Today in London, the Princess of Wales was seen in a striking ensemble by Emilia Wickstead as she attended the Shaping Us National Symposium. Here’s a glimpse of the Princess making her entrance at the event.
The event was organized by the Royal Foundation’s Centre for Early Childhood and took place at the Design Museum in Kensington, London. The symposium was described as a pioneering gathering of interdisciplinary experts and leaders who came together to explore lifelong resilience and behavioral science to better prepare for future challenges. The evening prior, Kensington Palace shared a preview video of the event.
Below, the Princess is pictured with Fearne Cotton, who championed the Shaping Us campaign and hosted the symposium.
Additional insights were shared by Russell Myers and Jennifer Newton in their article for The Mirror, highlighting the Princess’s interactions and discussions during the event.
During a conversation with Fearne Cotton, also a mother of two, the Princess expressed her excitement and slight nervousness about the outcomes of the symposium. She emphasized the importance of open dialogue and honest feedback from all participants to drive meaningful action. The discussions extended into workshops where findings from her ongoing project were debated.
The Shaping Us initiative is dedicated to emphasizing the critical importance of early childhood in shaping a person’s life. The Royal Foundation has undertaken a comprehensive global study, engaging experts from 21 countries to consolidate knowledge on foundational skills necessary for a healthy, fulfilling life.
The Princess also shared personal anecdotes about her son, Prince Louis, and his engagement with the project, highlighting the educational approaches taken by his school to foster emotional intelligence among young students.
Further details on her keynote speech were provided by The Daily Mail and ITV, where the Princess discussed the parallels between nurturing our planet and fostering societal health through early childhood development.
Addressing a gathering at the Design Museum, the Princess likened the care required for our planet to that needed for our society. She advocated for a holistic approach to nurturing our communities, relationships, and individual well-being.
She stressed the need for a proactive and preventative approach to support not only the vulnerable young but also troubled adolescents and adults, emphasizing the necessity of early intervention before crises occur.
The symposium also featured speeches, panel discussions, and breakout sessions with notable participants including former Prime Minister Tony Blair and Lord Hague, discussing the integration of early childhood development into broader social policy frameworks.
Additional coverage and insights were provided by The Telegraph, highlighting the Princess’s call for a renewed focus on social and emotional learning as foundational components of education, comparable in importance to traditional academic subjects.
The Princess advocated for a new paradigm in education that elevates the importance of emotional and social skills, alongside academic learning, to better prepare children for the challenges of adulthood.
The event concluded with a commitment to continue the dialogue and take actionable steps to integrate these insights into educational and social programs, aiming to enhance the well-being and resilience of future generations.
