Kensington PalaceKate Middleton has penned a touching letter to midwives after observing their work with mothers and babies in a U.K. hospital before the holidays.
In November, it was reported that the Duchess of Cambridge, who shares three children with Prince William, secretly spent two days volunteering in the maternity unit of Kingston Hospital in England. Kate is involved in the Early Years project, a charitable venture she has undertaken that aims to highlight how what people experience between birth and the first five years of life can affect them as adults.
On Friday, Kensington Palace released photos of Kate with various workers, moms and babies at the hospital, as well as a letter she penned for the midwives.
Wearing a long sleeve brown patterned midi Michael Kors dress with a black belt, she is seen marveling at a newborn baby in a bassinet in one of the pics. Kate is also shown having tea and chatting with hospital staff.
"Although this was not my first encounter with the care and kindness provided by midwives across the country, it gave me a broader insight into the true impact you have on everybody you help," she wrote to midwives about her work experience.
"During my time at Kingston I accompanied community midwives on their daily rounds and was welcomed in to people's homes," she wrote. "I was truly touched by the trust that people placed in me, sharing their experiences and voicing their fears openly. I also spent time in hospital clinics and on post-natal wards. No matter the setting, I was continually struck by the compassion that those of you I spent time with showed, and the incredible work ethic you demonstrated on behalf of your entire profession - not only performing your rounds but working tirelessly through the night to support people that were at their most vulnerable."
She added, "You don't ask for praise or for recognition but instead unwaveringly continue your amazing work bringing new life into our world. You continue to demonstrate that despite your technical mastery and the advancement of modern medicine, it is the human to human relationships and simple acts of kindness that sometimes mean the most."
"So as we look ahead to next year, I want to thank you for all that you do," Kate wrote. "It has been a real privilege learning from you so far, and I look forward to meeting and learning from even more of you in the coming years and decades."