Princess Kate has created a keen ‘Business Taskforce for Early Childhood’

As I’m writing this, the Princess of Wales is due at an event in London but it hasn’t started yet, so we don’t have photos. The event is what I want to discuss, though, because Kensington Palace gave the Daily Mail’s Becky English a preview and we need to discuss it. Remember “Shaping Us”? Shaping Us is Kate’s latest “awareness-raising campaign” for Early Years. Most days, I believe the awareness Kate is trying to raise is the public’s awareness that she “cares” about Early Years, and that she alone has identified the “importance” of Early Years. It’s especially notable at this moment, where nurseries and children’s centers are being defunded and shut down in the UK, mostly from lack of funding. Instead of using her platform and her ability to fundraise to actually help parents in a real, tangible way, Kate is once again using her position to… create a “business taskforce” to help her raise awareness.

The Princess of Wales will today bring together some of the biggest firms in the UK to create a new ‘business taskforce’ to back her campaign to prioritise early childhood. Kate, 41, is determined to transform the way society views the importance of the early years from birth to five in shaping society and is now taking her initiative to the City.

Companies worth tens of billions of pounds including NatWest, Unilever, Aviva, Deloitte, IKEA, Co-op, The LEGO Group and Iceland will join the royal round-table to launch her new ‘Business Taskforce for Early Childhood’ later. Run by business, for business, Kensington Palace said it will play an ‘essential role’ in The Princess of Wales’ work to transform the way in which society prioritises and supports children in their earliest years.

In a statement it said: ‘Early childhood is vital to the health of our economy and society, now and for generations to come. Given the key role of the business community in both the growth of our economy and in shaping our society, as well as the clear interest in developing a strong future workforce, this is an opportunity to come together to affect long-term change.’

The Taskforce will hold its inaugural meeting today at NatWest’s headquarters in the City of London, building on the recent launch of the princess’ Shaping Us initiative.

[From The Daily Mail]

So, it’s actually a huge problem for businesses when their future workforce is currently falling through the cracks of society because of lack of educational and healthcare funding. Instead of using these business connections to, you know, get businesses on board to fund the faltering childcare and educational systems in the UK, Kate is just going to use the Business Taskforce for Early Childhood to… raise awareness for the importance of all of the child-development programs being slashed in real time. What bugs me is that these businesses should be much more concerned about their future workforce, but instead, they’re happy enough to tread water with Colonel Keen’s Busy Work Extravaganza.

Photos courtesy of Avalon Red, Cover Images, Backgrid, KensingtonRoyal.

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101 Responses to “Princess Kate has created a keen ‘Business Taskforce for Early Childhood’”

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  1. Tessa says:

    Keen has no qualifications to be a so called expert on early.childhood. none. Yet she is preaching. Is the keen one going to select a task force.

    • Ooooh… A task force! So important sounding. Another code word for big PR promotion with absolutely no substance or working parts. Yes busy work.

      • Lorelei says:

        But what…what is it actually going to DO? I guess it will provide Kate with a photo op and make her feel like her idiotic “initiative” is important-sounding. There doesn’t seem to be any actual “task” or goal for this task force, but whatever. Kate is going to Kate.

      • BeanieBean says:

        Exactly, what is it going to do? What does ‘run by business, for business’ even mean? And if it is run by business, Kate’s just an observer? Not leading? They’re going to to stop trying to pretend?

      • Couch potato says:

        Oh, but this is important! They’ll “transform how the society views the importance of early years”. The princess living in x number of castles/homes is going to teach the parents of children aged 0-5 that they’re doing something wrong. The parents clearly haven’t understood that to be in dire need of food and money, not being able to afford the rent and electric bills, is bad for their children. /s

      • Izzy says:

        Lorelei, given the valuation of the companies involved, I’m guessing their “involvement” has a lot to do with substantial donations to the various royal foundations. And probably not much else.

        These companies should be embarrassed to be associated with such drivel.

      • kelleybelle says:

        And lots of jazz hands too. Not sure what points she’s trying to make, but whatever.

      • PrincessOfWaffles says:

        A task force of listening and learning of course and forging her own path at 41.

      • Evan Quinn says:

        Task Force = someone to do her tasks for her.

