Duchess Kate’s latest Early Years project is apparently ‘Big Change Starts Small’

The Duchess of Cambridge takes her landmark survey to London during a breakfast visit to LEYF (London Early Years Foundation) at Stockwell Gardens Nursery & Pre-school.

Just so we’re clear, I’m not making up the whole “keen to be keen” thing. Over the weekend, there was a lengthy piece in the British newspapers claiming that the Duchess of Cambridge would soon “step up” her Early Years work by launching an “ambitious and hugely significant” new initiative. The new project was compared to William’s Earthshot Prize, which is supposed to give millions of dollars away in prize money to people who can “solve” environmental issues. I’m calling Kate’s thing the Keenshot Prize and no one can stop me. So we got the embiggening article ahead of the launch, and now we’re getting… a preview of the launch. This 100% counts as an event for Kate:

“Big Change Starts Small” is written on the page, and the caption of the video is “Coming this week.” You guys… we’re absolutely getting more pie charts!! Are we getting bar graphs as well, that’s the real question.

Seriously though, with this kind of, um, ridiculous hype for whatever Kensington Palace staffers have cooked up for Kate, you would think it would be something more than just “a vague report with charts”? Like, is she actually going to announce something tangible at long last? Because everything about her Early Years work thus far has been little more than a clownish “survey” and a PR campaign to convince people that Kate is a self-styled child development expert. Hm.

Incidentally, I’ve seen the conversations about “why is she doing this” and “why doesn’t she just lean into her natural interests, something sporty.” I believe – and I think there’s enough evidence to back me up – that Kensington Palace and Carole Middleton wanted Kate to mimic Princess Diana’s comfort and charisma with children specifically. “Early Years” as an “issue” was foisted upon Kate because she needed something cutesy with kids, basically. Then when You Know Who came around, suddenly there was a need to turn Kate’s vague and forced interest in “kids” into “Kate is now an early-childhood expert and well-respected in the field.” They needed her to have a “thing.” This is the “thing” they chose for her.

kate five1 (2)

Catherine Duchess of Cambridge attends a National Portrait Gallery workshop at the Evelina Children's Hospital

Photos courtesy of Backgrid, Avalon Red, KP and WENN.

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129 Responses to “Duchess Kate’s latest Early Years project is apparently ‘Big Change Starts Small’”

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  1. Lemons says:

    Mackenzie Scott just said big changes start with big donations. Please match this energy, Kate.

    • Elizabeth Regina says:

      Gown, gowns, beautiful gowns. Someone who truly loves this woman should tell her to lean into her strengths. The announcement of the announcement has been so overdone.

      • Nivz says:

        Back in 2011-2016, she was able to rock an evening gown. I was a fan of her style, and looking back at her old looks, she managed to look pretty, and quite youthful. Eg the USA trip

        She has aged a lot, and poorly. Ageing isn’t a problem in and of itself, for eg, Maxima has aged too, but huge difference between her and Kate. Kate has lost something I can’t quite put my finger on. So, I don’t think the gowns are going to have the same impact. And it must rankle that Meghan has looked 30 forever.

    • Nivz says:

      Seriously. This photocopier video clip comes out the same day that I found out Mackenzie Scott donated almost 3 bn dollars in six months. Yet, I know barely anything about Scott. No need for embiggening there. You could argue there’s more mystique about Scott than the duchess of like and subscribe, but also, more importantly, that Scott’s focus is the philanthropy, and Kate’s is self aggrandisement. SMH.

      This video has the same awkwardness as the Anzac cookie delivery. Yknow, absence of background music, odd ambient noises.

      • LMR says:

        OMG I forgot about that cookie delivery video (and thankfully so). Really a video of papers printing? They couldn’t even have it jam for comic relief? It would make her more relatable to have Kate swearing and banging on the jammed copier.

  2. lalisa says:

    Does anybody know wtf is happening with Earthshot? It’s been a while since we’ve actually heard anything about it. It’s like Will just wanted to have an announcement with celebs and then disappeared.

    I swear to god these two are nothing more than clout chasers.

    • Cecilia says:

      I was actually thinking about this too? Weren’t there winners to be announced? Im confused

    • Amy Bee says:

      The prizes are supposed to be given out at the end of this year. They’ve just hired a CEO to run programme as its going to it’s own entity next year.

