Duchess of Cambridge looks just peachy as she goes solo on her second wedding anniversary at children's hospice
- Kate and William's second wedding anniversary today
- She visited Naomi House Children's Hospice in Hampshire
- William on shift as RAF Search and Rescue pilot on Anglesey
- Couple enjoyed private weekend away in Norfolk to mark anniversary
- Naomi House provides support to children with life-limiting conditions
- Kate donned coral coat and peach dress with nude court shoes
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It may be her second wedding anniversary, but it was business as usual for the Duchess of Cambridge as she visited a children’s hospice today.
Kate, 31, was without husband Prince William during the engagement at the Naomi House Children’s Hospice in Hampshire to mark Children’s Hospice Week.
According to sources, William is on shift as an RAF Search and Rescue pilot in Anglesey on the anniversary of their Westminster Abbey wedding in 2011 - which is normally celebrated with a gift of cotton.
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Pretty in peach: The Duchess of Cambridge looked peachy during her visit to the Naomi House Children's Hospice in Hampshire to mark Children's Hospice Week
A gift for the lady: She was presented with a beautiful posy of flowers by Sally Evans, eight, from Salisbury, Wilts, who suffers from spinal muscular atrophy
Fan club: Naomi House provides support to children with life-limiting conditions and their families living in Berkshire, Dorset, Hampshire, Isle of Wight, Surrey, West Sussex and Wiltshire
However it is believed the couple enjoyed a private weekend away in Norfolk to mark the occasion.
On her visit to the hospice, the Duchess looked blooming in an apricot-coloured Tara Jarmon Coat and a peach dress by a private dressmaker.
She was presented with a beautiful posy of flowers by Sally Evans, eight, from Salisbury, Wilts, who suffers from spinal muscular atrophy.
Kate’s visit to the hospice will, undoubtedly, be a moving experience given that she is expecting her first child in July.
What Kate wore: The Duchess of Cambridge donned this £380 Tara Jarmon Cotton Twill coat and her trusty Sledge Patent Leather Platform Court Shoes, £195.00 from L.K. Bennett
Just peachy: Kate toured the Hospice's facilities, where she met children and their families, as well as staff, volunteers and supporters of the charity in her all peach ensemble
Bashful: Kate blushed as she was given a wedding anniversary present by the children but admitted William wasn't treating her to a special day
Graham Butland, chief executive of EACH, said Kate was 'a natural with the children' during her visit.
'She will be a great mum, a great mum. I really mean that,' he added.
'The way in which she has raised the profile of our charity is something we will be eternally grateful.'
Naomi House provides support to children with life-limiting conditions and their families living in Berkshire, Dorset, Hampshire, Isle of Wight, Surrey, West Sussex and Wiltshire.
The charity has two specialist units: Naomi House for children and Jacksplace for young adults.
Suits you: Mother-to-be Kate showed off her caring side as she affectionately stoked a young boy at the Hospice
It's you! The little boy was clearly taken with the Duchess
Lovely to meet you: The children looked ecstatic to have met Kate and showered her with handmade gifts
Touched: Kate thanked Sally for her flowers as she toured Naomi House, which has 10 children's bedrooms and five family bedrooms
A natural: Graham Butland, chief executive of EACH, said: 'She is a natural with the children, she will be a great mum, a great mum. I really mean that'
Supporting a good cause: Naomi House provides support to children with life-limiting conditions and their families living in Berkshire, Dorset, Hampshire, Isle of Wight, Surrey, West Sussex and Wiltshire
All smiles: The Duchess of Cambridge was in good spirits during her visit, despite being apart from her husband on their second wedding anniversary
Naomi House was opened in 1997 by Prince Charles and supports families with children with life-limiting conditions. It provides music therapy, computer, art and play rooms as well as multi-sensory and hydrotherapy suites
Naomi House has 10 children’s bedrooms and five family bedrooms and offers a broad range of facilities including music therapy, computer art and play rooms and multi-sensory and hydrotherapy suites.
Family support teams also offer practical and emotional support to the whole family throughout their child’s life and after death.
