by The Princess of Wales has posted a family photograph of her as a baby with her father, Michael Middleton.
The sweet snapshot shows baby Kate Middleton smiling and reaching out to grab her father’s face. It was launched as part of Kate’s new Shaping Us campaign to highlight the importance of early development.
Shared on the official Twitter account of the Prince and Princess of Wales, Kate wrote in the caption: “’Faces are a baby’s best toy.’ On Tuesday we launched Shaping Us to raise awareness of the vital role our early years play in shaping the rest of our lives.”
He added that the photograph was taken “with dad, by mom.”
In a follow-up tweet, Kate asked royal fans to “spend time with your friends, colleagues and communities talking about your early childhood and how it has shaped your lives.”
She added: “I hope you’ll also consider joining me in sharing a photo of you before your fifth birthday to help with those conversations and share some smiles and memories too.”
Many Twitter users took the plunge and shared their own childhood photos in response to the princess’s tweet.
This week Kate said her early years campaign goes beyond “raising children” and is also about “shaping our society” and creating a “more enriching world”.
Speaking to radio presenter Roman Kemp, Kate said that highlighting the importance of early childhood was not about putting “extra pressure” on parents, but saying they needed “help to re-prioritise family life”.
The Shaping Us initiative is a campaign described as “your life’s work” and aims to raise the profile of the crucial period of a child’s development, from pregnancy to five years.
The campaign is supported by a number of famous people, including rapper Professor Green, presenter Fearne Cotton, former Saturday singer Rochelle Humes and Lionesses captain Leah Williamson.
Kate’s comments to Kemp were filmed last month on the grounds of the Hertfordshire home of the parents of Capital FM presenter, Spandau Ballet star Martin Kemp and singer Shirlie Holliman.
She tells the Capital breakfast show host: “It’s not just about raising kids.
“This is about shaping our future, shaping our society, creating a happier, healthier, more enriching world for all of us to live in.”
She unveiled her campaign on Monday (January 30) during an event at the Bafta London headquarters, along with a 90-second Claymation film. Prince William was also present to support her.
The film shows how a child is shaped by his interactions and his environment.
In a speech at the event, Kate said: “The campaign is fundamentally about highlighting the critical importance of early childhood and how it shapes the adults we become.
“During this time we laid the foundations and building blocks for life. And it is when we learn to understand ourselves, understand others and understand the world in which we live.
“That’s why it’s essential to not only understand the unique importance of our early years, but also to know what we can all do to help raise future generations of happy, healthy adults.”
Additional reporting by PA
