Kate Middleton steps out in Zara for university visit

Fifty shades of grey and chic! The  Duchess of Cambridge  paid a visit to the University College London’s Centre for Longitudinal Studies on Tuesday. Kate recycled a grey plaid Zara dress for the outing during which she met with early years researchers, who are leading a new landmark study: Children of the 2020s’. The royal mom of three teamed the fall-ready frock with matching pumps, her Mappin & Webb Empress earrings and a black face mask.

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“Our early childhoods shape our adult lives and knowing more about what impacts this critical time is fundamental to understanding what we as a society can do to improve our future health and happiness,” Kate said ahead of the visit (via UCL News).

“The landmark ‘Children of the 2020s’ study will illustrate the importance of the first five years and provide insights into the most critical aspects of early childhood, as well as the factors which support or hinder positive lifelong outcomes,” she added. “I am committed to supporting greater in-depth research in this vital area and I’m delighted to be meeting all those behind the study at this early stage.”

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The study, which will include babies born in April, May, and June 2021, is aiming to recruit over 8,000 families to track the development of children from the age of nine months to five years.

“We are extremely excited to welcome HRH The Duchess of Cambridge to UCL to talk and hear more about our Children of the 2020s study today and as it develops over the coming years,” Professor Pasco Fearon, a lead researcher, said. “The study will collect vital information on how children develop during the crucial early years of life. We will be studying their family circumstances and experiences as they grow up, as well as the role of formal and informal childcare and preschool education in their learning and development.”

Pasco continued, “We share with Her Royal Highness a commitment to improving children’s development and life chances through high quality research and good early years policy and we believe the Children of the 2020s study will play a really important part of that for this next generation of children.”

The Duchess launched the Royal Foundation Centre for Early Childhood back in June 2021. The center “will drive awareness of and action on the extraordinary impact of the early years, in order to transform society for generations to come.”