On arrival at the hospice Kate went straight into a private meeting before visiting the hydrotherapy pool where she watched Blake Warren, nine, play with his siblings Jessica, nine, Reuben, eight and Issac, five.
Blake was adopted by the family and suffers from a condition known as complex congenital brain defect. The Duchess narrowly avoided getting soaking wet as she stood by the side of the 33C pool.
'Is it nice and warm in there?' She asked.
One of the children shouted: 'Do you want to come in?'
Kate laughed and replied: 'I'd love to come in'.
Splashing around: The Duchess of Cambridge met children and staff in the hydrotherapy pool at the Naomi House Children's Hospice
Chatty Catherine: Kate, who is due to give birth in July, was chatting away to young Sally Evans
Eternally grateful: Staff were thankful for the way in which Kate has raised the profile of their charity
She then chatted to mum Elspeth Ringrose, 41, from Havant, Hampshire, who told her the family always use the pool when they visit the hospice.
She added: 'It's an absolute lifeline. I'm able to get a respite so I can carry on picking up the balls of
caring.'
caring.'
Then Kate met a line-up of volunteers for the charity including Dyl Gates, 84, from Church Crookham, who raises money for the hospice by holding coffee mornings.
She said: 'I make cakes and hold tea parties once a month. I've been doing it since my husband passed away ten years ago. I make all kinds of cakes with little fancy decorations on.'
She added of Kate: 'She said she's going to come to see me to learn how to make cakes.'
Then Kate joined about 12 children and their parents sitting round a table enjoying a tea party.
Blooming lovely: Kate was the picture of health in Hampshire and her peachy complexion matched her outfit
People's Duchess: The staff were delighted Kate took time on her anniversary to visit
She circulated, chatting to the children and their families, asking them if they were enjoying the food and what they liked best about the hospice.
In a speech Chief Executive of Together for Short Lives Barbara Gelb said: 'This year has been the best ever for Children's Hospice Week and that's all down to you Your Royal Highness.'
She said Kate's video message 'shone a light' on children's palliative care.
During the tea party, Kate watched a musical performance by Ollie Wade, who presented his own song Free, written in memory of his brother, Ben, who died in 2011.
He and his family received end of life care and bereavement support at Naomi House.
Ollie Wade’s song will be released at the start of Children’s Hospice Week to raise money for Naomi House.
Professor Khalid Aziz, chairman of trustees at Naomi House could not let the second wedding anniversary pass without comment or a present.
After the tea party with the children and their parents still sat at the large table he told Kate: 'It’s especially special that you came here today because today is a very special day two years ago to the day, you were in a slightly larger building then this one – probably not having quite as much fun.
'But you did it very well we were all totally enthralled.
'I just hope Prince William is taking you somewhere nice tonight.'
He added: 'So anyway congratulations on your wedding anniversary and we thought we’d give you something not only to say thank you for being here but something to commemorate your anniversary because it’s on cotton and possibly something that you might be able to use in the nursery.'
He told those at the back of the room: 'In case you can’t see it it’s the hungry caterpillar and it’s been made by the children at Naomi House.'
Keeping mum: When Kate was asked the sex of her baby she replied teasingly: 'It is either/or... We don't know'
Present: Kate made friends with the children who gave her a hungry caterpillar that they made themselves
The framed picture of the caterpillar, made from felt and paper, from the famous children’s book the Very Hungry Caterpillar, featuring fingerprints of all the children to create the leaves.
Kate blushed as she was given a wedding anniversary present by the children but admitted William wasn't treating her to a special day.
Blushing bright red she said: 'Well he's on shift, so....' And opened her arms expressively when asked if William was treating her to a special dinner.
The couple have not seen each other at all on their wedding anniversary because Kate has been carrying out public engagements while William works at RAF valley.
The Duchess also made another reference to her wedding day at the end of her visit when she picked up a bouquet of white flowers given to her by Sally Evans, eight.
Kate said: 'These are lovely, they remind me of my wedding bouquet.'
