The Princess of Wales has said that her son, Prince George, 12, keeps her "playful" as she visited a trauma therapy centre in Bradford.
Mum-of-three Kate, 44, met youngsters at Family Action's Children's Trauma Therapy Service on the first of three engagements in the north of England on Tuesday chosen to highlight "the healing power of creativity, community and nature for individuals who have experienced trauma, isolation and poor mental health".
The royal met a young girl whose therapist was helping her make a "box of wishes" and showed her how to "listen to the sea" by holding a shell to her ear, and a 12-year-old boy who described using music during his therapy sessions.
Stuart Murray-Borbjerg, senior therapist, said of Kate: "She seemed genuinely interested to hear about the family's experience of the service and the impact of it."
He explained the importance of "non-verbal approaches to therapy" using tools like art, music and movement to express feelings when language fails.
"Something that's lost through traumatic experiences is that sense of playfulness and joy which just comes back when you're making music or you're drawing together," he said. "[It's] something the Princess said too – that kind of gets lost as adults but [Prince] George keeps her playful. I think she said one [of her children] plays the guitar and one plays the drums."
© Kensington PalaceThe Wales children are a musical bunch with Prince William revealing at the Tusk Awards in 2024 that his youngest son, Prince Louis, seven, was learning to play the drums.
At a visit to youth charity Spiral Skills last September, when one student offered William the chance to take his seat behind a drum kit, the Prince replied: "I'm definitely not a drummer – if my youngest was here he'd have a go, he’s been practising at the moment."
He added of his kids: "I make sure my children learn music because I love music and it's crucial, really important."
© GettyDuring a visit to Cardiff in 2022, Kate previously said that George was taking electric guitar lessons and Princess Charlotte, ten, was having piano lessons.
Charlotte showcased her skills as she performed alongside her mother on the piano for the Princess's Christmas carol concert.
© Andrew Parsons / Kensington PalaceMother and daughter sat together at the instrument to play a piece they know well by Scottish composer Erland Cooper.
The pre-recorded performance at Windsor Castle was for the Together at Christmas concert, held at Westminster Abbey on 5 December – but it was aired as part of the ITV1 screening of the service on Christmas Eve.
Erland said about the mother and daughter performance: "Little Charlotte’s taking the melody, a bit like bird songs she's sort of floating the melody and giving it a lilt, and the arpeggio on the chords are played by the Princess as well – so a pair of Princesses playing the piano."
