The Duchess of Cambridge visited Ely and Caerau Children’s Centre in Cardiff. During the engagement, mother-of-three Kate helped a young girl clean sand off her hand. 

Head of the centre Carolyn Asante joked that the royal had “got the job”, with Kate replying: “I wish!”

The visit was part of Kate’s 24-hour tour to launch her new survey on the early years development of children, titled “five big questions on the under fives”, which will guide her future work on the subject.

The online poll, conducted by Ipsos Mori for the Royal Foundation, is thought to be the biggest of its kind and aims to spark a nationwide conversation on early childhood.

Speaking at the centre, Kate opened up about how she would have welcomed extra support after giving birth to Prince George when she lived in rural North Wales.

She said: “It’s nice to be back in Wales.

“I was chatting to some of the mums, I had just had George and William was still working with search and rescue, so we came up here when George was a tiny, tiny little baby, in the middle of Anglesey.

“It was so isolated, so cut off, I didn’t have my family around me, he was doing night shifts, so if only I’d had a centre like this at a certain time.”

Mrs Asante told Kate: “That’s the thing, we all need it (support). It’s not about social status.

“When you’re a parent, you take home this little baby and I don’t know about you but I didn’t know which way was up or down.”

Kate lived in Wales for three years until 2015 while Prince William worked as an RAF search and rescue pilot.

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After the duchess’s visit to the children’s centre, Mrs Asante praised her for being “so genuine and down to earth”.

She said: “She was genuinely interested in what the children had to say, and you can’t fake that.

“It’s great to have the spotlight shone on the early years because everyone here recognises its importance and that it’s such a crucial stage of development, so if we can get it right at this stage we’ve given children the best possible start.

“I think it’s brilliant she’s chosen this to be her focus.”

Kate kicked off her tour at Birmingham’s Thinktank science museum and later headed to women’s prison HMP Send in Surrey.

Speaking in Birmingham, she said: “I’m here today to help launch a survey to hear society’s views about raising the next generation.

“Parents, carers and families are at the heart of caring for children in the formative years, so that is why I want to listen to them.

“As a parent, I know how much we cherish the future health and happiness of our children.

“I want to hear the key issues affecting our families and communities so I can focus my work on where it is needed most.

“My ambition is to provide a lasting change for generations to come.”

Kate, who is mother to Prince George, Princess Charlotte and Prince Louis, has made early childhood one of the main focuses of her public work.

Her survey runs from January 21 to February 21 and it asks those taking part five questions to find out their views about early years.

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