Keeping busy! Duchess Kate hosted a reception to celebrate her work with the Place2Be organization hours after an awkward reunion with Prince Harry and Meghan Markle in London on Monday, March 9.
The Duchess of Cambridge, 38, welcomed guests to Buckingham Palace in honor of Place2Be’s 25th anniversary following the Commonwealth Day Service at Westminster Abbey earlier that day. Kate wore a beaded blue gown and was joined by two school choirs, who performed at the event in front of supporters of the mental health counseling charity.
The duchess and her husband, Prince William, have both been vocal champions of mental health advocacy and treatment for years. Kate addressed the crowd on Monday night in a rare speech and spoke about the inspiration behind her patronage of Place2Be, according to Entertainment Tonight.
“Place2Be was one of the first charities I became patron of. I knew it was special then, but having spent many years since learning about the importance of childhood development, I see even more the value in the work that you do and I am hugely grateful for all that you have taught me over the past seven years,” Kate said. “You taught me, right from the start, that the children in your schools are only as happy and emotionally strong as the adults in their care.”
The palace reception took place just a few hours after Kate reunited with her brother-in-law, 35, and Meghan, 37, for the first time since the Duke and Duchess of Sussex confirmed that they would be stepping down from their roles as senior members of the royal family. The former Suits star returned to the U.K. earlier this month to join Harry for their final round of royal engagements.
After their arrival at the Commonwealth Day Service, Kate and William, 37, barely interacted with Harry and Meghan, who were already in their seats. The retired actress and her husband smiled and waved to the Cambridge royals, who seemingly ignored the welcome entirely. Body language expert Blanca Cobb explained to Us Weekly that the awkward interaction between the two couples signified that “something is up.”
“Kate had zero acknowledgment when taking her seat near Harry and Meghan. Meghan was definitely more genuine than Harry in that greeting with William and Kate,” she told Us shortly after the service took place in London. “Meghan and Harry were smiling at Kate and William, but even when Kate turns around to sit down there’s absolutely no smile on her face — none. So that leads us to believe that something is going on.”
Sign up for Us Weekly's free, daily newsletter and never miss breaking news or exclusive stories about your favorite celebrities, TV shows and more!
Scroll down to see more from Kate’s royal reception at Buckingham Palace.
