a day ago
Princess of Wales makes public statement after pulling out of Ascot
The Princess of Wales has issued her first public statement since pulling out of Royal Ascot at the last minute.
She dropped out of a planned appearance at the prestigious horse race meeting after she had been due to make a return to the spectacle on Wednesday.
The Princess, 43, missed last year's event when she was undergoing cancer treatment.
She was said to be disappointed to not attend the racing event alongside her husband, the Prince of Wales, but was still striving to find the right balance as she fully returns to public-facing engagements.
On Friday, in her first statement since the announcement, the Princess praised the 'life-changing' work carried out by children's hospices.
The mother of three marked Children's Hospice Week and the work done by hospices in 'lifting spirits' of seriously ill children.
As patron of East Anglia Children's Hospices (Each) and Tŷ Hafan Children's Hospice in South Wales, she said: 'I have the immense privilege of seeing for myself the extraordinary work of our children's hospices.
'Lifting spirits through laughter, fun and play, as well as listening, holding, caring and sharing, they support children and families through life, death and beyond.'
The Princess's message added: 'This Children's Hospice Week, I hope you will join me in celebrating the life-changing work they do and thanking them for the vital care they provide to children and families experiencing the most challenging times.'
The message has been shared on social media channels by the two hospices she is patron of and the UK charity for seriously ill children and families, Together for Short Lives.
Children's Hospice Week, from June 16-22, is organised by Together for Short Lives and is the only week dedicated to raising funds and awareness for the services across the country.
The Princess has been a royal patron of each for more than 10 years and has long been a champion of the work that children's hospices do.
The Princess's message, released on Friday afternoon, also read: 'No parent expects to hear that their child has a serious health condition that could shorten their life.
'Sadly, this is the reality faced by thousands of families across the country, leaving them heart-broken, fearful of the future and often desperately isolated.
'Being able to access the support of one of the UK's 54 children's hospices means they don't have to face that future alone.'
The Princess has in recent years made early years campaigning work her main focus after launching Shaping Us, a major new public awareness campaign in 2023 about the importance of early childhood.
Through the initiative, Catherine aims to improve society's understanding of the significance of early childhood in shaping adulthood and society as a whole.
