PRINCESS Kate beamed today as she got stuck in with families of brave children affected by illness during her visit to a children’s hospice in Wales.
The Princess of Wales visited Tŷ Hafan’s hospice in Sully, near Cardiff, where she spent time with children, families and staff.
The 43-year-old has been appointed as its new patron, a position previously held by Princess Diana in its fundraising stage.
Today also marked her first engagement in Wales since revealing her cancer diagnosis – and it was not short of smiles.
Kate played with eight kids during the visit and spoke to four parents who lost children, as well as painting a hand print on the wall.
They included Oscar, five, who whizzed around on his walker and stopped the Princess in the corridor.
Walking into the room where children were entertained by a guitarist, she said: “This is very vibrant.”
Smiling Kate crouched down to speak to Dani-Rae, 3, and asked: “What do you like doing here? Are you having a good time? Are you singing songs?
She shook some maracas and asked: “Do you like playing any instruments?”
The mother-of-three also warmly chatted with parents and carers asking: “Are there any places like this in the community?”
In one adorable moment, the Princess beamed as she let nine-year-old Lottie – whose sibling is being treated at the hospice – paint her hand.
She also shared a cheeky grin while painting the hand of four-year-old Maggie – another sister whose sibling is under the hospice’s care.
The first patronage Kate ever took on was East Anglia’s Children’s Hospice (EACH) and she maintains a close relationship with the organisation to this day.
Sources said the Princess is looking forward to building a similar relationship with Tŷ Hafan and the children and families it serves in Wales.
Kensington Palace arranged for a donation of musical instruments to be provided to the charity to allow them to conduct more music therapy sessions.
The Prince and Princess of Wales last went to Wales in October 2023 to celebrate the 75th anniversary of the arrival of the HMT Empire Windrush to the UK and mark the start of Black History Month.
The visit is part of Kate’s “gradual return to work” after her last minute decision to join Prince William at a Holocaust Memorial Day event.
It is not a sign she is “fully back to work”, but this type of pace is going to continue, insiders added.
Tŷ Hafan translates from Welsh to ‘Haven House’ in English.
It provides free care and support to children with life-shortening conditions and their families, both within the hospice and in homes and communities in Wales.
Irfon Rees, Chief Executive of Tŷ Hafan, said: “We are deeply honoured that Her Royal Highness The Princess of Wales has become Patron of Tŷ Hafan and it was an absolute pleasure to welcome Her Royal Highness to our hospice for the first time today.
“As our Patron, Her Royal Highness will be an inspiration for children with life-shortening conditions and their families, our dedicated staff and volunteers and everyone who so generously supports us.
“No parent ever imagines that their child’s life will be short. Sadly this is the reality facing thousands of families in Wales.
“We can’t stop this happening, but together we can make sure that no one lives their child’s short life alone.”
It comes after Kate hugged Holocaust survivors at a reception telling them it was a “treat” to see them again.
She had an emotional reunion with Yvonne Bernstein and Stephen Frank – two Holocaust survivors she photographed in 2020, ahead of a UK National Ceremony to mark 80 years since the liberation of Auschwitz-Birkenau.
As she sat catching up with Yvonne, the two women held hands, with Yvonne stroking the Princess’s arm and thanking her for coming at the reception held at London’s Guildhall.
Kate, in a black coat over black wide-leg trousers and a black sweater with a five-string pearl necklace, said: “It was such a treat for me to come and see an old friend.”
She had greeted the 87-year-old Yvonne saying: “It’s so nice to see you”.
And after hearing that Yvonne had suffered some health problems, she added: “You’ve had such a hard time, haven’t you?”
Kate also shared a warm hug with Stephen, 89, who thanked her for sending him a Christmas card and the two chatted about his family.
William sat with Polish born Alfred Garwood, who survived Bergen-Belsen as a child and Bosnian genocide survivor Sabina Kadic-Mackenzie, who now lives in Liverpool.
Both the Prince and Princess discussed their desire to teach their children about the Holocaust, with William saying: “George is getting to the age where he’s starting to understand things.
“So it’s getting interesting to talk to him about what happened.”
