Kate Middleton was completely at ease with the children during her visit to the hospice, with one observer noting, «You can really tell she’s a mom.»
During a visit to the Tŷ Hafan children’s hospice on January 30, Princess Kate Middleton shared a playful moment with a 4-year-old girl, helping her leave a handprint — and ended up with one herself.
The 43-year-old Princess of Wales was visiting the hospice on the day she officially became its patron.
While there, she met the family of Felix Forbes, 12, who was visiting the hospice with his parents, Alex and Dan, along with his sisters, Lottie, who turns 10 on January 31, and Maggie, 4.
The main corridor of the hospice is lined with colorful handprints, creating a warm and welcoming atmosphere.
“She was talking about the handprints and how lovely they are,» said Felix’s mom, Alex. «We mentioned that we had all done ours, but we did it before our youngest daughter, Maggie, was born.
Kate then asked Maggie, ‘Shall we do mine today, together?'»
Lottie helped by painting Kate’s hand, while Kate returned the favor by painting Maggie’s.
Although Maggie was a bit shy about the experience, her dad, Dan, humorously mentioned, “Lottie’s now aware she’s all over the internet.”
Alex described her interaction with Kate as “really warming and easy,” adding, “You can tell she’s a mom.
It was so easy to see in the way she engaged with the girls.
She was lovely, getting Lottie to come over and asking, ‘Do you want to paint my hand?’”
Dan also praised Kate, saying, “It feels like you’re talking to a mom first and foremost.
She’ll bring awareness to what this place does. We’d be ignorant of it if we didn’t use it. It has been a huge support for us.”
Alex emphasized the importance of Tŷ Hafan’s work with siblings of children with life-altering illnesses:
“It’s really important for that part of the family. And to have the princess raise the profile of what they do here is just phenomenal.”
Felix has Miller-Dieker Syndrome, a neurological disorder, and was originally given a two-to-four-year life expectancy when diagnosed at 13 weeks.
Against the odds, Felix is now 12 years old. The family had been preparing for the end of his life last year.
The family also reflected on Kate following in the footsteps of Princess Diana, who was known for her ability to connect with people.
“Diana was always seen as the royal who had a special touch with people,” Dan said.
“You could see that with Kate today. She immediately put everyone at ease — you felt like you were talking to another mom, which is priceless for families like ours.”
