Children notice difficulties at home, says Duchess of Cambridge
EVEN very young children can tell when their parents’ relationship is abusive, the Duchess of Cambridge has warned, as she teams up with a Danish princess to fight for a better future for the next generation.
The Duchess, who joined Crown Princess Mary for an afternoon of work during her solo royal tour, said “children notice” difficulties at home, even if they are too young to express it.
The women, who were both born “commoners” and married a future king, joined forces to shine a light on the plight of vulnerable young people.
Royal-watchers have commented on the pair’s physical similarities and they share a support of the fashion industries within their own countries as well as their backing for long-term projects for positive social change.
Princess Mary, 50, who has four children with Denmark’s Crown Prince Frederik, established The Mary Foundation to fight “social isolation” with her 1.1million Danish Kroner wedding fund donated by the public. It now works to combat bullying, domestic violence and loneliness.
Yesterday, she was joined by the Duchess of Cambridge for a visit to Copenhagen, where the two women were photographed walking across a courtyard for a private lunch.
They later visited the Danner Crisis Centre, a shelter for women and children who have been exposed to domestic violence. It has been funded by the Princess’s Foundation.
The Duchess heard how the children are given “comfort packs” full of cuddly toys, pencil cases, notebooks and water bottles when they arrive at the centre, usually frightened and in the middle of the night.
Crown Princess Mary told the Duchess: “It started as an idea to ensure that they had some practical things and some comforting things at the same time.
“But we soon realised that it had a much deeper effect than just to give them a toothbrush – it became a way to start a conversation.”
She includes a personal postcard in the pack for each child, in which she reassures them that they should talk about their experiences.
Told that a lot of the abused mothers who arrive at the centre say their children have not seen any violence, the Duchess replied: “But children notice. The older they are, the more they can articulate and explain how they feel.
“Parents I’ve seen in addiction, their children are two or three who (they think) don’t notice it ... it’s because they don’t have a voice. But children feel relationships.”
The Duchess has spent two days in Denmark learning how children are supported from birth to school age. She also visited a forest kindergarten to see how Denmark brings its young children up with an “outdoor” ethos.
In a wooded area, the Duchess picked up sticks for a campfire and took on the challenge of splitting a log after watching five-year-olds complete the task.
Teaching assistant Carla Bro, 21, said: “She asked how we deal with risky play and how we keep things safe.
“We have safety rules and we teach the children they should not be afraid of tasks but treat them with respect.”