On Tuesday, the Princess of Wales visited a women’s prison, where she highlighted the work being done by her patronage, Action for Children. Basically, Action for Children operates “units” where imprisoned moms can spend time with their babies and children. This is not the first time Kate has been sent to do a prison photo-op, she also visited a women’s prison in 2023. What was sort of weird about Tuesday’s visit is that she mostly repeated the same look she wore to the Royal Marsden Hospital last month, including a “new” Blaze Milano coat and a burgundy Gabriela Heart t-neck (which retails for £770). She did wear a different skirt. Was she making another point about how no one should talk about her fashion? Anyway, Katie Nicholl at Vanity Fair did a piece about Kate’s prison visit and she added some new details:

Kate Middleton visited a mother and baby unit within a women’s prison on Tuesday, as she continues her “gradual” return to work. Princess Kate, who is said to be “thrilled” to be back at work, visited HM Prison Styal in Wilmslow to highlight the importance of strong relationships between incarcerated mothers and their babies. The unit provides care for new and expectant mothers with support for babies who have to spend the first eighteen months of their life in prison.

The royal looked happy and relaxed as she toured the grounds in the rain, taking shelter at one point under an umbrella. Sources close to Kate say she wants to break down the stigma surrounding women having babies while in prison and focus on the importance of the bond between mother and child, even in challenging situations. The MBUs aim to help women break the cycle of reoffending.

Princess Kate spoke to some of the inmates about their experiences of having babies while serving a sentence – some are incarcerated for life – and talked to staff about the importance of inmates having the chance to form attachments with their babies.

Last year, Kate was forced to put her work on hold following her shocking cancer diagnosis, but having been given the all-clear in September following a course of preventative chemotherapy, Kate has been eager to get back to work.

Palace sources say while the princess has had a busy start to the year, she will pace herself over the coming weeks. While she is not set to join Prince William on an overseas tour this year, she is, palace sources say, committed to focusing on her projects and charity commitments “picking up where she left off this time last year.”

[From Vanity Fair]

“She will pace herself over the coming weeks” – meaning, she’ll be on vacation with her kids during their school break. At least Kensington Palace is getting a little bit smarter about how they frame Prince William and Kate’s absences. KP sends them out for busywork just before a holiday, then briefs the press that W&K will “pace themselves.” After all of these years, they’ve created these cute little euphemisms for “Will and Kate are lazy and they’re constantly on vacation.” The bit about Kate not traveling for work is funny too, because she’s already been on a ski holiday to the Alps after Christmas, and I guarantee that Kate will be out of the country on another vacation soon enough.

Photos courtesy of Cover Images.