While visiting sick children today at the Shooting Star House Children’s Hospice in Middlesex, Kate Middleton played the role of a "frog princess" using a hand puppet during an art therapy music class, the Mirror reports.
The Duchess of Cambridge wore a grey jacket from high-end street shop Reiss and dark suede pants during her 80-minute visit, giving children hugs and helping to bring smiles to their faces, though several kids were less than impressed at first.
When Middleton offered five-year-old Demi-Leigh Armstrong from Ashford, Middlesex a rattle for her friend, asking "Do you want to give him this one?," she replied bluntly, "No," though by the end of the session the Duchess had won over Demi-Leigh and gotten a hug from her. Demi-Leigh is recovering from a kidney transplant operation, and helped present her with a bouquet of roses to thank her for visiting the hospice.
When Middleton wished her a happy Christmas, Demi-Leigh replied, "But it's not Christmas yet," and Middleton asked for her to give her a hug before she left, which she obliged to with a smile.
Middleton also spent time comforting the parents of a one-year-old girl who died Tuesday of spinal muscular atrophy, their five-year having died from the same condition. The Duchess spoke to various parents about their kids and their conditions, as well as their experiences with Shooting Star House.
"She was down to earth but had a real aura about her," mother Louise Wilks from Harefield, west London, told the Mirror. "She asked me about my boys and how we use Shooting Star Chase and I told her how they like messy play. She said she has just introduced George to messy play and what fun it was."
Last night, Middleton and Prince William attended the royal premiere of "Mandela: Long Walk to Freedom" in London, where they were informed of Nelson Mandela's death at the end of the night.
"I just wanted to say it's extremely sad and tragic news. We were just reminded what an extraordinary and inspiring man Nelson Mandela was," Prince William said. "My thoughts and prayers are with him and his family. It's very sad."
Click here to see photos of Kate Middleton interacting with children and playing the "frog princess" during an art therapy program at the Shooting Star House Children's Hospice.