      • Cecilia says:

        So its not going to be part of the royal foundation? And i think its very weird regardless that for as much as william wants to portray himself as an environmentalist we’ve seen him do absolutely no work in the field this year so far? Or maybe he did and i just forgot

      • Amy Bee says:

        @Cecilia: You’re right William hasn’t done anything re. Earth shot and yes it’s going to leave the Royal Foundation next year.

    • Sofia says:

      Winners are being announced in Autumn.

      • JT says:

        If the Earthshot prize, ceremony does not do well or it isn’t comparable to the press around Invictus, I’m betting William will drop it. The entire premise is just an environmental Invictus anyway, with its traveling ceremony plan. (so much for caring about the environment.) He’s already given himself an out by announcing that he “hopes to be a part of it for years to come.”

  3. Mchica says:

    Is it me or this photocopier thing is lame? They need a better social media or creative team. If Keen was a teacher, this copier gimmick might work although it’s overdone. Can’t they afford a better color copier?

    • EnormousCoat says:

      And not to be too critical, but don’t toners and ink have a massive environmental impact, not to mention e-waste? But beyond that, yeah. Why would you put out something so massively lame. This is what the team came up with and Kate was like “Sure. Whatever.” That’s how this feels.

    • Amy Bee says:

      @Mchica: You’re not alone in thinking that.

    • BeanieBean says:

      Eh, they could’ve given us the text typed on a computer screen with a blinking cursor. Seems to be the level of their creativity.

    • Northerngirl says:

      It looks like the opening of ”The Office”….

      • Galisteo says:

        Reminded me of “The Office” too, can hear the music in the background playing.

    • Lucy says:

      It made my eye twitch, thinking of all the times I’ve stood in front of a outer, waiting for it to just PRINT! YOU’VE GOT ONE JOB!
      I really really related to the office space movie where they smashed the printer.

  4. Cessily says:

    So the binder has a cover and pie chart.. when will we see the substance?

    • Noodle says:

      They’re just going to make the font size 7.5 and BOOM! Starting small.

      • LittlePenguin says:

        @Noodle, comment of the day. Just going to make the font bigger weekly until it is banner size.

    • lalisa says:

      Considering she graduated with an arts history degree (this is no shade to my fellow liberal arts degree holder), there will never be substance. She simply does not have the range for this topic.

      • OriginalLala says:

        Its not because she has a liberal arts degree that there isn’t substance, its’ because she sucks. Plenty of people with art history degrees do significant work in the art/research world.

      • Eurydice says:

        If you’re an intelligent and inquisitive person, then it doesn’t matter what degree you acquire, or even if none at all.

      • taris says:

        i don’t think it’s possible to overstate just how much the arrival of you know who rattled keen (and her supporters) to the core.

        if y’all remember, 2016/2017 kate and wills had become rather staid, royal news was blah … until *she* came on the scene…

        many have pointed out that after 10 years keen should really have more (real) accomplishments under her belt, she should be better at public speaking, and she really shouldn’t need this nauseating propping up from her tabloid friends.
        her supporters think they’re doing her favours every time she manages to string a sentence together when, really, it’s just infantilising her. it’s almost like a parody. and constantly comparing her to meghan is honestly just setting her up to fail.

        if she was so brilliant she wouldn’t need to have this relentless, aggressive, pathetically transparent effort to embiggen her, trying waaay too hard to position herself as some sort of diana 2.0 (she’s not).

      • minx says:

        It’s what you do with your college degree that matters.

      • The Recluse says:

        I remember Dick Cavett, a college educated guy who had one of the more interesting chat shows on TV back in the day, saying how Groucho Marx’s erudition blew him away. Groucho, who didn’t even get to high school, made up for his lack of formal education by reading and reading serious stuff at that. Cavett remembered being surprised to discover that Marx had read so much more than he had, including books Cavett felt he should have read also. It isn’t the education you get, it’s what you do with it.

  5. Cecilia says:

    “Big change starts small”

    What change is there actually going to be if she’s not going to hold the government to account? If you truly want to systematically change things for the better for early childhood development im assuming policy changes need to be made. As of right now she’s advocating for nothing.

    Ps. Only 5.5 k likes? Their work isn’t all that popular is it?

    • Calibration says:

      I assumed it meant, big changes while I lie on my sunbed

      • BayTampaBay says:

        Kate is being badly advised by her advisors. Taking “early years” as a project was a mistake as there are only two ways to initiate change. The first way to initiate change is through government policy which Kate cannot due as a member of the BRF as it would be seen as being political. The second way to initiate change is through raising a “fetric-muck-tonne” of money for the work of an NGO. One only has to look at Kate’s work with EACH to see she is not capable of this.

