'YOU CAN FEEL SO ISOLATED'

THE DUCHESS OF CAMBRIDGE DISCUSSES LOCKDOWN STRUGGLES WITH OTHER MUMS AS SHE BRINGS THE 'CASUAL KATE' EFFECT TO A LONDON PARK WITH HER SASSY HIGH-STREET STYLE

- MICHELLE GARNETT

Earning her unofficial title as the Relatable Royal, a dressed-down Duchess of Cambridge empathised with new mothers about the isolating effects of lockdown.

Waving the flag for the UK high street in her pink M&S trousers, Kate all smiled at the meet up in London’s Battersea Park.

Her relaxed vibe was lovely to see as she entertained the young children and chatted freely with the other mums. There were even claims that she has become quite the “chameleon royal”, making every effort to fit in and get on famously with those she meets.

At one point, Kate shared her parenting challenges when she joked that she couldn’t have brought her two-year-old son Louis because he’d have tried to jump in the park fountain, splashing around noisily.

With the group socially distanced on wooden benches in the park’s picturesque Old English Garden, Kate learned about the help the mums received during lockdown via parent-to-parent support networks such as Home-Start, National Childbirth Trust (NCT), and Mush.

She also chatted to volunteers, telling them, “It’s good being able to listen and be listened to while being off guard. It’s so important for your emotional wellbeing.”

Applauding them for their efforts to bond with the mums while sharing their own experiences, she added, “Without what you’re providing – that form of relationship – you can feel so isolated. You should be very proud.”