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The Royal Foundation Centre for Early Childhood is launching a new campaign this week. Ahead of the launch of the campaign—which will highlight “the critical importance the first five years of our lives have on shaping the adults we become”—the Princess of Wales penned an open letter, expressing her determination to change the “time and energy” that is focused on later life.
“During our very early childhood, our brains develop at an amazing rate – faster than any other time of our lives. Our experiences, relationships, and surroundings at that young age, shape the rest of our lives,” the Princess wrote in the letter that was released on Jan. 28. “It is a time where we lay the foundations and building blocks for life. It is when we learn to understand ourselves, understand others and understand the world in which we live.”
She continued, “But as a society, we currently spend much more of our time and energy on later life. I am absolutely determined that this long-term campaign is going to change that. It will start by highlighting how we develop during early childhood and why these years matter so much in terms of shaping who we become.”
Catherine, who launched the Royal Foundation Centre for Early Childhood in June of 2021, revealed in her letter that she will be joined by a group of “experts spanning science, research, policy making and front-line practice as well as an exciting group of well-known faces from music, sport and television, to show all of us, why it is in all of our interests to care about this.”
“We all need to know the critical importance of our early childhood. They really are years like no other in our lives. I urge everyone reading this, to take the opportunity to learn more about this incredible time of life, to think back to your own childhood and how it shaped you, and most importantly, to ask yourselves what you can do to make the world a more supportive and loving place for our children,” she penned. “Because healthy, happy children shape a healthy, happy future.”
The Princess signed the letter: “Catherine.”
Last week, the royal mom of three held a meeting at Windsor Castle with the Royal Foundation Centre for Early Childhood Advisory Group. “An insightful first meeting with our Centre for Early Childhood Advisory Group, discussing a shared passion for the extraordinary impact of the first five years of life and its role in shaping us,” the Waleses’ Instagram account captioned photos from the meeting. “Very exciting things ahead…!”
During the meeting, the Princess said, according to HOLA! USA’s sister brand HELLO! , “I am really excited for next week, there is lots coming out.”
Over the weekend, the Waleses’ social media accounts teased “Shaping Us” with a video of the Princess opening a book and writing, “What shapes us?” on one page, and revealing “Our early childhood shapes the adults we become” on another page. The caption alongside the video reads: “Our early childhood shapes the rest of our lives. #ShapingUs - coming soon with The Centre for Early Childhood.”