The Princess of Wales, Catherine, undertook her first solo outing since receiving the new title and visited the award-winning maternity unit of Royal Surrey County Hospital in Guildford to learn more about the support it provides to pregnant women and new mothers. Last week she received the Royal Navy Sailors at Windsor Castle.
Upon arrival, The Princess, who was looking like a ray of sunshine in a gorgeous yellow dress, was received by Chief Executive, Louise Stead, and Chair, Sue Sjuve. Early years, children and maternal mental health are some key issues that the Princess of Wales has been focusing on as the senior member of the British Royal Family.
The Princess of Wales established the Centre for Early Childhood in 2021 and became the patron of the Maternal Mental Health Alliance. The Maternal Mental Health Alliance (MMHA), established in 2011, is a UK-wide charity and network of over 100 organizations, dedicated to ensuring women and families affected by perinatal mental problems have access to high-quality comprehensive care and support. This new patronage is on par with The Duchess of Cambridge’s ongoing work on Mental Health and Early years.
The award-winning maternity unit cares for around 3,000 babies every year and received a UNICEF Baby Friendly Initiative Gold Award in May for its outstanding work supporting infant feeding and parent-infant relationships. The unit’s ethos is that high-quality maternity and early years care can improve the long-term health of the population.
The Prince and Princess of Wales moved to Adeliade cottage last month on Windsor grounds. Today’s visit is part of a series of various engagements this week to showcase their continuing key interests in the local area. This was her first solo visit since the royal family went through a major overhaul after the demise of Queen Elizabeth II.
From The Telegraph’s report,
“She was also visiting the hospital’s special care baby unit (SCBU) which provides specialist neonatal care for tiny and premature babies to meet a family who was helped to bond with their baby. The SCBU is one of only a few units nationally which has the ability for mothers to remain close to their babies at all times through round-the-clock cot side sleeping facilities.
Staff also encourage parents to take part in the care of their premature babies as much as possible, including bathing, feeding and nappy changing.The princess also met a mother who was supported by the hospital’s Jasmine Team which works with women affected by mental health illnesses during pregnancy and post-natally.”
The gorgeous 40 years old Princess of Wales, who is a mother of three adorable children, spent time with families and children. With a focus on maternal mental health, alongside pioneering overnight facilities, Royal Surrey County Hospital ensures women and their families feel safe, and supported and have the best chance of developing those all-important early attachments which are so crucial to ensuring their babies grow and thrive.
During the visit to the maternity unit, The Princess met with the members of the Jasmine Team – who help women affected by mental health illness during their pregnancy and the initial post-natal period – along with safeguarding and specialist teenage midwives. Joking about her outfit, Catherine told the team she should have worn a maroon outfit to match the team’s uniform. Talking about the Royal visit, Jo Fabb, Maternity Perinatal Mental Health Support Worker, who was part of the group, said: “She was lovely, so nice and down to earth. She was genuinely interested in what we were doing.“
Catherine met with Chiara and baby Maeve, who have benefitted from the team’s support and also heard about how they work closely with local services to provide tailored care for women even after they have left the hospital. brand new parents and their babies. She learnt about how the hospital has successfully introduced the pioneering continuity of care model. This sees women receiving support from the same team of midwives throughout their pregnancy journey and allows for a positive and trusting relationship to be built.
The Princess was so lovely with the women. She got down to their level and talked about baby names and the shortlist of names she had had when pregnant – Matron, Kay Lucas.
The last stop of the day was the Special Care Baby Unit at the hospital which is one of only a few in the country that provides a special facility, round-the-clock cot side sleeping, to mothers so that they can remain close to their babies at all times. Here she learnt about the steps the hospital takes to allow new parents to bond with their baby and met Kelly Arnold and baby, Arthur, who spent 11 days in the unit earlier this year.
From Hello! report,
“As the mother-of-three met baby Giles Talbot-Erasmus during her visit, she joked: “I keep thinking Louis is a baby but he’s a big boy now. It just feels like yesterday.” She also compared the newborn’s pose to her eldest son. “George was so huddled up too, he spent quite a few days like that,” she shared.
She also spent time with babies who had been born in the previous 48 hours, empathising with their parents’ birth stories.
Princess Kate thoughtfully said: “No matter how much everyone tells you what you expect, it’s a shock to the system isn’t it? You have this idea of what will happen but every single birth is different.”
She went on: “As nurturing as I know the hospital is, there’s nothing like being in your own home. And I bet your families are desperate to see you all.”
Catherine around new babies and young toddlers is always a hit. Here she cuddled baby Bianca Moran as she chatted to her Mum, Sylvia Novak and learnt how she was supported by the unit. What a lovely memory for the little kiddie who can look at this picture one day and say, ‘hey, That’s The Queen’. Madeleine Woodhatch, Senior Community Midwife, who also spoke to the Princess added: “I have worked here for about 27 years and this was the most exciting day ever and something I will never forget. The Princess was just so lovely and caring.”
The Princess of Wales was wearing a mustard shade Karen Millen Structured Crepe Forever Pleat Belted Dress. Thanks to Kate Middleton Style for the id.
The £219 dress was described as, “Called the Forever dress for a reason, this Structured Crepe midi style suits all kinds of special occasions. Designed to outlast trends and seasons, it shows off a notched neckline, elbow-length sleeves and pressed pleats. It buckles neatly at the waist with a matching fabric belt and makes a style-savvy choice for spring weddings, work days or balmy after-dark drinks.”
The Princess of Wales paired the outfit with Emily Mortimer Hera White Gold and Diamond Pear Detachable Drops. Another fab id by KateMiddStyle.
Catherine paired the outfit with a contrasting navy and carried her Emmy London Natasha Midnight Self Piped Clutch.
She was wearing her Gianvito Rossi Suede pumps.
In another news, Oskar Aanmoen shared on Twitter that Speaking on condition of anonymity before a public announcement, the government officials told Bloomberg That King Charles III’s Coronation will be held on June 03rd next year.
EXCLUSIVE: King Charles III is expected to be crowned on Saturday, June 3 next year in a ceremony at Westminster Abbey in London, UK officials say https://t.co/XRzebJJeyN pic.twitter.com/3HRAP3iY1I
— Bloomberg UK (@BloombergUK) October 5, 2022