    • Sue E Generis says:

      Isn’t that what she did a few months ago? Convened a ‘task force’? And the actual people who work in early childhood were saying not one person on the ‘task force’ had expertise in early childhood. And note, we never heard from/about them again. Now there’s a new ‘task force’ being convened less than a year later, again with zero connection to early childhood.

  2. Chloe says:

    I mean she could use these business to raise funds you know? I don’t think it’s necessarily a bad thing but i think the purpose of this group is still a bit vague.

    She could do what harry and meghan did for covax by including the business world

    • SussexWatcher says:

      She could, but she never will because she doesn’t really care. She just needs a lifelong project where she can convene meetings and swan in and flap her hands to and fro. Or give 2 minute ”speeches” that she has to read from cue cards. “Thank you for *checks notes* coming today.”

      • kelleybelle says:

        And wear insanely expensive clothes. (copied from Meghan’s looks)

      • Debbie says:

        Right. Notice how with each subsequent “taskforce” we get the company names, titles of people, etc. I guess that’s meant to lend credibility to all the keenery but they never explain the purpose or goal of the event.

    • UNCDancer says:

      True but that would require some real forethought and planning. This is just activism cosplay.

    • Tacky says:

      These companies aren’t going to step in where government failed. Too bad the royals only get involved in politics when it suits them because Kate should be advocating for the restoration of funding for child care and pre-school.

      • Chloe says:

        @tacky: obviously they wouldn’t step in where the government is failing. These companies never do. But it would be charity work, and those billion pound companies are always too eager to participate, because it’s good for their image. She actually could do something purposeful here. But if raising awareness is still her main aim then this will just lead to absolutely nothing.

      • First comment says:

        Exactly @Chloe… I still can’t believe that the whole point of early years initiative is “raising awareness “. According to the article, “Kate, 41, is determined to transform the way society views the importance of the early years from birth to five in shaping society “. What’s wrong in the way society views the importance of early years? I mean, almost everyone recognizes their importance. The main problem is that most people lack the sources and aides to help the children. The whole thing sounds to me just a word salad

      • Couch potato says:

        @Tacky that would make her fall out with Willnots comrads, the tories, can’t have that! “Let the children freeze and starve” should be their new slogan, at least they’d be honest for a change..

      • Tacky says:

        @Couch 100% accurate.

      • Agreatreckoning says:

        Thank you @First Comment, ‘word salad’ is right. That’s what my decoder ring came up with too. Comforted it’s not broken. I like timelines. Kate’s Aarly Yars timeline:
        Sept. 15, 2018 (conveniently a few days before KP actually announced Meghan’s solo project cookbook launch)-Kate announces her Early Years thing.
        Januay 2020-Kate’s Big 5 Early Years survey is announced.
        November 2020-results of the Big 5 Early Years survey is announced.lol Pie charts!
        June 2021-The Keenwell Research Centre is announced. aka broom closet-important videos showing JFK & MLK Jr. Big Changes Start Small-a copying machine spewed something out! Dr. Jill Biden had to suffer through nonsense.
        2022-meetings, listening, learning! Court Circular engagements!
        January 2023-Shaping Us is announced. More awareness! Brits & the rest of the world will be more aware of the importance of Early Years thanks to Kate.
        March 2023-Keen business taskforce is announced. We will be more aware than ever of the importance of the Aarly Yars because we are involving businesses now. I’m so more aware than ever before. /s Tangible results, important funding, etc.,.doesn’t matter. Awareness does.lol In 2020, according to one of the financial reports, $125,000.00 went to the Early Childhood Centre. What was that money spent on?

        A filing for the American Friends of the Royal Foundation of The D & D of Cambridge hasn’t been filed since the 2020 fiscal year. That I found. Might be wrong. Yet, the BM are totally preoccupied with Archewell. But, hey, Kate Keen has created a new busy work business taskforce.LOL

    • Becks1 says:

      It’s not necessarily a bad thing but……what is it? I read the quotes from KP in this article several times and I don’t know what this IS. okay its a task force, but for what? prioritizing early childhood? Okay, how? Are these companies going to lobby for government policies that benefit young children? Are they going to propose more family friendly work policies that might give parents more time or resources for their children?

      That’s what I find so frustrating about all of this with her Early Years work. WHAT IS SHE DOING. A task force sounds like a good thing, but again, what is it?!?!?

