taking a whole-child approach is important, and nature becomes a wonderful place to explore how we can successfully nurture the social and emotional skills that underpin lifelong health and wellbeing.”
She adds: “My hope is that through this practical, nature-based research, we can build supportive environments that help make nature more accessible, benefiting babies, young children and their families across the UK.”
Kate appeared radiant in her favourite wax jacket, layered over a patterned jumper and pie-frill blouse
The announcement comes as new polling, commissioned by the Centre, shows that 84 per cent of parents agree that spending time in nature helps their child’s wellbeing and development, while only 33 per cent report their child spends time in nature every day.
Over 60 per cent want their child to spend more time in nature overall and 56 per cent want more nature-based experiences through childcare and education.
Both the princess and her husband have spoken previously of their frustration at the way digital technology is taking over the lives of young people at the expense of life-enhancing play and social interaction.
William has revealed that so far they have banned their own three children from having phones although they conceded that their eldest, Prince George, 13, would be given one when he enrolled as a boarder at Eton.
Today’s announcement represents the next step in The Princess’s longstanding work on early childhood and social and emotional development, building on her exploration of the role that relationships, environments and experiences play in children’s development.
This has included her visit to a forest kindergarten in Denmark in 2022, where she saw first-hand how outdoor learning environments can support young children’s development, and, more recently, her visit to Reggio Emilia in Italy.
The new work also builds on themes The Princess has increasingly spoken about publicly, including the importance of nature, creativity, connection and belonging in helping children and communities thrive.
Her Mother Nature film series explored these themes through personal reflections on the power of nature to nurture, restore and inspire, and its ability to help us reconnect with ourselves, with one another and with something larger than ourselves.
It also follows her recent essay, Creating the Conditions for Love to Flourish Through Nature & Creativity, in which she reflected on the importance of creating the conditions in which people, and particularly children, can flourish.
Drawing on her experiences in Italy, she explored how healthy development is shaped through relationships with people and places, and how nature provides one of the most inspiring environments for children to explore, connect and grow.
The Centre’s Shaping Us Framework and Foundations for Life Guide provide the evidence-based science underpinning this work, highlighting the importance of the social and emotional skills that shape who we are, how we manage our emotions and thoughts, how we communicate and relate to others, and how we explore the world.