        I think Kate’s advisors are out to get her or have some other agenda as I can not come up with any other reasons why the advisors would encourage her to do something she is not capable of doing. If Kate does not succeed, it will only make her staff look bad.

      • Lady D says:

        Bay, maybe it’s because all her advisers are antique white men with calcified thinking?

      • Dollycoa says:

        Yes I think this may be an issue. Old posh white men going ‘ shes a woman. Let her talk about children. How hard can it be?’ because they dont care about children or child development they thought it was easy.

    • Jane says:

      Yes, there was an article published in the Guardian yesterday about a report that stated that the Conservative government have knowingly and deliberately defunded early years childcare over the last decade and that as a result all the childcare pledges and policies are completely unviable, so I would be interested to hear how exactly Kate’s initiative is going to help change this and give parents the support they need.

      • Cecilia says:

        I think the biggest problem with kate’s early childhood work (and why is just a whole lot on nothing) is that she isn’t focussing on one aspect on early childhood development. Its simply early childhood and “the first 5 years are critical”

        Okay? Where lie the problems? Is it education? Is it nutrition? A stable family home? And what exactly are the causes of said problems?

        I do not understand why she doesn’t focus on education through art or sports. Or start a fundraiser for charities that help britains most vulnerable families.

        Its all just so empty.

      • Goofpuff says:

        Reporters will never get to ask her that question and her team will never answer it. Besides her great discovery in her survey per her speech is that it’s all the parent’s fault they were poor.

    • lalisa says:

      She will never be political. She does not have the backbone for these causes. If she did, she would question/highlight the tory government cutting off school lunches for kids.

      • (TheOG) Jan90067 says:

        It’s not a lack of backbone (though we know she doesn’t have one, or she wouldn’t’ve let TOB walk all over her 10 yrs pre-marriage, and 10 yrs after), it’s more that she lacks ANY passion for ANYTHING. She has no real interests past the end of her nose, no intellectual curiosity about any topics, no gravitas about *anything*.

        I honestly don’t know how she manages to make small talk at *any* reception held with anyone, and she lacks the skills to do anything more than a walkabout in “costume” (“Hello, how are you? Thank you for coming”, and moving to the next, rinse, lather, repeat).

    • lemonylips says:

      regarding likes – it’s starting small. so… give it a year it might have a like more.

  6. kelleybelle says:

    The manic, forced expressions and emotions, I just can’t. I can’t. This whole early childhood thing is just so … empty. They call it “work” but where is the work? What does it involve exactly. Genuine question.

    • Soapboxpudding says:

      I’m with you. My husband is an actual expert in child development and it drives me batty that she’s disingenuously co-opting such an important topic. He studies helping (pro-social development) in babies and toddlers and big changes do start small but lord knows there won’t be any depth or follow up with her “work”.

    • UnionSnack says:

      Same here. I always wonder why her initiatives are so airy. Her husband loves football, she is about early childhood – JUST MEET Kalvin Phillips. Really. It’s about footbal and the importance of early childhood! What’s wrong?

  7. Over it says:

    I am officially dead with laughter. Big changes start small and then we get 6 blank pages because we are going small then there is the pie chart followed by another 6 blank pages. Sounds about right. In about 3 years you will then get big changes become medium and two more pie charts

    • Gah says:

      Omg me too just dying of laughter over here at this one. Who advises them them to post this absolute nonsense??? Is the guy they poached from MH low key trolling them with his social media “strategy?”

      Bc it sure looks like it bahahahaha I took the time to comment how silly this is on Twitter just couldn’t help myself so I guess that makes me a troll but come ON

      This is absurd

  8. Eleonor says:

    Everything looks so amateurish.

  9. Maria says:

    The sad thing is people are going to gas her up like crazy about it and she’ll believe it all.

    • Cecilia says:

      Its going to be whole lot of nothingness and she’s going to be praised into the heavens for it.

    • BothSidesNow says:

      The problem is that they are trying to make Keen look like Princess Di, when she doesn’t have the will or desire to make any difference in any cause. She is utterly lazy and instead of actually taking up a cause and making it her own, they are trying to force this narrative that she is the next Princess Di, when she never would be and never will!

  10. Calibration says:

    We all know Kate will start small. Sigh.