      • Sue E Generis says:

        Let me ease your frustration. The ‘task force’, like the one before it, is for photo ops, resume burnishing, and so Keen can feel important. That’s it, that’s what all the noise is about. The children are incidental. Not important. Extraneous.

      • The Hench says:

        I think Kaiser absolutely nailed what all of this Kate ‘work’ actually is:
        “Most days, I believe the awareness Kate is trying to raise is the public’s awareness that she “cares” about Early Years, and that she alone has identified the “importance” of Early Years. ”

        That’s it. AAALL of this is just about making Kate look good. To give her an apparent purpose. It’s not about actually doing good so that’s why it never achieves anything.

    • Princessk says:

      She is definitely copying the type of model that Meghan used to get things done.
      But Meghan would have been criticised for getting involved in ‘business’, and not being an ‘expert’ etc etc.
      But let’s see if she mobilises funds because that is what is required.

  3. ThatsNotOkay says:

    They’re humoring her. Nothing is going to come of this stupid summit, because the only thing on the agenda is supporting her need for attention!?! I’m so embarrassed. And, yes, they should be devoting their business funds to childcare support for families, on-site daycare, or investing in PUBLIC school initiatives. But, no. Let’s help feed the insecure princess’s ego.

    • KFG says:

      So this is another fake bs roundtable like the bs she pulled out with Dr. Biden. Nothing substantive, no goals besides “awareness” and no tangible outcomes. Wow. So keen. So typical of these leaches. What happened to her airly yares childhood research center? Did that disappear when they moved?

  4. SussexWatcher says:

    So many words without saying anything of value. No goals, no plan, no actual work. Just learning, listening, and more committees to bring awareness to something we all already know.

    It reminds me of stupid, meaningless corporate-speak like, we have to optimize the synergies to improve outcomes. Whhhaaa? She and her raging husband are worse than worthless because they take up the time, energy, and resources from actual changemakers.

  5. ShazBot says:

    Fun fact: many big businesses want people uneducated and poor because it’s easier to exploit them that way.
    When I see business being brought in for social structures, all I see is privatization…is that what she’s endorsing? Privatizing the early years sector? It would fit with the Tory agenda.

    • Brassy Rebel says:

      This 👆

    • Digital Unicorn says:

      This all day long. Am currently job hunting and just this morning I had to tell a recruiter that this is the min salary I would accept (even thou its a little over their budget) as I know my worth and I expect you to do your job and find out if they are flexible with money. Its a cool job with a nice company but I still know my worth and if they want good people they need to pay them what they are worth.

    • notasugarhere says:

      Exactly this. They want to raise drones.

      • Lorelei says:

        They want to raise more Kates. Quietly doing what they’re told, and putting up with crappy treatment without making a fuss.

      • notasugarhere says:

        Kate’s not a victim. She’s certainly never had to – and never will – worry about actually working for a living, paying for the roof over her head, or raising her own children. She’s living an extravagant life of 5 or more homes, 1500 pound jackets, and a 2 million pound wardrobe paid for by taxpayers. All while 1 in 4 children in the UK goes to bed hungry – and she doesn’t care.

        Kate is exactly where she wants to be, living the life she’s always wanted. She knows William doesn’t love her, has cheated for 20 years, and she knows that’s always been part of the deal. She never wanted ‘William’ she always wanted ‘The Prince’ at any price.

      • Lady D says:

        I wonder if “wanting the prince” is Kate’s armour against her life? Never wanted a man to love her, never wanted a faithful husband, never wanted a happy marriage, just wanted the Prince.

    • BeanieBean says:

      Oh, there you go, of course. Privatize early child care.

  6. Zut Alors says:

    Sounds like more nonsensical 💩 to make it seem like they’re doing something meaningful.

  7. Nic919 says:

    Unless these businesses set up free childcare for their employees this task force is a waste of time. As with everything else this woman does.

    Only idiots like Kate think people are unaware of the importance of early years. These businesses are getting some free PR and won’t have to actually do anything for it.

  8. Tessa says:

    Kate had no work experience or career to speak of. she did not get a degree in early childhood psychology. She is so fake. The task force should not be selected by keen
    Real experts in the field should be working with the task force not keen.

