The Princess of Wales revealed she has “missed” her son Prince George, who is boarding at Eton College, but is looking forward to having him home for half term.
Kate was quizzed about her children when she visited a charity shop run by East Anglia’s Children’s Hospices (Each) which she supports as patron, and declared to shoppers “you never know what you’re going to find – that’s what’s so nice.
“If feels a bit more like a treasure hunt.”
Earlier the princess donned a hard hat and high visibility jacket to tour a construction site at The Treehouse hospice in Ipswich to learn about plans for a new hydrotherapy pool, wellbeing and therapies suite at the Each centre.
Prince George, accompanied by his parents, the Prince and Princess of Wales, starts his first day at Eton College in Windsor (Adrian Dennis/PA)
PA Wire
Friends Denise Ashton, 68, and Essie Landsborough, 75, were sat in the charity shop’s cafe area, a unique venture for Each, when Kate came over for a chat.
Ms Ashton said afterwards: “She said she’s looking forward to George coming home – she’s missed him.”
The young prince started at the school last month with the reassuring presence of his parents by his side and on Friday Eton’s “long leave” begins, lasting for just over a week.
Ms Ashton added: “They may be going somewhere (during the break).”
Kate mentioned the approaching half-term a number of times when she walked around the shop and cafe, in Hoveton, near Norwich, meeting local residents.
She also spoke to Ms Landsborough, 75, and when she asked “Do you go to charity shops?”, the princess replied: “Yes I do.
“I love going round a charity shop.
“When I was up at university in St Andrews there were a lot of charity shops.”
Kate could not resist looking at the bargain the 75-year-old had bought from the charity shop, four port sippers, tasting glasses shaped like tobacco pipes.