The Princess of Wales gave a warm welcome to her friend Lady Edwina Grosvenor as she arrived in Southampton this afternoon to open a new women’s support centre.
The 41-year-old King traveled to Hampshire today to unveil Hope Street in the city centre.
Hope Street was developed by the charity One Small Thing, founded by Lady Edwina, which provides community-based centers for women in the justice system.
The rehabilitated building will house five women who are considered “low risk” after committing a nonviolent crime.
The new center will provide a community alternative for women who would otherwise be unnecessarily imprisoned due to a lack of safe housing or concerns about their well-being.
Lady Edwina Grosvenor (left) is the sister of Prince George’s godfather, the Duke of Westminster
Thus, Hope Street will provide housing for women and also allow them to remain in a home environment with their children.
After walking through the doors, Kate’s face lit up as she greeted Edwina – who in turn placed her hands on Kate’s shoulders.
During the engagement, Lady Edwina Grosvenor took Kate on a tour of the newly refurbished establishment.
The philanthropist is close friends with Kate – as she is the sister of Prince George’s godfather, the Duke of Westminster.
The Princess listened intently as her friend discussed the work they had done on the five en-suite apartments.
Lily Lewis – who helped found Hope Street – told the princess about her experiences in the justice system: “For me, prison is barbaric.”
The project – which has been independently overseen by the University of Southampton, the Prison Reform Trust and EP:IC – seeks to show how a compassionate and supportive approach to women in the justice system can have a transformative impact on life.
The Queen chose an Alessandra Rich midi dress – which she wore to last year’s Wimbledon men’s final – to unveil Hope Street in the city centre.
The Princess of Wales looked delighted as she welcomed Lady Edwina Grosvenor, founder of the charity One Small Thing
The Princess of Wales styled her luscious brown hair in her signature waves and opted for minimal makeup
Hope Street will house five women currently in custody and allow them to stay with their children
The Princess of Wales looked thoughtful as she was taken on a tour of Southampton’s new housing developments
The Princess listened intently as her friend discussed the work they had done on the five en-suite apartments
Keeping her jewelry minimalist, Kate, 41, opted for a pair of gold pearl earrings to attend the opening
Perfect in polka dots! The Princess of Wales recycled a £1,335 Alessandra Rich polka dot dress to attend the charity center launch
Kate’s stunning designer dress, which retails for £1,335, features a ruffled V-neckline and gold button-down detailing.
The mother-of-three paired her elegant dress with a pair of heeled white heels by Alessandra Rich, which she also wore to Wimbledon.
She then paired this with a boxy white mini bag from Mulberry. Kate opted for her signature blow-dry and kept her makeup to a minimum – she just opted for brown smoky eyes and nude lips.
Kate completed her outfit with a pair of pearl earrings and wore no jewelry other than her sapphire engagement ring, which once belonged to Princess Diana.
The Princess of Wales has been raising awareness of the importance of early childhood for years, launching her ‘Shaping Us’ campaign in January.
Kate’s ongoing campaign aims to increase society’s understanding of the importance of early childhood in shaping adulthood and society as a whole.
In recent months, the Princess of Wales has met with families who have spent time in the care system to highlight the importance of strong relationships for children experiencing trauma early in life.
Lady Edwina’s brother Hugh (pictured center with Prince William in 2018) is Prince George’s godfather
Precisely! The Duchess of Cambridge wore a £1,335 polka dot midi dress from popular label Alessandra Rich to last year’s Wimbledon men’s singles final
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Earlier this year, Kate outlined the scope of her campaign, describing it as a long-term project that begins with a child’s development and the importance of the formative years.
Scientific evidence has shown that early experiences can affect children not only socially and emotionally, but also their physical development.
Reports produced by the Early Childhood Center have shown that the first five years influence future well-being more than any other developmental stage, as our brains are growing faster at this time than at any other.
She also hopes to break the vicious cycle of parents who have faced difficult childhoods of their own.
Palace officials say the idea for the project came about before Kate became a mother.
Italian-born, London-based designer Alessandra Rich has become a go-to for Kate in recent years – the Princess of Wales has previously worn her designs to Prince Philip’s funeral and on a royal tour of the Bahamas.
The designer has previously said she takes inspiration from history’s “polite rebels” like Princess Diana.