Buckingham Palace has officially announced that Kate Middleton, the Princess of Wales, is the new patron of Tŷ Hafan Children’s Hospice. That is a role that has immense emotional significance within the royal family. The announcement came with photos of Kate and King Charles which marked the transition of this patronage from the King himself. He had served in this role since 2001, when he was still the Prince of Wales.
The statement read:
The Princess of Wales has visited Tŷ Hafan, following the announcement that Her Royal Highness will take over as Patron of the charity. Since opening in 1999, the children’s hospice based in Sully, near Cardiff, supports families in Wales to ensure that children with life-shortening conditions live fulfilling lives. At the heart of Tŷ Hafan is a commitment to providing holistic support, focusing on the physical, emotional, social and spiritual needs of the children in its care and their families.
The King served as Patron of @Ty_Hafan, when he was The Prince of Wales, from 2001.
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Stepping into this position, Kate recently paid a visit to the hospice in Sully, near Cardiff, Wales, on January 30. There, she spent time with children who are battling against life-shortening conditions and their families. This marks yet another milestone in her long-standing advocacy for early childhood development.
During her visit to Tŷ Hafan, which translates to ‘Haven of Rest’, Kate met with young patients and their families. She was spotted engaging in activities as well. She took part in a music therapy session, where she knelt beside a young girl named Dani-Rae, who suffers from spinal muscular atrophy.
She asked her, “What do you like doing when you’re here? Do you like music? Have you tried any of the instruments?” The moment could find a mirror to the once embraced hands-on approach by Princess Diana.
Other than spending time with the children, Kate spoke privately with their families. One parent shared that having a royal figure acknowledge their pain came as a sense of validation and comfort and it reinforces how crucial the hospice’s work is. As Kate concluded her visit, she left her handprint at the hospice.
Kate later described her experience at Tŷ Hafan as “incredibly moving,” as she shared on social media how inspired she was by the work of the hospice staff and volunteers.
Irfan Rees, CEO of Tŷ Hafan, expressed how much it meant for the organization to have Kate Middleton as their new patron. He stated, “It means a huge amount for us to have Her Royal Highness as patron of Tŷ Hafan. I think it’ll be inspirational to many of our children and their families, but also to our dedicated staff and volunteers.”
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“No parent ever imagines their child’s life will be short. Sadly, this is the reality facing thousands of families in Wales. We can’t stop this from happening, but together, we can make sure no one has to live their child’s short life alone,” he added.
This visit comes amid Kate’s gradual return to public life following the health challenges she’s been through the previous year. She recently confirmed being cancer-free and has since been easing back into her royal duties.
A palace source revealed that there is intense public interest in Kate’s return. They stated, “All eyes are on Kate during her return to work. Part of the issue is she’s so popular and gets so much attention.”