    • Jaded says:

      Maybe she should be relying on her sister for advice and direction, the sister who actually HAS a master’s degree in early education. But I don’t think they have a very solid relationship anymore, Keen’s arrogance towards and jealousy of women probably extends to Pippa as well.

  9. Jais says:

    Are these businesses going to donate money to the royal foundation? Yikes. If they donated directly to some actual organizations, that would be good. Unless, this is just more talking.

  10. Tessa says:

    Kate is so patronizing projecting herself as the bestest mother who knows the importance of early years and whose own parents were so aware of those early years. A royal title dies not make her better than the rest. This is so annoying.

    • Kingston says:

      Er……..K8 is a monumental puppet, on a string, being made to dance to the tune of the tory govt via its plants inside the royal foundation.

      In addition to having a monarch, chuckyDaTURD, that is totally within the control of: the british shidtmedia; the non-tax paying oligarchs that own them; and the tory govt, the tories are making sure that the next king and queen are so tightly controlled that they wont be able to open their mouths to say or do anything with out the permission of the tories and their non-tax paying oligarchs.

      Britian is fcked for the next 2 generations, at least.

      H sees and knows this, which is why he’s fighting so hard in the courts to make the scumedia accountable for their actions and agenda.

      Of course, his idiot family and countrymen cant see this, so they turn on the only one who is truly trying to help them.

      But as we all know, “a prophet is not without honor save in his own country.”

      • Lady D says:

        Is there no chance the Tories can be voted out? Surely there is a general election on that island?

      • Rackel says:

        I think each group uses the other. Qe2 could do more because of ww2.

        However chuck and will are setting it up that they get to blame everything on the media or the government. The Tories will blame everything on the royals. The media will blame both. Who will win? I think at this point the media. I think the Tories will be blamed for everything. They aren’t helping themselves. And the Tories of Indian decent may even find themselves in jail. With someone like boris Johnson being exiled.

  11. Shawna says:

    Task force is a fancy way of saying make other people do the work.

    • Tessa says:

      Kate is not a leader. She can’t direct a task force. I hope they get a real leader with qualifications.

    • Lucy says:

      I mean, I don’t think she’s qualified to run a meeting with anyone. I don’t think she’s ever been to a meeting where she wasn’t the head princess in charge. I’m just picturing some of the big corporate meetings, and she gets up and is stammering from cute cards.

      Yikes.

      • Cecile730 says:

        Come on Lucy! Of course she’s qualified, she did lots of things, important things like phone calls and brilliant but little in number photos not staged at all about her and her nannies’ raised children (wouldn’t want to spend too much time whith them)….and she looks sooo good in her fancy cosplay of a working woman….. (sarcasm in case some had any doubt).😂
        Seriously Copykate looks like a kid playing the adult in some of the photos. It’s clear she gives zero f… about the Aarly years. Pathetic.

  12. Lady Digby says:

    All these relaunches of PoW as a serious, committed woman dedicated to “stating the blinking obvious” show glimmers of vague awareness that Kate should be SEEN to be doing good by KP. It is all window dressing because she is uninterested, unmotivated and unenthusiastic. She just wants to swan around cosplaying other women. KP need her to be doing SOMETHING that feeds the tabs photos but this is all performative. No wonder they were all shaken when Meghan arrived, a seasoned activist, who actually wanted to help the charities that she was patron of achieve their goals. Willy Wonka and KP don’t want a proactive woman with a mind of her own genuinely interested in raising the profile of the charities that she works with. WW and KP just want a well dressed doll to wheel up for 55 minutes and pose for photos whilst not upstaging FK.

    • First comment says:

      👆👆👆 This!!! However, I really wonder if people in general in Britain recognize this kind of “initiatives” are just PR movements for their princess of Wales. The propaganda lately is in full force, especially after her new private secretary was hired…

    • Nic919 says:

      If she can’t be taken seriously at 41 she never will. She’s well past the ingenue stage and her life has been one of pursuing materialistic goals to place herself above others. All of this is a make work project that leads to nothing. Because Kate has nothing to offer.

  13. Amy Bee says:

    The main issue for early childhood is funding. She focusing on this instead of awareness.

  14. Tessa says:

    The power suit wardrobes will be evident as outfits of choice for Kate and carrying a notebook marked notebook to her task force.meetings.

