Samir Hussein/WireImage, AP Photo/Tim IrelandKate Middleton got down and dirty in a sandbox while opening a new playground at Hampton Court Palace.
On grounds that used to be used for medieval sports such as jousting, the new Magic Garden features a 25-foot-long dragon and several slides. The project took six years to build, but Wednesday morning it was ready for a group of school children to start playing on it. Middleton, parents to Prince George and Princess Charlotte, told the group of young kids that her son might be afraid of the dragon.
Even though the weather was fairly warm this morning, the Duchess opted for one of her favorite items of clothing: a Michael Kors coat. Known for occasionally recycling her outfits, Middleton wore this item back in 2014 when she attended an Anzac Day remembrance service. The coat retailed for $2,995 at the time. She paired her look with nude shoes and a matching clutch, both designed by L.K. Bennett.
While at the event, Middleton met a group of kids but talked to 8-year-olds Elodie and Olivia. "She asked us what lessons we were missing and how school is," Elodie told the Daily Mail. "She said George would love the dragon but he would be a bit scared."
Young Olivia couldn't get over how royal Middleton looked. "It was very exciting," she added. "She looked like a very rich lady."
Both girls attend St John the Baptist Junior School.
Middleton is also expected to attend a short reception at the historic royal residence where she will unveil a plaque to commemorate the garden's official opening. Later today she will begin her first engagement as the newly announced patron of the Anna Freud Centre, a mental-health facility for children. Mental health has been one of the royal's primary causes. Recently she, Prince Harry and Prince William launched a PSA to bring more awareness for mental health.