Kate Middleton Visits Baby Bank Before Christmas — and Brings Book She Reads with George, Charlotte and Louis

Mar. 15, 2025

Frank Augstein - WPA Pool/Getty Images

Kate Middletonis getting into the holiday spirit.

On Friday, the Princess of Wales, 41, helped put the finishing touches to a Santa’s Grotto during a poignant visit to a charity that helps children in need.

As they prepared the area, she and Sakol and the other volunteers told Kate that they expect to see 1,400 children this season, which “is a lot more than last year,” the charity founder tells PEOPLE.

She adds, “[The Princess] sat down with some of our families and really chatted with them and she understood where they were coming from. She is so warm and empathetic and really makes them feel comfortable and at ease.”

Clearly, Kate is lucky, living behind palace walls. But Sakol says, “She is aware that she is privileged but she is trying to use that privilege to improve peoples’ lives. It is really special that someone who does come from her place [in society] does so.”

“What struck me was how passionate she is about young people and early childhood and the difference that organizations like us can make. She really did seem like she wanted to help raise awareness and use her voice for good — and not everyone does that,” she says. “She understands the challenges we face and what we’re trying to do here.”

“She had done her research and she knew who we were and what we are about. She is an amazing woman. She makes you feel so comfortable about the things that we do and is keen to use her voice to help raise awareness,” Sakol says.

“We don’t just give things to families but we help relieve their mental health and help relieve their financial burden. When that burden is lifted it trickles down to the children and helps them, and helps them feel equipped to go to school and so on. So we’re part of that solution,” says Sakol.

The princess' visit came as herRoyal Foundation Centre for Early Childhoodpublished an “Issues Index,” which found that a third of people in the U.K. believe financial pressure is the biggest issue facing parents and carers in 2023.

In conversation with Fletcher almost four years ago, Katecandidly spokeabout some of the challenges she faced as a mother — including the guilt she felt when she left Prince George, Princess Charlotte and Prince Louis to head out for a royal duty or event.

“It’s a constant challenge — you hear it time and time again from moms, even moms who aren’t necessarily working and aren’t pulled in the directions of having to juggle work life and family life,” Kate added.

Prince George, Prince Louis and Princess Charlotte at Trooping the Colour in June 2022.Karwai Tang/WireImage

Karwai Tang/WireImage

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“It doesn’t matter who you are or where you come from—we’re all going through a lot of the same things,” Fletcher said at the time. “We are all having sleepless nights and going through potty training or whatever it is… there’s something that unites us all. I think having the Duchess on really highlights that.”

Princess Kate’s visit comes at the end of the week that she and husbandPrince Williamhelped host the state visitof the President and First Lady of South Korea to the U.K. And next week, the couple will go on a “double date"withCrown Princess Victoriaof Sweden and her husband Prince Daniel to the Royal Variety Performance, it was announced on Thursday.

Prince William and Kate Middleton at attend the ceremonial welcome for the President and the First Lady of the Republic of Korea at Horse Guards Parade on November 21.Samir Hussein/WireImage

Samir Hussein/WireImage

source: people.com