    • TheWigletOfWails says:

      Meghan hasn’t given her any style inspo in a while..can’t wait to see what she comes up with.

    • Princessk says:

      Copying Meghan by carrying a notebook to meetings.
      I wonder if she wrote anything in it?
      I think it just had the paper for her to read her speech from.

    • Rackel says:

      Diana read the tabloids, Kate must not. I can’t believe she thinks these things work. Her initiative would’ve been a bit if a success if she did all of this in a year. Instead she is dragging it out.

  15. Lizzie says:

    We’re all waiting for the pie charts.

  16. Mslove says:

    You don’t need a business task force to pick up a ladle and help fill soup bowls for the needy or to facilitate donations for a soup kitchen. Jeez.

  17. art maven says:

    Good for her. Hope this initiative is successful.

    • TheWigletOfWails says:

      Unless she plans to use these billion pound businesses to generate funds to revive defunct childcare programs, her little initiative is dead in the water.

      • art maven says:

        As an anti-monarchist and realist, I think the British government should use the tax system to support relevant initiatives culturally and educationally. If Kate and some business leaders want to promote support for it, I don’t see a reason to be negative about it. Using what platform they have to promote positive outcomes seem laudable. Time will tell.

      • C says:

        Well, the issue is, there are other programs that do have tangible results that they ignore with these kinds of “projects”.
        When Marcus Rashford, a professional footballer, is accomplishing more talking about issues of childhood than Kate, it’s a problem.

      • notasugarhere says:

        art maven, the UK govt could start by removing the 600+ million per year wasted on these pampered poodles.

        Nothing Kate does ever has a positive outcome. Mental Health advocates are still trying to clean up the enormous mess she created with her ‘children from loving families don’t develop mental health issues’ pile of sh!t from years ago.

      • A says:

        @art maven–nice try. An anti-monarchist, who just so conveniently also happens to parrot Tory party talking points wrt funding what ought to be PUBLIC services in Britain? Yeah, right, Rupert Murdoch. “””anti-monarchist””” Sure.

      • Jaded says:

        @art maven — the Tory gov’t is responsible for the gutting of many public services, including public schools, daycare, paid parental leave, etc. School teachers across the country have gone on strike because they’re not being paid a living wage. What makes you think that Kate muttering some meaningless jabberwocky will entice businesses to voluntarily fund what the fecking government should be doing?

    • Snuffles says:

      Until any of her efforts produce real, tangible, MEASURABLE results, all of her keen, I’m listening and learning photo ops aren’t worth shit.

      This kind of crap worked in the past but Harry and Meghan set a new standard and until Willy and Can’t level the fuck up, they are wasting everyone’s time and money.

    • Beach Dreams says:

      LOL I love seeing posters who claim to be anti-monarchist but love to support/compliment Kate in the same breath. Pull the other one, as the Brits say.

      • notasugarhere says:

        Yes the sheer number of new t r o l l s on this site is remarkable. Unsurprising, but remarkable. Part of the new PR regime from the latest Personal Secretary.

      • Princessk says:

        Actually our critique of her could actually be helping her team make changes to the way she operates……

      • Nic919 says:

        Most anti monarchists believe the monarchy has no value. Why even pretend that kate has done anything of substance since she married in 2011? How many more times must we pretend to believe the bullshit she is selling?

        At best her team will only hide the deception in a better way. They will never do anything of substance to help people. It’s all a PR game for them.

      • The Hench says:

        @Princessk – and if her team are reading I have three simple words of advice that would solve everything for Kate – “Be more Meghan”.

        ETA – in everything. Not just the outfits, dummies.

      • Deering24 says:

        @Princessk, these folks don’t. Want. To. Change. They want to look like they are to stave off increasing criticism, but the status-quo is what they live for,

    • MJM says:

      Her initiative will not succeed at anything because it will be completely devoid of initiative.

      • Debbie says:

        Ah but, there will be photographs taken of Kate, sitting at a long table like a big girl. She’ll have a real briefcase (maybe with her name on it in big letters). And I will also bet that there will be tags on the tables, it will be like Barbie going to the office. In situations like this, (by which I mean hunger & deprivation) i think you’ll agree that the photos of Kate in a brand new outfit are that really matter.