'A natural': Staff said the mother-to-be was great with the children
Time for cake: These little girls enjoyed their chat with the pregnant Duchess
Making them smile: Kate's visit coincided with Children's Hospice Week
Jolly day out: Kate was tickled by something these children said
The Duchess caused a fight between two-and-a-half year old twins Tarun and Kian Chung, from Southampton as she joined children for a tea party towards the end of her 90 minute visit.
Kian had drawn a picture for Kate and was keen to give it to her, but brother Tarun, who suffers from noonans syndrome, wanted to keep it and kept snatching it back.
This resulted in a hilarious exchange where Kate had to receive the present then hand it back several times.
Mum Tracey Burrows, 39, said: 'It was hilarious. Kian gave it to the Duchess and Tarun snatches it off her because he wanted. This went on four times. Tarun kept holding his arm out.'
She added about the hospice: 'It's our fourth visit here and the support is amazing. It's for the whole family not just Tarun.'
Kate also listened to an emotional rendition of song Free composed by Ollie Wade whose brother Ben spent time at the hospice before he died aged 19.
As she left she greeted cheering children from local school South Wonston Primary. Ellie Simpson, ten, asked her if she knew what sex her baby was to which Kate replied teasingly: 'It is either/or... We don't know.'.
The Duchess has already released her first video message in support of Children’s Hospice Week, which runs until May 3rd.
Poolside: Naomi House Children's Hospice provides music therapy, computer, art and play rooms as well as multi-sensory and hydrotherapy suites
Dwarfed: Kate looks miniature as she looked up to a lady on stilts at the fun-packed day
It is the UK’s only awareness and fundraising week for children with life-limiting conditions and the services.
Coordinated by Together for Short Lives, Children’s Hospice Week will this year focus on siblings to raise awareness of how services support brothers and sisters of poorly children through special groups and activities.
In the video, Kate, who became Royal Patron of East Anglia’s Children’s Hospices in January 2012, talks about her personal experience of seeing first-hand the ‘transformational’ work that EACH does for children and their families – as well as the 48 other children’s hospice services across the UK.
Good cause: Coordinated by Together for Short Lives, Children's Hospice Week will this year focus on siblings to raise awareness of how services support brothers and sisters of poorly children
She said: ‘Children’s Hospice Week is a time to recognise, celebrate and support the inspirational work of those hospices, and those who provide palliative care to these children and families.
'Children’s hospices provide lifelines to families at a time of unimaginable pain. The support they give is vital.
‘In order to carry out this wonderful work, our help is needed. With our support, those providing children’s palliative care can continue to offer these extraordinary services. It does not bear thinking about what these families would do without this.
‘With your support, we can help ensure that these children and their families can make the most of the precious time they have together.’
Flying solo: According to sources, William, is unfortunately on shift as an RAF Search and Rescue pilot on Anglesey on the anniversary of their wedding
Welcoming The Duchess’s support, Barbara Gelb, CEO of Together for Short Lives said: ‘I am so delighted and very excited that Her Royal Highness, The Duchess of Cambridge, as Royal Patron of East Anglia’s Children’s Hospices, has generously given her support to Children’s Hospice Week.
'I know this extraordinary backing will mean so much to all the UK’s 49,000 children with palliative care needs and their families and will really help raise awareness of what these families need, today and in the future.
‘The Duchess’s message will be a real boost to children’s hospices and all the charities that deliver vital health and social care to these families.
'These services rely on donations so they can help children and families make the most of the precious time they have together.
'I hope that the public will be inspired by Her Royal Highness to join us this Children’s Hospice Week by supporting their local service.’
For further information about Naomi House and Children’s Hospice Week, visit www.naomihouse.org.uk and www.childrenshospiceweek.org.uk.
KATE'S PEACHY OUTFIT
What Kate wore: The Duchess of Cambridge donned this £380 Tara Jarmon Cotton Twill coat
Sold out: Copy Kates will be disappointed to know that the coat is already out of stock at Harvey Nichols
Trusty shoes: Kate wore her trusty Sledge Patent Leather Platform Court Shoes, £195.00 from L.K. Bennett
Read more: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/femail/article-2316526/Duchess-Cambridge-goes-solo-second-wedding-anniversary-Naomi-House-Childrens-Hospice.html#ixzz2RsiMqK88
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