Princess Kate breaks cover just as Prince Harry prepares to leave UK
London: Princess Kate is ready for a busy day of royal engagements after a two-day break, just as her brother-in-law Prince Harry prepares to wrap up his four-day U.K. trip.
On Thursday, September 11, the Princess of Wales stepped out for two back-to-back engagements; first, she toured the Sudbury Silk Mills in Sudbury, Suffolk, before heading to Kent to visit Marina Mill in Cuxton.
Kensington Palace had previously announced Kate’s visit to the mills to “celebrate the unique skill, creativity and craftsmanship of British textile manufacturers,” especially given that Kate has “long been passionate about the importance of the British textiles industry and its role as part of the UK’s cultural and creative voice.”
For the first leg of her engagement, Princess Catherine spent time with the design and production teams behind the Sudbury Silk Mills, which have been at the forefront of the British textile industry for over 300 years. The princess further toured the factory’s weaving floor and witnessed the weaving looms in action.
Afterwards, she will visit the Marina Mill in Cuxton, where Kate will be able to screen-print a design on fabric herself.
Today’s engagements mark Kate’s first outing since joining Prince William at the Women’s Institute near Windsor on Monday, September 8, to mark Queen Elizabeth’s third death anniversary.
It also marked the first day of Prince Harry’s U.K. trip, which he began by paying his respects to his late grandmother at her grave in Windsor Castle just miles away from William and Kate.
However, the once-inseparable trio did not cross paths, though the Duke of Sussex did briefly meet with his father King Charles at his Clarence House on Wednesday.