Skip to main contentSkip to footer

Watch Kate Middleton deliver a confident speech 7 years after her royal first

Kate delivered her first speech as a royal in 2012

kate middleton speech
Sharnaz Shahid
Deputy Online Editor
Share this:

The Duchess of Cambridge looked picture perfect as she delivered a speech, urging urged young people to overcome the "intimidating" reputation of museums during her visit to the Foundling Museum on Tuesday. Kate, 37, was given a new patronage at the London-based museum. The speech was delivered with much confidence and ease, seven years after her first speech when she opened the Treehouse hospice in Ipswich back in March 2012.

kate middleton event© Photo: Getty Images

Duchess Kate at the Foundling Museum on Tuesday

On Tuesday, the Duchess admitted it could be "quite intimidating" for children and teenagers to visit institutions if they "don't know it's for them", saying they only needed to step inside to find programmes and exhibitions created with them in mind. She also spoke of her passionate belief in the "power of art", saying: "By weaving together the moving stories of looked after children, with art and artists of all genres, you create meaningful learning experiences which will have a lasting, and often transformational, impact on young lives."

GALLERY: All the pictures from the Queen and Kate's first joint engagement

WATCH THE SPEECH IN VIDEO BELOW

The Duchess is already patron of the V&A and National Portrait Gallery, and now becomes a public advocate for the Foundling Museum in Bloomsbury, which tells the story of the Foundling Hospital - the UK's first children’s charity and public art gallery - and today works with children in care. In a speech shortly after her patronage was announced, she said: "Your work connects and celebrates two subjects that are deeply important to me: children, and art. I am passionate about improving children’s life chances and giving them opportunities, so that they can look forward to the best possible futures, fulfil their whole potential, and have the freedom to explore their creativity." She added: "I have always believed in the power of art, not only to unlock that creativity, but also to bring us joy, and to inspire, challenge and positively change our lives."

READ: The royal family's most romantic gestures

Make sure you never miss a ROYAL story! Sign up to our newsletter to get all of our celebrity, royal and lifestyle news delivered directly to your inbox.

More Royalty

See more