The Duchess of Cambridge has been researching her own family tree to learn more about how her ancestors’ home lives affected the adults they became.
Kate, 39, let slip that she has been looking back at four generations of the Middleton and Goldsmith families as part of her work into early childhood development as she met academics from the Children of the 2020s project at the University College London’s Centre for Longitudinal Studies on Tuesday morning.
Her mother’s side of the family – the Goldsmiths – came from significant poverty, with three generations of coal miners, a carpenter, a general labourer and a shop assistant among her ancestors.
But her father Michael’s ancestors generally enjoyed a far more comfortable upbringing. He descends from a family of wealthy wool merchants and boasts a pilot, a bank manager and a solicitor among his relatives.
The Duchess of Cambridge, 39, put on a stylish display in a recycled £16 Zara dress as she visited University College London's Centre for Longitudinal Studies on Tuesday morning
The Duchess of Cambridge puts on an animated display as she was shown around the library by Professor Pasco Fearon during a visit to University College London's Centre for Longitudinal Studies to meet with leading early years researchers and learn more about their new study
Professor Pasco Fearon (centre) and Professor Alissa Goodman (right), talked the Duchess of Cambridge through their recent findings
The typically stylish mother-of-three was seen giving a speech as she visited University College London's Centre for Longitudinal Studies this morning
The project will track the development of children born in 2021 over the next five years and investigate the effect on children of their home environment, community, early years services and their families’ social and economic circumstances.
The duchess said: ‘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.'
Thrifty Kate Middleton recycled the same £16 long-sleeved houndstooth Zara dress - originally £89.99 before being reduced in the sale - that she first wore during a royal engagement in Bradford in January 2020.
Within hours of the mother-of-three's previous appearance in the high-street outfit, which features a high neck tie and an elasticated waist, it quickly sold out online and was listed on eBay for prices as high as £125.
The natural beauty (pictured) kept her makeup to a minimum, with just a touch of blusher, nude-coloured lip and light layering of mascara
Kate (pictured, left and right) let slip that she has been looking back at four generations of the Middleton and Goldsmith families as part of her work into early childhood development
During the visit, Kate (pictured, arriving) met with leading early years researchers and learn more about their new study, 'The Children of the 2020s'
However, rather than pairing it with the same black block heels by Gianvito Rossi as last time, the royal gave the chic ensemble a fresh look today by adding grey pointed Hugo Boss pumps, which she first debuted to an event at the Natural History Museum in London in 2016.
Kate was also seen donning a plain black face mask as she stepped inside the building in accordance with UCL's policy, which states that all staff, students and visitor must wear face coverings whilst indoors on campus, unless they are medically exempt.
The royal, who wore her brown locks down in a loose
