Weeks after it was revealed that Kate Middleton is in remission for her cancer, the princess slowly but surely got back to work, with her latest royal engagement being perhaps the most poignant one yet.
On Thursday, Middleton followed in her late mother-in-law Princess Diana’s footsteps with a visit to Tŷ Hafan, a children’s hospice that was originally built with the support of the former Princess of Wales before her death in 1997. The relationship between Diana and Tŷ Hafan began in 1995, when the organization’s founder approached Diana about becoming the hospice’s patron. “It hadn’t even broken ground, but she said yes,” her former private secretary Patrick Jephson told People back in October.
And while Diana accepted the role, she sadly never saw the hospice come to fruition, as it opened its doors in 2000, becoming the only children’s hospice in the area. Continuing his former boss’s legacy, Jephson donated $130,000 to build a new wing for families and staffers looking for respite amid challenging times. He received the funds after he won a damages payout from the BBC for their controversial interview with Diana in 1995.
During her visit, Middleton—who is now patron of the charity—spent time with the children cared for at the facility and their families who are supported throughout their kids’ lives, deaths, and beyond. Wearing a pussy bow dress in a black-and-white plaid pattern, the Princess of Wales beamed as she interacted with the children and their parents during a “stay and play” session.
Kate’s recent outing came just days after she joined her husband Prince William for the couple’s first appearance since her remission announcement. On Monday, the two attended a London ceremony honoring Holocaust Memorial Day and marking the 80th anniversary of the liberation of the largest Nazi death camp, Auschwitz-Birkenau.
For the occasion, Middleton wore an all-black look and layered a long dress underneath a matching tailored blazer. Paying tribute to the victims and survivors, she accessorized with pearl jewelry—including a five-strand pearl necklace that previously belonged to Queen Elizabeth, as well as her Bahrain drop earrings.