Storytelling champ! Duchess Kate gave royal enthusiasts a glimpse of what bedtime is like for her three children while reading aloud on the BBC’s CBeebies.
“Wow, what a tale,” the Duchess of Cambridge, 40, exclaimed during a sneak peek of her appearance on the children’s show shared via Twitter on Friday, February 11. “We can all feel scared sometimes, just like our little owl friend Plop.”
The England native donned a cozy sweater and a pair of light-washed jeans as she sat on a colorful blanket to read The Owl Who Was Afraid of the Dark by authors Jill Tomlinson and Paul Howard. Kate’s appearance on the program coincided with Children’s Mental Health Week.
Her Royal Highness, The Duchess of Cambridge, is reading #CBeebiesBedtimeStories to mark Children’s Mental Health Week
The Owl Who Was Afraid of the Dark by Jill Tomlinson & @paulhoward20 at 6.50pm, Sun 13th Feb then on @bbciplayer
@KensingtonRoyal#CBeebies20thBirthday pic.twitter.com/3T66cosPWi
— CBeebies Grown-Ups
(@CBeebiesHQ) February 11, 2022
“But, as Mrs. Barn Owl said, it’s better to find out about the things that scare us before we make up our mind,” Kate noted in the clip. “And with the help of others, we can often face things that worry us. Now it’s time for bed, night night, and sleep tight.”
The royal’s recent TV appearance is not the first time she’s been outspoken about promoting mental health awareness. Kate is the official patron of children’s mental health charity Place2Be, helping the nonprofit launch the annual Children’s Mental Health Week in 2015.
Between official royal engagements, Kate and her husband, Prince William, have been spending more time in England’s Berkshire county with their three children: Prince George, 8, Princess Charlotte, 6, and Prince Louis, 3.
“It’s where Kate was raised and the place they feel most comfortable as a family whenever they go to visit which is a lot more often than people realize,” a source exclusively told Us Weekly earlier this month. “The country life suits them so much better in terms of the pace and environment, plus it’s not too far from London when they need to commute.”
Kate and the 39-year-old Duke of Cambridge, who tied the knot in April 2011, have both been vocal supporters of eliminating the stigma surrounding mental health in their home country. The twosome even launched the Heads Together initiative in 2016 to help spread awareness. Prince Harry was also involved in the campaign before he and Meghan Markle stepped down from their senior royal roles.
“Catherine and I are clear that we want both George and Charlotte to grow up feeling able to talk about their emotions and feelings,” William previously said during an April 2017 interview with CALMzine. “We will all go through tough times in our lives, but men especially feel the need to pretend that everything is OK, and that admitting this to their friends will make them appear weak. I can assure you this is actually a sign of strength.”
Kate’s episode of CBeebies airs in the U.K. on Sunday, February 13.