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Kate Middleton Takes the Classroom! See Her Talk Teddy Bears and Birthday Cakes with Young Students

Kate Middleton at St John's CE Primary School in East London
Kate Middleton at St John's CE Primary School in East London

The Royal Foundation Centre for Early Childhood Kate Middleton

Kate Middleton met with young students — and a stuffed animal named Barnaby Bear! — to chat about her latest project.

The Princess of Wales, 41, released a new video promoting her Shaping Us campaign on Thursday. Chatting with a group of 4-year-old and 5-year-old students, Kate asked them about the importance of feelings and growing up in a nurturing environment during the visit to St. John's Church of England Primary School in East London last week. The royal joined the children in watching the claymation film at the heart of her new early years campaign while they clutched their favorite stuffed animals.

"Thank you very much for having me at your school. And who are these teddies you've brought with you?" she asked the group, commenting on one named Barnaby and another girl's unicorn. "I should have brought my teddy with me, shouldn't I?"

"So I didn't bring my teddy, but I brought something else with me," Kate told the group.

When a child asked what she brought, she said, "I brought a film to watch with you guys."

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After watching the 90-second film, which depicts a little girl called Layla as she grows from an embryo to age 5 and how she responds to the environment around her throughout her development, Princess Kate asked the group questions relating to the short film.

They chatted about the special adults in their life as well as swimming, which Layla does in the film.

"It makes you feel a bit nervous, doesn't it? But then the feeling afterward — brilliant, isn't it?" Kate said. "It makes you feel really proud of yourself."

Kate Middleton Announces the Exciting Next Chapter in Her Royal Work for Young Children
Kate Middleton Announces the Exciting Next Chapter in Her Royal Work for Young Children

Kensington Palace Kate Middleton at a primary school in East London, January 2023

Additional topics included birthday cakes — Kate heard how one boy had a Spider-Man-themed cake (a favorite superhero of Kate and Prince William's 4-year-old son Prince Louis as well!) — and ice cream.

"Have any of you dropped an ice cream before like that?" she asked the group, referencing a scene in the film. "I have done too."

They also talked about the people who have shown them kindness.

"I like my friend, Miley," one girl shared. "When I cry, she gets a tissue and wipes my tears."

"That is the kindest friend," Kate replied.

Princess Kate told the group, "We all have feelings, don't we? Good feelings and sad feelings, but if we've got our friends around us and our family, it makes us feel better, doesn't it?"

At the end of the meeting, a girl told Kate, "Thank you for being here."

"Well, thank you for letting me be here and for inviting me here," Kate said before giving high-fives to all the students.

The week has been a busy one for the royal mom of three as she builds on the work she has done in the field of young child development. In 2021, she launched the Centre for Early Childhood as part of the Royal Foundation to "raise awareness of why the first five years of life are just so important for our future life outcomes, and what we can do as a society to embrace this golden opportunity to create a happier, more mentally healthy, more nurturing society."

Since then, she has been steadily growing a team of advisors, building to support Kate and the Centre "as work is accelerated to promote the fundamental importance of the first five years of a child's life," according to Palace officials.

Kate Middleton Announces the Exciting Next Chapter in Her Royal Work for Young Children
Kate Middleton Announces the Exciting Next Chapter in Her Royal Work for Young Children

Kensington Palace Kate Middleton at a primary school in East London, January 2023

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Kate launched the Shaping Us campaign with a landmark speech at BAFTA on Monday. Visiting Leeds on Tuesday, Kate also launched a new Instagram page for The Royal Foundation Centre for Early Childhood, which has featured several videos of Kate talking about the initiative and the official claymation video.

On Wednesday, Kate was joined by several Royal Foundation "champions," including podcast host and author Giovanna Fletcher and Love Island U.K. contestant Zara McDermott, who has authored BBC documentaries on eating disorders and revenge porn.

Kate Middleton at St John's CE Primary School in East London
Kate Middleton at St John's CE Primary School in East London

The Royal Foundation Centre for Early Childhood Kate Middleton

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Those close to the royal say that this ongoing work will define her public duties for decades to come.

"She wants this to be her life's work. In terms of legacy, she would want in 10 years' time to see a much greater societal change in awareness when it comes to the early years," a Kensington Palace spokesperson says.