    • SarahCS says:

      That’s where my train of thought was taking me with this. Like when they tell us they will be ‘scaling back’ on something. Look, we know you’re lazy, own it.

    • Jais says:

      Is this a typo? Already commenters are just automatically rewording into big changes start small. But it’s not plural and just: big change starts small. It sounds awkward AF.

      • The Hench says:

        Maybe she’s been looking at Melania’s grammatically mangled ‘Be Best’? We all know this lady has no original ideas….

      • BeanieBean says:

        Good to know I’m not the only one. ‘Big changes start small’ just sounds better. Who talks about ‘big change’?

  11. Over it says:

    She should start by not freaking children out with that manic laughter.

    • Red Weather Tiger says:

      This is what gets me. She has three young children of her own and yet appears to have no clue how to interact with young children! Why is that?

  12. MaryContrary says:

    That tag line is everything. Snort. “Small” is about right. So much lead up, done poorly, with nothing tangible at the end. They don’t even do a good job with the “fluff”!

  13. Nic919 says:

    Everything about this project is a joke. And it’s even worse that the British media have to pretend this is something legitimate. It’s not. Kate is no different than Ivanka at this point, trying to act like she has substance when she never has cared about anything but shopping. And the establishment media won’t critique the project because they need to pretend that Kate isn’t an actual dummy.

    The main difference between Kate and Ivanka is that Ivanka’s dad is no longer head of state whereas Kate is going to do this bs forever unless William divorces her.

  14. TheOriginalMia says:

    One miniscule step up from Trump’s 500 blank pages of healthcare policy. Amateur hour at KP continues.

  15. lanne says:

    The entire pandemic was a great opportunity for Kate if this initiative were real. Learning with kids. Helping kids adapt to change. Nutrition. Sports. Playtime. Activity boxes. Self care for parents. Tips for helping children self soothe. Tons of experts at her disposal. This isn’t even mediocrity that’s being promoted. It’s sheer incompetence all around. Why even pretend at this point? They wanted a blank faced, empty headed, mute doll for a future Queen consort, and they have one. Just let her shop and show up once in a while in a pretty dress. It’s an insult to all of the people working on real initiatives to have her pretend so lifelessly. I can’t think of a worse celebrity fake initiative than Kates. The only value of this terrible effort will be as example for future royals and celebrities engaged in philanthropy of what NOT to do.

    • Dollycoa says:

      Exactly this. William wanted a stepford wife who would put up and shut up, and that’s what he and the Royals and their courtiers got. Now they are stuck with an airhead with no interest in anything. I doubt she will even ge able to speak with as much passion or interest as Sophie Wessex did today about female rape in wartime, which was entirely without publicity or signposting beforehand because she cant retain any information in her head for long enough to think about it.

      • Carmen-JamRock says:

        soFIESTA is also being propped up and presented as if she’s the originator in the UK of the fight against sexual violence in war. As if Angelina Jolie didnt CO-HOST (along with the then British Foreign Secretary, William Hague) the “largest ever” summit on Sexual Violence in Conflict which was held in London in 2014.

        Suddenly, big bbc interview with sofiesta about all “the work” she’s doing in the area. SMDH

  16. Maria says:

    And LMFAO at that last pic!

  17. Amy Bee says:

    That KP promo was just amateurish. No wonder the press and KP had issues with how Meghan promoted her projects. They weren’t accustomed to professionalism and work of high standards.

    • Nina says:

      For the old grey men, THIS is high-tech, Remember they are used to typewriters carbon paper and white-out. For all, we know that is still what is being used. Remember the picture of PWT with the printer that was facing the wrong way and had the paper drawer blocked by some crap.

  18. Lauren says:

    She could have taken an interest in making sure that school-aged children had enough to eat during the pandemic, that low-income families had support, that one-parent households had a place to leave their child in while they worked. There were so many ways that she could have helped a child’s develpement during the pandemic and didn’t. heck, she could do it now and she would be applauded, but these people like looking busy without actually being busy.

    • kelleybelle says:

      They were too busy with those useless train tours.

      • Haylie says:

        And quietly backing the Tory govt. that was determined to strip all early years funding for children.

        Kate is a fraud.

    • BothSidesNow says:

      @ Hailey, you have certainly put it into the exact words as to who Keen Guevara truly is, a fraud. Nothing more. This is just embarrassing that they think that will all this hype about her keen early years and this next big task, that she is taking on, only makes her a bigger fool than she was before! What a waste of taxpayer money for something like that will result in absolutely nothing.

