The Princess of Wales has issued a statement on a cause very close to her heart – Princess Kate has expressed her support for the opening of the Natural History Museum’s new gardens.
She said in a message on Kensington Palace‘s Instagram stories: “I am hugely supportive of the Museum’s commitment to create a special space which encourages people of all ages to reconnect with nature and learn more about how we can protect our natural world.
“I know the power of nature to support our development and well-being, both by bringing us joy and helping to keep us physically, mentally and spiritually healthy.
“I hope these gardens will be inspiring and transformative for the thousands of people who visit.”
Patron of the museum Kate, who is facing ongoing chemotherapy following her cancer diagnosis, visited the project in 2021 to learn about its progress.
Kate Middleton has been a patron of the Natural History Museum since 2013 and has visited it several times over the years. In 2021, took a tour of the Natural History’s wildlife gardens, where she met local school children and learnt more about how communities across the UK will benefit from the Urban Nature Project.
At the time, the museum director, Dr Doug Gurr, said: “Biodiversity, especially in urban settings, is under threat like never before. To survive, it needs young people to grow up with a desire to protect it.”
“But with feeling excited by and engaged with the green spaces around them, this is in jeopardy. That is why this project is crucial for our urban green spaces and all the species who call it home.”
Years later, five acres wrapping around the museum in Kensington, west London, have been transformed into two gardens – the Nature Discovery Garden and the Evolution Garden, which tell the story of the changing natural world.
The gardens will be free to visit for the public but will also be used to study urban nature, how it is changing, and what can be done to support its recovery. The major outdoor green space is complete with a huge brand new bronze diplodocus dinosaur.
Princess Kate has conducted two official engagements since she was diagnosed with cancer earlier this year. She attended Trooping the Colour on June 15 and the Wimbledon Men’s final match on July 14.
Kate was last seen in public with her daughter, Princess Charlotte, in the royal box at Wimbledon and proudly handing the winner’s trophy to Carlos Alcaraz.
In an incredibly open and honest message issued previously, the Princess of Wales revealed her innermost thoughts and fears that she’s “not out of the woods yet”.
Kate added that she has “good days and bad days” while she continues to undergo preventative chemotherapy, explaining that during the latter she is left “weak and tired”.
In her message issued before she attending Trooping the Colour, she said: “I am learning how to be patient, especially with uncertainty. Taking each day as it comes, listening to my body, and allowing myself to take this much needed time to heal.”