Pregnant Kate Middleton has made a private visit to a hospital school for children suffering from mental health problems.
The Duchess, who is six months pregnant, spent around an hour and a half meeting children and staff at the Bethlem and Maudsley Hospital School in Beckenham, Kent.The Duchess, who has just returned from a holiday in Mustique with the Duke of Cambridge, Prince George and the Middleton family, carried out the visit in her role as patron of charity Place2Be.
The visit, which was not publicised in advance, appeared in the Court Circular - the daily list of royal engagements.
A Kensington Palace spokeswoman said: "The Duchess of Cambridge this afternoon visited the Bethlem and Maudsley Hospital School, Beckenham.
"This visit was arranged through Place2Be, of which HRH is Royal Patron, after learning about their work during the Place 2 Reflect conference last year to further develop her knowledge of the sector."
Kate had listened to the school's head teacher Dr John Ivens, an educational psychologist, speak at the Place2Be conference on children's mental health in June.
She became patron of Place2Be - the leading UK provider of school-based mental health support - in 2013 and is passionate about its cause.
She has become closely involved with its attempts to provide early intervention for children before problems escalate.
The Bethlem and Maudsley Hospital School caters for pupils who are patients of the Bethlem or Maudsley Hospitals. It provides education for boys, girls and adolescents aged 4 to 19.
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