  18. Sophie says:

    Ugh, I am sooo over this perfunctory BS! She is not offering any solutions, practical or otherwise, she is just parading around with expensive outfits that they don’t suit her as it is! Meanwhile, as Kaiser said schools are severely underfunded, resources are draining and parents are left all alone! Did you know that a headteacher (yet another one) committed suicide because her school would be demoted from outstanding to inadequate? But saint Kathy doesn’t really care about the headteacher, those pupils or anything else, huh?

  19. Beach Dreams says:

    No shame whatsoever. I wonder what the excuses will be when this quietly fades into the abyss like all her other half-assed attempts at serious “work”.

  20. Renae says:

    Question: does/do the palace(s) have child care for their staff? Any of them? If not, start there. Set an example. There must be a few dozen nannies who work for these arrogant people. Kids outgrow nannies. Instead of putting them out to pasture, start a day-care/ preschool or jyst child care for the staff. Instead of all her pretentious babble, she could actually DO something.

  21. CindyP says:

    I am so sick of hearing about “awareness”. What’s needed is action; fundraising, lobbying etc, etc
    She is just useless with this perforative BS

  22. Chantal says:

    A task force for baby “brainstorming” with no intention of offering or providing tangible results. Its perfect for Special K.

    • Snrub says:

      If baby brainstorming is the new baby brain, she’ll say people don’t know her well enough to talk about her metrics.

  23. BeanieBean says:

    I swear, I remember a round table she had with leaders–business? university? early childcare experts–last year. Or the year before. It was supposed to be an inaugural meeting, but I guess nothing came of it. I see the same thing happening here. One and done. Until it’s resurrected next year around this time with a different name.

    • BeanieBean says:

      OK, just googled this. Last year was a round table discussion with ministers where she wore a grapefruit pink suit. Nothing came of that one, unless they told her to come up with a business task force? Ooh, I wonder what next year’s roundtable will be?

  24. Mslove says:

    If a child’s early years are to be successful, they need to start off with the bare necessities, such as food, water & shelter. Start there, Kate.

  25. Pumpkin (Was Sofia) says:

    So what is it exactly? Is she going to ask businesses to invest in Early Years for their employees i.e. free childcare, longer parental leave etc? If it’s that then maybe there could be some good impact done (I’ll hold my breath though). Or is she going to do some vague discussions, say “We need to do more” and then not do anything?

    I hope it’s the former but it’s probably the latter

  26. Sue E Generis says:

    Sounds to me like Keen just wants to cosplay ‘businesswoman’ this quarter. Non of this even makes any sense. Run by business for business? Starving, unhoused, uneducated children are not a business, or maybe they’re products? Inputs? I just can’t with this anymore.

    • kelleybelle says:

      Me either. It’s all smoke and mirrors, illusionary. No real work. The “top CEO” BS is just that: BS.

  27. Ceej says:

    I skipped the office today or I could have seen her in person which is a shame. But probably for the best as I don’t think she’s ready to interact with another North American mixed race woman of colour just yet 🤣

    • Rackel says:

      “Oh…..there’s two” ,”what’s your favorite outfit”, “what’s your job, Louis does that too”. Lol.

  28. Daffodil says:

    Not the point, but looking at that top photo of Kate in the ecru sweater—where on earth does one find a belt that fits Kate and yet still has at least FIVE MORE HOLES to make it even smaller?

  29. QuiteContrary says:

    The purpose of the early years initiative, and all of its offshoots, is not to amplify any message. It’s intended to amplify Kate. That’s all.

    We keep expecting tangible goals and outcomes, but it’s achieving its only tangible goal: To amplify Kate.

  30. Alexandria says:

    Khate and team if you’re reading this.

    We already know early childhood years are important. We know. We know know. Trust us we know. You can throw $5 or $500 bucks into this, and we would still already know it.

  31. Jaded says:

    Dear Kate (or your advisors):

    If you are reading this website, please read this or have your minions read it to you: https://thehill.com/opinion/congress-blog/3910706-to-grow-the-economy-more-equitably-invest-in-early-childhood/

  32. Penelope Pittstop says:

    I’m pretty sure Kate was pushed into the early years biz to try and improve her parenting skills, as well as for the photo ops.

  33. Louisa Radice says:

    Some say Princess Kate has already done good…
    https://ladysinclair.substack.com/p/princess-catherine-and-the-early