"Do you know what this is for? It's remembering all the soldiers who died in the war," she explained to the child.
Affectionate royal admirers have dubbed Kate the "Children's Princess" after she was seen on camera having a sweet conversation with a little child. On Wednesday, the Princess of Wales left the house to visit the Colham Manor Children's Center in Hillingdon. A student at Colham Manor Primary School was particularly intrigued by the red poppy pinned to the Princess's coat when her visit came to an end, per People.
According to a video posted on Twitter by journalist Rhiannon Mills, the 40-year-old Princess of Wales knelt to talk with Akeem. Akeem questioned Kate about her name while appearing unafraid to speak to a princess. The royal kindly replied, "My name is Catherine, very nice to meet you."
It’s not everyday you get a poppy from a Princess 😊 Akeem who’s 3 was very chatty when Kate unexpectedly stopped to say hello at a maternity mental health visit so she gave him her remembrance poppy. Thanks Liberty from Colham Manor primary and Akeem’s mum for letting me share pic.twitter.com/ykP1wyujtf
— Rhiannon Mills (@SkyRhiannon) November 9, 2022
She saw the youngster staring at her crimson poppy and asked him, "Have you got a poppy? It's very famous. Would you like mine? You can have my poppy. Let's see if I can get it out." Princess then sat down and explained the meaning of the poppies as she fiddled with the pinned flower of memory. She said to the child, "Do you know what this is for? It's remembering all the soldiers who died in the war. There you go, that's for you. Will you look after it?" The Princess made sure to give his mother, who was waiting nearby, the pin while Akeem grasped the poppy.
Kate had a poppy pin on her coat and jumper for the excursion on Wednesday. Others noticed how at ease children are with Kate, with a person nicknamed GaGirl writing, "Children instinctively gravitate to Princess Catherine. It’s lovely." Similarly, JamBen1 tweeted, "Catherine is a complete natural with children."
The red poppy pins are a staple of the royals' clothing every November. Since 1921, the poppy has been used to honor military personnel who have lost their lives in battle. For Remembrance Day on November 11, the red blossom is especially linked with the U.K. and Commonwealth nations. The poem "In Flanders Fields" by John McCrae, which is about World War I, has the opening verse that is credited as the source of the poppy symbol, "In Flanders fields the poppies blowBetween the crosses, row on row, That mark our place; and in the sky, the larks, still bravely singing, fly scarce heard amid the guns below." The Royal British Legion sells pins in the UK in order to raise money for veterans.
The Maternal Mental Health Alliance (MMHA), a UK-wide charity and network of more than 100 organizations that strive to ensure that women and families affected by perinatal mental problems have access to high-quality comprehensive care and support, welcomed The Princess of Wales to the center in West London. The Princess had a tour of the facility, chatted with staff members, and joined a mother and baby group where she heard from parents about the help they got for their mental health after having children. The session comprised women who had received help from Home Start and Birth Companions, two of the MMHA's member organizations, according to the Express.
Kate also participated in a roundtable discussion hosted by the MMHA and met with representatives from organizations involved with Hillingdon's perinatal care, including midwives, health visitors, and social workers. The group discussed how the program evolved to suit the needs of the most at-risk moms in their neighborhood, the effects this had, and the potential for future development.
References:
https://people.com/royals/kate-middleton-gives-boy-akeem-poppy-pin/
Cover Image Source: Getty Images | Phil Noble