  19. Merricat says:

    This looks like a grade 6 science fair project.

    • lucylee says:

      Please don’t insult grade 6 science projects.
      A grade 6 science project would put Early Years to shame.

      • Lady D says:

        Seriously, some of those grade six science fair projects rival college level work. It is a humbling experience going to science fairs.

    • Amy Too says:

      My son literally had to dress up as an ice cube for his grade 6 science project on “is salt or sand more effective for melting road ice?” We had to sew a slip cover for a massive cube box out of a blue sheet and then glue paper snowflakes all over it. We cut a head hole at the top and arm holes on the side and the bottom was open for his feet. He barely fit through doors. Lol. And that was just the costume he had to wear to present the actual research project. The theme dressing is right up Kates alley though.

  20. Jay says:

    Does anybody remember when the orange man’s minions made a huge show of releasing his health plan, which was obviously a binder of blank pages? Same energy.

  21. Dee says:

    I’m getting Dunder Mifflin vibes. Is Dwight Schrute running Kate’s PR campaigns?

  22. Belli says:

    In Kate’s case, the effort starts small and stays small.

    In other non-news, Kaiser I will never get over the “OH MY GOD CEREAAAAAAL” photo!

  23. Lucky Charm says:

    Big change begins small. So small we can’t see it with the naked eye.

  24. Sofia says:

    So an announcement for the announcement.

    And yeah I agree that they pushed her into kids because of Diana but also because she would get tons of cutesy photo ops with kids. I maintain that she should have been pushed into sports (she can still get the photo ops with kids) but if EY was the way they wanted to go, then Kate/her team need to narrow it down because Early Years itself is very broad. There’s a lot you could do with it.

  25. HeatherC says:

    I don’t understand this whole project. I haven’t read too deep in it, as I’m in America and whatever she does (not) do doesn’t really affect me and I don’t pay for her. That said…

    Is her “project” to prepare kids to be better parents? Not interest girls in STEM from an early age (super easy project), partner with a community kitchen that teaches kids about how to prepare nutritious food on a budget, opening community centers with an early childhood learning slant…

    I don’t get her or the fanfare.

    Also, side note, does the BRF pay the media for these embiggening stories and does that money come from the British taxpayers as well?

    • Lily says:

      I think Kate is purposfully being vague in what her aims are so she’ll never have to deliver / do anything.

      The work in Early Years is very real and important.

      Kate’s project however, is an utter waste of time and designed simply to have photo opportunities with kids in order to keep up a likeable public image.

      • HeatherC says:

        Ah okay, so comparable to our experience with Melania Trump and her “be best” thing and about as helpful.

  26. Lizzie says:

    Not an expert here but her last thing was not about early years just people’s perceptions. This new thing will be about changing perceptions. Contrary to her platform most people do recognize the importance of early years. Like everyone thinks about this when they have the first baby. Sure there are people who live their lives not actively thinking about children or first years but very very few would think proper nutrition, attention, activity and reaching milestones were not a big deal.
    The thesis is flawed and this is so much more empty fluff to embiggen keen mcbuttons.

    • goofpuff says:

      Well her thesis really was about that the parents are at fault because they were poor. Since she supports the Tory government she has to say that, otherwise she’d have to contend with how the Tories are adversely affecting the Early Years. Much like how the Republican’s do that in the US, blame the poor people for their problems, not the rich people robbing them blind.

      • Nic919 says:

        Her thesis contradicts her own family though. James shouldn’t be depressed since his parents had money. I mean we all know why because the Middletons have a very messed up value system, but the media won’t ever look into that family.

      • Nina says:

        @Nic919. I thought James was depressed because he is such an utter failure as a businessman and no one wants to buy his marshmallows? I guess that makes three reasons why he is depressed. No business acumen, crappy family values, lame product nobody wants. Yep, That sounds depressing.

  27. Lily says:

    Early Years research has been done really well by knowledgable professionals around the world. There’s loads of data, case studies and existing programs. All Kate had to do was get a proper briefing. But she hasn’t even done that.

    I fear Kate’s interest in “The Importance of the First Five Years” is a ruse that kills two birds with one stone. Firstly, Kate loves Diana cosplay… Di was a kindergarten assistant when she got engaged, so Kate started this sham.

