Kate delivers her first public address; interacts with hospice children during play therapy
Picture from Reuters (L) & Getty Images (R)

The Duchess of Cambridge has capped off her six-week crop of solo engagement with another very significant rite of passage — delivering her first public speech.  It was for a charity of which she is patron, East Anglia’s Children’s Hospices (EACH), for which she opened a new centre, The Treehouse, in Ipswich.

The verdict?  Not bad.  Nerves were evident, as she confessed later, and someone said her hands were shaking, but she managed to deliver a slow and heartfelt speech praising the charity as an “inspiration” and thanking them for inviting her as patron.  The speech was very carefully rehearsed and delivered.  More importantly, Kate is said to have written the piece herself.  Well done, Kate!

Other than the speech, Kate also joined in with art and music classes at a new children’s facility, displaying the kind of up-close personal affection that endeared her to the people. The charity’s chief executive Graham Butland said Kate had met with the terminally-ill child and his parents in private. “She was absolutely magnificent with the children and families. She seems to have the ability to just drop into a group of people and immediately be able to establish a rapport.”

After that, another first– planting a tree at the grounds of the hospice — her first in the country. No doubt She’ll plant many more trees and give many more speeches in the years to come.

On a side note, much focus was given to Kate’s choice of wardrobe – an electric blue Reiss dress first seen on her mum Carole Middleton in Ascot 2010. The palace later confirmed that it was Carole who borrowed Kate’s dress, and not the other way around.

William returns from the Falklands very soon, and the couple are going under the radar for a bit to catch up and spend some time together. Thus ends Kate’s busy 6 weeks of solo engagements.

Other Videos:

• BBC News report: The Duchess of Cambridge in Ipswich
• CNN: The Duchess of Cambridge passes first speech ordeal
• Telegraph: Kate paints and plays music with hospice children
• Today: Comparison between Kate & Diana’s first speeches

Articles with Pictures:

• The Duchess of Hearts: Kate privately meets with terminally ill boy
• Duchess of Cambridge Reiss dress that her mother borrowed for first public speech
• East Anglia’s Children’s Hospices report on Kate’s visit
• Get Kate’s EACH charity bracelet here. Ships worldwide

Photoset: Getty Images

Tags: charity, kate, speech, work