Kate Middleton Discreetly Attends Meeting at Windsor Castle for Her Passion Project

11/20/2024 10:03 AM

The Princess of Wales quietly held a meeting at the castle hours before the annual Diplomatic Corps Reception, which she skipped

Kate Middleton slipped into a meeting at Windsor Castle for a cause close to her heart, two weeks after participating in Remembrance events, as she continues her recovery following the completion of her chemotherapy treatment in September.

On Nov. 20, a new entry in the Court Circular revealed that the Princess of Wales, 42, hosted a meeting for her Early Years team at Windsor Castle on Tuesday, Nov. 19. In June 2021, Kate, alongside her husband Prince William, established the Royal Foundation Centre for Early Childhood. The initiative is dedicated to raising awareness and driving action on the crucial impact of early childhood, with the goal of transforming society for the future.

"The Princess of Wales, Joint Patron, the Royal Foundation of The Prince and Princess of Wales, this morning held an Early Years Meeting at Windsor Castle," the entry in the Court Circular, the official record of the British royal family's engagement, stated.

Princess Kate's latest meeting at Windsor Castle came a few hours before Prince William, King Charles and Queen Camilla attended the Diplomatic Corps Reception at Buckingham Palace. While the Princess of Wales typically steps out for the glam event, she is not expected to fully resume royal duties anytime soon.

Related: Prince William Steps Out for Glam Buckingham Palace Reception as Kate Middleton Skips Event

"She is definitely going to be doing less," a source in her circle previously told PEOPLE after she completed chemo.

The Princess of Wales made a ceremonial return to royal duties earlier this month after announcing that she completed chemotherapy. She appeared with her family at the Festival of Remembrance at Royal Albert Hall on Nov. 9 and the Cenotaph Service at the London war memorial on Remembrance Sunday, Nov. 10. 

Princess Kate's next major appearance is expected to be her fourth annual Together at Christmas concert at Westminster Abbey on Friday, Dec. 6, which has meaningful themes of love and empathy after what she previously summed up as a "tough" year. 

The Prince and Princess of Wales share three children — Prince George, 11, Princess Charlotte, 9, and Prince Louis, 6 — and Princess Kate has made early childhood and childhood development a priority of her public work. 

News of Princess Kate's Nov. 19 meeting coincided with a new message about her early childhood mission on the social media accounts she shares with Prince William. 

Related: Kate Middleton Drops a Surprise Holiday Video: 'Something Exciting Is Coming...'

On Nov. 20, the Prince and Princess of Wales' team reposted messages from The Royal Foundation Centre for Early Childhood celebrating World Children's Day.

"On #WorldChildrensDay The Royal Foundation Centre for @EarlyChildhood highlights the vital importance of the first five years of a child's life and how supporting social and emotional development can make us happier, healthier adults," said the message on the couple's shared X and Instagram Stories. 

In June 2021, Princess Kate solidified her mission to help children and parents by establishing The Royal Foundation Centre for Early Childhood to draw attention to the importance of the first five years of life and advance outcomes for a brighter society. 

In January 2023, she launched the Shaping Us campaign as a long-term initiative to raise greater awareness around the importance of a child's early years. That March, she took the work a step further by organizing the Business Taskforce for Early Childhood, convening eight leading U.K. businesses to help elevate the way early childhood is prioritized in society. 

Princess Kate reduced her royal duties for much of 2024 after announcing in March that she was undergoing treatment for cancer. Though she was out of the limelight, it emerged in May that she was talked through the Business Taskforce's report, "Prioritising early childhood for a happier, healthier society: How business can drive, and benefit from, transformative change in the UK."

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"She's excited by it," said Christian Guy, executive director of The Royal Foundation Centre for Early Childhood. "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."