    Secondly, what Kate really means is that as ‘the first five years are so important’, it’s important FOR HER to abstain from royal duties until all HER children are over the age of five. So she’ll be dragging this project out for another two years. Then she’ll move on to the next thing that will allow her to do nothing for another decade.

    • Lily says:

      The things Kate would be speaking about, had she bothered to get briefed or actually engaged with early childhood pedagogy leaders:

      – limited language and literacy skills in early years often translates to poor self advocacy skills in young adults which translates to difficulties in adult life, including unstable work, poverty, and higher rates of cycles of abuse, crime, violence, and incarceration
      – identify what kids and families are most at risk
      – prevention is key, start as early as possible
      – ‘play learning’ is a great tool
      – a great resource is toy and book packs kids can borrow from school
      – school library should stock kids books in languages the parents speak
      – getting parents involved at school and in community is hugely beneficial to form systems of support, increase adult literacy and in turn, child literacy
      – helping parents raise their own confidence, independence and literacy skills through community courses is also vital – doesn’t need to be a literacy class, can be a cooking or photography class
      – early years and adult community education go really well together, both need funding and resources.

    • Haylie says:

      Lily, you’ve got it with that not working the first 5 years of her kids lives!

  28. AVEA says:

    Ah, we’re going for binders full of pie charts? Can’t wait for her to pull out and model all the new bebuttoned and floral wardrobe that looks like it time traveled from the 80s for this!

  29. Eurydice says:

    It’s highly laughable, but the basic problem isn’t early childhood whatever or why is Kate so ineffective or why are her advisors so incapable. The real problem is that Kate has no real reason to do any of this. The RF doesn’t expect it and the public doesn’t expect it, either. The only reason would be if Kate is genuinely interested in the subject which, it’s clear, she’s not. So, there’s never going to be anything substantive or even useful coming out of this. Kate has already fulfilled her duties and now it just a matter of waiting and waiting and waiting until it’s time to put on a crown.

  30. Lily says:

    The last photo 😀 The little girl giving Kate major side eye is all of us.

    • Saucy&Sassy says:

      Lily, I can’t figure out if this little girl is thinking “who are you?” or “did I say you could touch me?” It’s the best picture and the little girl is a cutie.

    • Nina says:

      so true

  31. TabithaD says:

    “Big change starts small”? It sounds to me like they’re trying to manage expectations for this thing, whatever it is, that is going to be announced. After doing a big splash in the papers about how huge this is all going to be, now we’re being told it will “start small”. Of course it will. It will be a complete non-event. It may not even get off the starting blocks at all.
    And what on earth is Kate doing with those kids in the photos? Those expressions are terrifying.

  32. The Artist Formerly Known as Valiantly Varnished says:

    And it feels like a “thing” too. Nothing genuine about it. No real passion or interest. And it shows. You can’t fake authenticity.

    • BothSidesNow says:

      @ The Artist Formerly Known as Valiantly Varnished, you are right!! Keen isn’t passionate about anything, except shopping and having Keen CarolE push this disgusting narrative about how keen she is and how much of an impact she is making, along with the ridiculous puff pieces about how she is the monarchs keen negotiator and will save the monarchy and the relationship between The Other Brother and Harry. Give it a rest Keen, we know how useless you are and have been. You can’t change a someone into being passionate when they have no need or desire to champion for any cause, big or small.

  33. Coco says:

    ‘Small buttons can make a big change to your Alexander McQueen coat! Big buttons can make an even bigger change!’

  34. Reece says:

    That child’s face in the last picture will never stop being funny! lmao

  35. Catherine says:

    The thing that makes me so angry about this is that there are so many easy ways that she could make actual impact in this area. There are so many organizations/programs/initiatives that are already existing that she could champion in ways that would not require that much work from her. Have people noticed that she has essentially abandoned her work with EACH at a time when children’s hospitals are experiencing significant financial struggles. As someone above pointed out the UK government is currently defunding early childhood programs so they probably don’t want her to say or do anything too specific because that might draw more attention to that. The BRF doesn’t want to get in conflict with the government because like the media they collude with them. Contrast that to Harry who at multiple engagements talked about how the defunding of youth programs was connected to the increase in youth crime and when he has done calls with Well Child he raised the issue of the criteria for government funding was so strict and being made more restrictive that many families that need support don’t get it.

