Kate Middleton 'naturally helps' inmate moms feel 'relaxed' during prison visit

Kate Middleton, the Princess of Wales, has made an unexpected appearance at a women's prison on February 11.

During her visit at HMP Styal in Wilmslow, Cheshire, Kate met mothers and their babies living in a special unit.

For those unaware, the mother and baby unit, run by the charity Action for Children, helps incarcerated mothers care for their children in a safe and supportive environment. The Princess of Wales has been patron of the charity since 2016.

Speaking with People Magazine, the director at Action for Children, Amanda Taylor discussed Princess Kate’s visit.

She said, “We felt very privileged that the princess visited one of our mother and baby units.”

“We consider them our little gems that we don’t always get publicity about. It is incredibly important work that we deliver and for the princess to shine a light on that work was a fantastic opportunity for us,” Amanda added.

She went on to share that a lot of women were nervous but Kate “just naturally helped the women to feel relaxed.”

“One of the women found it hard to talk and she spent some time with her at the end, talking to her one to one. She is very skilled at making people feel comfortable. These are very vulnerable women in a difficult situation,” she said.

Additionally, Kate also spoke to former prisoners and their babies with them. Amanda said, “They talked about the help that they received, both direct to themselves and for the baby as well as the support they have been through after they’ve been discharged from the prison. They also talked about other prisoners and how they’ve been supportive of each other as well.”

However, this visit is part of Kate Middleton's ongoing efforts to promote the importance of early childhood development. Princess Kate previously visited other prisons and launched the Shaping Us Framework.