Kate launches new child-focused project as King hosts garden party at the palace

The Princess of Wales has teamed up with scientists trying to better understand how a child's brain works.

Described as a "pivotal" new stage in her work into the first five years of a child's life, Catherine was able to see first hand how the children themselves were helping researchers.

She met with experts, parents and youngsters at the University of East London on Wednesday, one day after Kensington Palace announced plans for the princess to travel to Italy next week – her first foreign visit since being diagnosed with cancer two years ago.

The 44-year-old will spend two days in Reggio Emilia in support of her ongoing work into the early years with her Royal Foundation Centre for Early Childhood, launched in 2021.

The solo visit is being seen as a milestone in Catherine's recovery from cancer and course of preventative chemotherapy.

During her visit at the university, the princess spent time with children wearing monitors and stress sensors allowing researchers to record and observe their reactions in different environments and situations, such as when playing or being removed from the view of a parent.

For the engagement, the princess wore a Roland Mouret trouser suit and a $1400 gold necklace by Daniella Draper, featuring three charms with the letters G, C and L for the names of her children – Prince George, 12, Princess Charlotte, 11, and Prince Louis, eight.

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Catherine has worn the necklace frequently at events connected with children.

Her time at the university on Wednesday was to highlight a new report by the Royal Foundation designed as an online resource for professionals working with babies, young children and their families.

It will be used by universities and training providers across the UK.

Foundations for Life: A Guide to Social and Emotional Developments is designed to highlight the importance of social and emotional development in the first five years of a child's life.

In the foreword to the guide, the princess wrote: "In a world which feels increasingly distracted, fragmented and digital … it is more important than ever to invest in what truly helps us to thrive: human connection.

"By age five, our brains have already grown to 90 per cent of their adults size … making early childhood a critical window for developing the social and emotional skills that become the bedrock of lifelong wellbeing."

As the princess was in east London, King Charles was hosting the first garden party of the season at Buckingham Palace.

The monarch was joined by Queen Camilla, the Princess Royal, the Duke and Duchess of Edinburgh and the Duke and Duchess of Gloucester, for the gathering on the lawns of the palace.

The garden party coincided with the third anniversary of the coronation, held on May 6 in 2023.

One of the guests was a cocker spaniel who jumped on the King's legs and licked his hands.

The animal, a hearing dog for deaf people, was later seen digging up the lawn, causing Princess Anne to laugh and tell its owner: "Oh, it's quite alright".

Around 8000 people were invited to the garden party, most of them being emergency service workers.

The King and Queen recently returned from their four-day visit to the US, which was hailed as a landmark moment in the monarch's reign.

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