  36. Jaded says:

    I’m not a teacher or expert in any of this so I discussed this problem with Mr. Jaded’s daughter who is principal of a private primary school and has faced many of these challenges in her 15 year career. Here’s what she has to say:

    Kate needs to become a very focused and vocal promoter of a two-pronged approach to the problems many young children face who don’t have the privileges of an emotionally stable and financially sound family environment. One part focuses on the child, and the other the parents and home environment.

    The key is to identify those at-risk kids who are showing cognitive difficulties from a stressful home life. Chronic stress at home accounts for problems such ADHD, memory, planning, reasoning, and making friends. Kids need support from parents to develop in positive directions and consistent, safe, and loving attention. When children come from homes where there is abuse, domestic violence, an incarcerated parent, or a parent with drug or mental health problems, they don’t get that kind of attention and suffer the consequences: higher risks of later-life depression, adolescent pregnancy, alcoholism, drug use, and poor academic performance. Kate should be working with organizations that provide parent coaches to work with low-income, stressed parents, focusing less on pointing out what parents do wrong and more on what parents do right, in order to nudge parents toward behaviors that help their kids.

    She should be promoting pre-K programs that can help kids develop better cognitive skills and better self-regulation—the ability to sit still, follow directions, and pay attention so by the time they get into kindergarten they have a good head start. The improvements were all credited to the stable, nurturing, predictable learning environment, where good behavior was recognized more than bad behavior punished.

    There are also many research-based programs she could utilize that help schools work with emotionally or behaviorally challenged older students in therapeutic ways, providing a reward-based curriculum which allows students more autonomy and challenge.

    OK Kate, I’ve done my work, over to you.

    • Notafan says:

      Jaded, you have some more research and provided more thoughtful commentary here than Kate has done in ten years. What a waste of a platform, she could have done so much more.

      In the meanwhile, M and H have been breathing and haven’t offered up their newborn as sacrifice so really they’re the villains here.

    • Saucy&Sassy says:

      Jaded, well, I just learned a lot. Thank Mr. Jaded’s daughter, please. Does/could she name volunteer groups who are doing some/all of this? Can she see a way to maximize volunteers to help more children–if that actually makes sense to do? It seems Duchess Keen Cannot could send that message to help get more volunteers? That MAY be within her capabilities. One would hope.

      • Jaded says:

        I don’t think she works with specific volunteer groups on these matters here in BC – she’s principal of a pretty upscale, expensive private school with a very high academic success rate, but she has her Masters and is currently working on her PhD so she’s got a very sound knowledge of the problems less privileged kids face in getting a good education. It makes me angry that Kate doesn’t seem to be taking this work seriously AT ALL despite all the media fluffing she gets when it would be so easy for her to assemble a small research team and do so much more than create a flawed 5 question survey and a pie chart. *STEAM COMING OUT OF MY EARS*

    • Nivz says:

      Wow Jaded, that’s really informative. If there are any KP crisis managers lurking, do take note honeys.

  37. Izzy says:

    “ I’m calling Kate’s thing the Keenshot Prize and no one can stop me.”

    If there is anyone on this site who actually wants to stop you, they probably got lost on their way to the Daily Fail.

  38. Kimmie says:

    If they wanted Kate’s thing to focus on kids, then why not use her strengths with sports, or whatever and center that around kids. Like, it’s important for children now, more than ever, to be active on a regular basis, and making sports attainable for all children can help with that. Or something. I think Kate would have been more keen to actually do something if it played into her strengths, rather than trying to make her into a sad Diana substitute.

    • candy says:

      Is she really that sporty though? I mean, where does that supposed interest come from? Not counting maniacal exercise.

      • JT says:

        I also don’t know where her sporty schtick comes from and it’s really not mentioned in the press about Kate. They do, however, mention how much time she spends in the gym but a gymrat does not a sporty person make.

      • Sofia says:

        Other than the gym, she’s a big tennis fan. She’s apparently a member at the Hurlingham Club and plays tennis there. She also seems to quite enjoy sailing even when Ben Ainslie isn’t there. There’s a visible difference to me (at least) in Kate when she’s doing outdoor/activity/sporty engagements compared to any others. She seems to genuinely enjoy those.

      • A says:

        I think I remember she use to play field hockey when she was younger or something. I think she probably wishes she could just focus on something like physical fitness/ nutrition ( it’s a lot less work and a lot less controversial). But I think William and to a lesser extent Harry, already moved into that lane and she kinda got pushed into this despite probably knowing no one personally, who’s ever even stepped foot in a public school, and not being able to advocate any type of real policy.

