Even as the Princess of Wales continues to receive treatment for cancer—and, as such, remains out of the public eye—there are still developments happening in her royal work, specifically around her landmark project surrounding early childhood.
Kate is “excited” about the next stage of her passion project, but, unfortunately for us, doesn’t necessarily mean she’ll be returning to royal duty anytime soon. (Which actually is a good thing—she needs to take care of her health and herself, first and foremost. We’ll be here when she’s ready to return.) As she focuses on her health at her home, Adelaide Cottage, Kate has been continually kept abreast of the work that, in particular, The Royal Foundation Business Taskforce for Early Childhood has been undertaking. This taskforce is Kate’s initiative to encourage businesses to create the right conditions to help both parents and their children, and it’s taking another step forward, People reports: it has published a new report “that sets out the case for prioritizing early childhood and the first action to be taken as a result of its work,” the outlet writes.
Kate launched this business taskforce in March 2023, and, as executive director of The Royal Foundation Centre for Early Childhood Christian Guy talked through the report’s findings, Kate was mentioned frequently. “This is another crucial moment for Her Royal Highness’ early childhood work,” Guy said. “Its impact, and the work of her Centre for Early Childhood, is rolling on as she recovers.”
Today, “some of the most significant businesses in Britain will be joining forces to deliver a ‘major early years rallying call’ to their fellow business leaders across the country,” Guy continued, “urging their peers to stand with them, the Centre for Early Childhood, and the princess to help transform the way our country supports the vital early years.” The 60-page report is called “Prioritizing Early Childhood for a Happier, Healthier Society” and the report makes a strong economic case for change in this regard, asserting that a focus on early childhood will result in the creation of a happier, more productive workforce by focusing on the workforce of the future—children. The report quantifies for the first time the monetary value of such change—$57.2 billion added to the British economy.
The report also adds that the work done in the U.K. is hopefully the first step of international adoption of prioritizing early childhood.
“The work of the Prince and Princess’ [of Wales] projects is ‘always on,’ and that has been no different for the Centre over the past five months with a great deal of progress being made under [Guy’s] leadership,” a spokesperson for Kate said. “However, early childhood is a huge priority for the princess, and so she has been kept fully updated throughout the development of the taskforce’s work, and she has seen the report.”
Initially, eight companies have joined the taskforce, and Kate would like to see other companies join in the movement, which is part of her ongoing, broader Shaping Us campaign, “which aims to educate people of the importance of the first five years of a child’s life,” People reports.
“She’s excited by it,” Guy said. “Shaping Us was about raising awareness, but also what is so important to her is action. So, to have eight of the most significant businesses in Britain come forward to make the case to their fellow business leaders is exciting for her and a priority going forward for the Centre.”
Guy added “I know that she is enormously grateful to the members of the taskforce who have made such fantastic progress on this work over the past year. She feels passionately about the transformational impact of getting this right together, both for the current generation and for many more to come. I know that she is keen to encourage all businesses, no matter what their size or purpose, to join us on this journey, and is looking forward to seeing momentum grow in the coming months.”
Though this report doesn’t necessarily signal a return to work, Kate is “doing well,” according to her husband, Prince William, in a comment made earlier this month. Kate “is not expected to return to work until she has been given the all-clear to do so by her medical team,” People reports.
Members of the taskforce include Aviva, The Co-operative Group, Deloitte, Iceland Foods, IKEA U.K. and Ireland, The LEGO Group, NatWest Group, and Unilever U.K.
“The Princess of Wales was the driving force behind the business taskforce,” a source speaking to The Daily Mail said. “She has been kept up to date since the inception of the taskforce and has read the report and been briefed on it. This is a clear commitment she has made, that throughout her life of public service, that this will be [the] focus.”
The Centre for Early Childhood has been described as Kate’s “life’s work,” and as for a return to work, at least in a public facing capacity? “She will return to work when she has had the green light from doctors,” The Mirror drove home.
