At her first solo appearance since giving birth to Prince George, Kate Middleton stunned on-lookers by joining in on a game of volleyball at an East London event for the SportsAid charity while wearing sky-high wedge heels.
"She was really good," Jordan Dalrymple, a volleyball player who's benefitted from SportsAid, told People magazine. "She told me she has played beach volleyball before. We were quite impressed. She had the basic skills down - and in heels."
Middleton wore navy jean leggings by J Brand, a Breton-style top by Ralph Lauren (one of her signature looks), a one-button blazer by Smythe, and a pair of four-inch Russell & Bromley wedges, which she didn't let slow her down as she served on the court.
The SportsAid charity event helps encourage young British athletes to reach their full potential, an organization that the Duchess became a patron of earlier this year, and was excited to meet the athletes face to face and get "detailed insights into the challenges they face," according to the Daily Mail.
As for Prince George, Middleton most likely left her son at home in Kensington Palace under the care of Prince William, who, since leaving the Royal Air Force, has had more time to devote to royal duties and spending time with his family.
Upon her arrival to the event, Middleton was greeted by Tim Lawler, chief executive of SportsAid, before meeting a selection of trustees. Afterwards, she went down to watch some badminton players, though declined their offer to join in.
"We had been told she would have a game with us, but she didn't," 17-year-old badminton player, Eliza Cottingham, told the Daily Mail. "She said she had played before as she wanted to try and see whether it was like tennis, but she said she found it much harder."
The Duchess also spoke to Ade Adepitan MBE, a wheelchair volleyball player and a bronze medalist of the the Athens 2004 Paralympic Games.
"She was very keen to learn more about the difference SportsAid meant to these young players and asked whether we had any more players coming through as a result of last year's games. I told her we had more than ever before, it's been remarkable," Adeptian said. "It's a shame she didn't join us as its one of the few sports that able bodied and disabled can play together. I think she'd be great - she's got the height and is very naturally athletic. But she said she had only ever played netball at school."
Middleton did get a couple spikes in on the volleyball court, impressing on-lookers. She asked the young players how taking part in SportsAid has helped out with their training, and was all smiles chatting with them during a mentoring session.
"The thing that has really struck me is how keen she was to see what we did in action," Lawler said. "We are a charity about people, not great buildings. Every penny we raise goes to the kind of people you see here. We always tell our young people that they are beautiful and inspirational and now we can say that about our patron too. She was very bright, very switched on and asked all the right questions."
"But more than that, she was very thoughtful and listened well, her listening skills were excellent. This is the first time we have been able to put her patronage into action and we are very excited about the future."
Click here to see more photos of the Duchess at the SportsAid charity event in East London.