      • Jais says:

        Well Kate is known to be competitive so putting that spirit of competition into sports, which, you know, also burns calories seems like a win. Don’t even mean this as a burn but just as a logical explanation for the push to sports.

  39. Robin says:

    Big change starts small. What an excuse. ie Don’t expect my pie charts to actually do anything but make nice looking….pie charts for me to sit in front of.

    • candy says:

      Yea, I mean this is true in communities without a lot of resources. But when you’re literally a global leader with immense wealth and influence…

  40. Nivz says:

    Someone mentioned ‘The Office’ above, and a lot of stuff clicked for me. Anyone remember the episode, ‘Benihana Christmas’, in which there are two competing Xmas parties. Angela does a basic, boring one, whilst Karen and Pam break off into a fun one feat. Karaoke and margaritas. Obviously, everyone gravitates towards the fun one, which Angela can’t bear. She starts making announcements to divert attention with “an announcement regarding your paycheques.” The announcement turns out to be “Your paycheques will arrive at the usual time. And they will be in the correct amount.” Then, she keeps going, “Stay tuned for another announcement. Also regarding your paycheques .” At this point, everyone realises what’s up and just goes to the fun party.

    Is anyone seeing the parallels here? Having said that, Angela and Dwight ended up being my favourite couple on The Office so i don’t like to compare them to Willnot and Cannot.

  41. Watson says:

    I’m going to reserve judgement until I see the work, but her history of working in general is negligible. If she ends up flaking on this one it would be yet another lost opportunity to really support a vulnerable group that needs extra funding, and focus right now.

    I am not a Kate fan, but I really do hope she doesn’t blow this one. Kids deserve better.

  42. Lala11_7 says:

    Everytime I think of Kate working I remember how one of the charities she sponsored went bankrupt over a relatively SMALL amount of money….AFTER Meghan threw down like a nonprofit CHAMPION with her cookbook.

  43. paranormalgirl says:

    Maybe… just maybe… we’ll get a Venn Diagram!!! A woman can dream, right?

  44. Pat Gaddess says:

    About 40 years ago I was part of a Project called Parents as First Teachers. It was done in a state not known for education but became nationally known. It was a small bore project providing easy take home packets for pre school based on real research. It became much bigger with testing, preschool etc. This kind of a project with a continuum of work could be a life project. A quick google
    Search could proved help. They are just too lazy. Each month had games, pre reading pre
    Math etc. It was not glamorous but all we had was a university professor to help and a copier

    • Lily says:

      Yes, parents as first teachers is the whole point of Early Years programs.

      Including, helping parents have the the tools to be better first teachers 🙂

      Kate hasn’t mentioned a single thing of substance so it’s clear her ‘project’ is just photo ops with kids.

  45. Nic919 says:

    Lots of great ideas and suggestions made here in the comments and I can guarantee you that it is more work than Kate has done or will ever do on this topic.

    This is someone who is perfectly fine with her patronages closing and so this entire thing is a photo op that will have more time spent on PR than actual substance.

  46. tamsin says:

    I think coordinating charities to feed primary school kids during the pandemic/lockdown would have been a good thing to do. Or would that have appeared “political?” I heard that school lunches were cut by the Tories. Nutrition is very important to early years development. It would would have been a very impactful thing to do. The early years work should have gained in importance during the early days of the pandemic, and shouldn’t have been something to be put aside so that HRH could do work for the pandemic, which seemed to me to be just zooming and giving massive thanks to healthcare workers. I do believe that keeping up morale is very important, btw.

  47. Haylie says:

    Everything she does is destined to fail because she’s a lazy dim bulb, and asking her staff to do any work will leave them “shaken to their core.”

    No wonder her patronage’s keep closing.

  48. Well Wisher says:

    The elephant in the room is the number of children living in poverty. I saw a report of the use of food banks and children eating ‘beans on toast’ for 4 days per week, while the mother goes hungry, this was seven miles from Cornwall.
    Many of the people who are having problems coping simply do not have access to basic necessities on Maslow’s chart.
    If the children go to school hungry, can they retain information? type of education?etc.
    This shouldn’t be about optics nor PR.

  49. Inge says:

    Since Kate claimed something like ‘I had a happy childhood so I dont have mental health problems’ I dont take her work seriously. Yes the early years are important but you can still have mental health problems in later life regardless of your youth.
    Also when she said it always wonder where James grew up.