Advertisement

Princess Kate Pens Open Letter on New Early Childhood Campaign

britain's catherine, princess of wales talks with experts from across academia, science and the early years sector, at windsor castle in windsor on january 25, 2023 the advisory group has been created to offer strategic advice to the princess of wales and provide oversight of the work of her royal foundation centre for early childhood photo by daniel leal pool afp
Princess Kate Pens Open Letter on Early ChildhoodGetty Images

Princess Kate is continuing to raise awareness on the effect that the earliest years of a child's life has on their personal development.

The Princess of Wales has announced a new campaign for her Royal Foundation Centre for Early Childhood, sharing the news through an open letter released yesterday. The royal will take part in several in-person and online appearances, with the aim of generating new levels of awareness about the early years.

"As a society, we currently spend much more of our time and energy on later life," she wrote in the letter. "I am absolutely determined that this long-term campaign is going to change that."

The princess also wrote that she will be joined in the campaign by "a remarkable group of experts spanning science, research, policymaking and front-line practice as well as an exciting group of well-known faces from music, sport and television to show all of us why it is in all of our interests to care about this."

In addition to the open letter, Kensington Palace teased a future project through a clip released on social media, which shows Kate turning the pages of a photo album. The video starts with the princess writing, "What shapes us?" on the first page of the album, and she later reveals the message, "Our early childhood shapes the adults we become."

"#ShapingUs - coming soon with The Centre for Early Childhood," reads the caption.

Read Princess Kate's full letter below:

This week, I am delighted to reveal, The Royal Foundation Centre for Early Childhood will launch a major new awareness raising campaign, highlighting the critical importance the first five years of our lives have on shaping the adults we become.

During our very early childhood, our brains develop at an amazing rate – faster than any other time of our lives. Our experiences, relationships, and surroundings at that young age, shape the rest of our lives.

It is a time where we lay the foundations and building blocks for life. It is when we learn to understand ourselves, understand others and understand the world in which we live.

But as a society, we currently spend much more of our time and energy on later life.

I am absolutely determined that this long-term campaign is going to change that.

It will start by highlighting how we develop during early childhood and why these years matter so much in terms of shaping who we become.

I will be joined by a remarkable group of experts spanning science, research, policy making and front-line practice as well as an exciting group of well-known faces from music, sport and television, to show all of us, why it is in all of our interests to care about this.

We all need to know the critical importance of our early childhood. They really are years like no other in our lives. I urge everyone reading this, to take the opportunity to learn more about this incredible time of life, to think back to your own childhood and how it shaped you, and most importantly, to ask yourselves what you can do to make the world a more supportive and loving place for our children.

Because healthy, happy children shape a healthy, happy future.

You Might Also Like