Kate Middleton is expanding her social media presence!
The Princess of Wales, 41, launched a new Instagram page on Tuesday, creating an account for The Royal Foundation Center for Early Childhood. Princess Kate created the organization in her and Prince William’s larger Royal Foundation in June 2021 to raise awareness of the importance of the first five years of life and promote results for a brighter society.
Kate also starred in a video released on the new Instagram page, where she spoke about the lasting impact of the first years of a child’s life.
“Our early childhood, the time from pregnancy to the age of five, essentially shapes the rest of our lives,” she said. “But as a society we are currently spending far more of our time and energy on later life. Today the Royal Foundation Center for Early Childhood is launching a new campaign, Shaping Us, to raise awareness of the life-changing impact we can have have as we build a supportive, nurturing world around children and those who care for them.”
She added, “Because by focusing our collective time, energy and resources on these most preventative years, we can make a huge difference to the physical and mental health and happiness of generations to come.”
The Shaping Us campaign, which began on Monday, aims to “increase public understanding of the crucial importance of the first five years of a child’s life” and bring scientific interest to “one of the most strategically important topics of our time,” according to the Royal Foundation.
To kick off the conversation, Princess Kate gave a landmark speech in London on Monday, followed by the release of a clay film highlighting how babies and young children develop in response to their earliest experiences.
The royal took her mission on the road on Tuesday, bringing the campaign to Leeds Kirkgate Market. There she chatted with vendors about the early years and connected with members of the public who were out shopping. The interests of children and young people are at the heart of life in Leeds, which is about 200 kilometers north of London. The city has the ambition to be the best place in the UK for children and young people to grow up.
The new Instagram page shared photos from the visit, including Kate talking to vendors.
Princess Kate also has a personal connection to the city – it is where her father, Michael Middleton, was born, and she has family ancestors in the county of Yorkshire.
Shirley Wainwright, 75, from Harrogate, Yorkshire, spoke to Princess Kate and told PEOPLE, “She said she’s really looking forward to being here. She said she has a massive family tree and there’s a lot of history here in Leeds and is determined to return.”
After watching a huge digital display of her Shaping Us campaign on display in the market, Princess Kate moved – slowly – through a crowd of excited shoppers surprised by her visit. Two mothers carrying babies caught their eye. Louise Keith, who had 8-month-old baby Sadie with her, tells PEOPLE: “We told her how Leeds is such a great place to raise children. Her campaign is a great initiative. It’s good for people who need it. We’re fortunate to have a good community network around us, but it’s good for those who don’t.”
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Joan Dove, 75, from York, was shocked that Kate said she was happy to meet her. “It’s humbling to have someone like her say that,” Dove says. “I saw about the campaign on TV. She does a lot of work for children. She is so natural with people.”
The Royal Foundation Center for Early Childhood also published a video message from Kate on its new Instagram page, where she added that “by focusing our collective time, energy and resources on these most preventive years, we can make a huge difference. ”
