by The Princess of Wales has published a new video in which she talks to schoolchildren about stuffed animals, ice cream and about good and sad feelings.
Kate introduced young people at St John’s CE Primary School in Bethnal Green, east London, to her Shaping Us campaign, which aims to raise awareness of the importance of early childhood in later life.
Sitting in a classroom with the six reception-age students, Kate talks about how having the support of friends and family can make people feel better.
A girl tells the princess: “I like my friend Miley. When I cry, she takes a handkerchief and wipes my tears.
Kate responds: “That’s the kind of friend… we all have feelings, right? Good feelings and sad feelings.
“But if we have our friends around us and our family, it makes us feel better, doesn’t it? Does it make you feel better when you talk about your feelings?”
The princess, dressed in a forest green bow blouse and black pants with a belt, asks the children about the stuffed animals they are holding.
“Good afternoon. Thank you very much for having me at your school, and who are these stuffed animals that you brought with you?” he says, pointing to the toys.
One of the children answers “Barnaby bear,” while another holds aloft a fluffy white unicorn.
Kate replies: “Barnaby Bear! I love your unicorn, he should have brought my bear with me, right?
The princess tells the four and five-year-olds that she has brought a film instead, and presents them with a claymation short from the Royal Foundation Center for Early Childhood about the early life of a character named Layla.
Referring to a scene in which Layla drops an ice cream, Kate, holding a stuffed Mr Tumble doll belonging to one of the children, asks, “Have any of you dropped ice cream like that before? Have? I have done it too.
A boy recounts how he also dropped his ice cream but was given another, with a smiling Kate commenting: “Oh yeah? You’re lucky… ah delicious.
Who has been nice to you lately? Who here gets big hugs? she asks, with the children raising their hands.
The princess says that the animation shows “how important it is to take care of yourself, to give yourself love, to give yourself kindness, so that you can be the best you can be.”
The boy sitting next to Kate nods enthusiastically as she speaks.
Kate also talks to another boy about his Spider-Man birthday cake, patting him on the back and giving him a big smile while telling him that she loves the superhero.
A girl thanks Kate for visiting and says, “Thank you for being here.”
The princess responds, before high-fiving the children, “Well, thanks for letting me be here and for inviting me here.”
