The Duchess of Cambridge made her first public speech today.
The future Queen marked the opening of a new Treehouse children's hospice in Ipswich, Suffolk, by making a live televised speech there earlier today.
She has done one or two TV interviews before - most notably with Prince William in November 2010 just after the couple announced their engagement - but until today she has never made a public speech.
During the speech, the Duchess praised the work of Each, which supports families and cares for young people with life-threatening conditions, as "inspirational".
She admitted her first visit to the Each hospice in Malton had bucked her preconceived ideas: "Far from being a clinical, depressing place for sick children it was a home.
"Most importantly it was a family home... a place of fun.
"Today I have seen again that the Treehouse is all about family and fun. For many this is a home from home - a lifeline enabling families to live as normally as possible during a very precious period of time."
The Duchess appeared nervous during the speech but she performed impeccably.
The audience cheered after the speech, which will be the first of many for the Duchess in the years and decades to come.
It was announced in January that she is to become the patron of the Treehouse charity.
The Duchess's husband, William, Duke of Cambridge, is currently in the Falkland Islands where he is stationed as an RAF search and rescue helicopter pilot.
Duchess of Cambridge makes first public speech at charity visit
By Rebecca English
19 March 2012
Daily Mail
The future Queen arrives at the Treehouse hospice in Ipswich, Suffolk earlier today to make her first public speech
The Duchess of Cambridge has made her first public speech during a visit to one of her charities in Ipswich.
Hundreds of people gathered to watch the address, marking the opening of the Treehouse, a hospice run by East Anglia Children's Hospices (Each).
The Duchess praised the work of Each, which supports families and cares for young people with life-threatening conditions, as "inspirational".
She is also set to tour the facilities, meet ill children, and plant a tree.
'A place of fun'
Speaking to the audience, she thanked her hosts for making her "feel so welcome", adding that Prince William "would love it here".
She admitted her first visit to the Each hospice in Malton had bucked her preconceived ideas: "Far from being a clinical, depressing place for sick children it was a home.
"Most importantly it was a family home... a place of fun.
"Today I have seen again that the Treehouse is all about family and fun. For many this is a home from home - a lifeline enabling families to live as normally as possible during a very precious period of time."
The audience cheered after the speech, which will be the first of many for the Duchess.
'Extraordinarily grateful'
Royal sources said the Duchess was responsible for writing her own speech and said it was in 'a very different style' from those of her husband, Prince William
During the visit, the Duchess was also presented with a posie by six-year-old Tilly, who suffered brain damage as a baby and who has been cared for at the hospice.
She is also being shown around the Treehouse, seeing some of the bedrooms and meeting other young patients who have been receiving care at the charity.
Programmes printed for the day's occasion feature a letter from the Duchess in which she praises the charity.
"Today here in Ipswich I would like to celebrate Each's latest bold step forward - the opening of the Treehouse, this fantastic purpose-built hospice which was made possible by donations from the public."
She adds: "I have been deeply moved by the work of Each's dedicated staff and by the environment of support for families."
"Each provide services which demand an un-erring and passionate level of understanding, knowledge and sensitivity. I am extraordinarily grateful for the opportunity to be royal patron, and I strongly encourage you to continue to support Each's invaluable work."
The Duchess, greeting dignitaries who including the Lord-Lieutenant of Suffolk, is royal patron of the charity which provides care and support wherever the family wishes
Various dignitaries have assembled to meet the Duchess, including the Lord-Lieutenant of Suffolk, Suffolk High Sheriff, the chairman of Suffolk county council, the mayor of Ipswich, and executives of the charity Each.
It was announced in January that the Duchess would become patron of the Treehouse, a charity she chose to support after personally researching her selection.
She is now president of four charities, including the Treehouse.
Back in 1989 Princess Diana opened their first hospice in Milton, Cambridgeshire.
KATE'S SPEECH IN FULL
First of all, I'd like to say thank you. Thank you for not only accepting me as your Patron but thank you also for inviting me here today.
You have all made me feel so welcome and I feel hugely honoured to be here to see this wonderful centre.
I am only sorry that William can't be here today; he would love it here. A view of his - that I share - is that through teamwork, so much can be achieved.
What you have all achieved here is extraordinary.
You as a community have built the Treehouse; a group of people who have made every effort to support and help each other.
When I first visited the Hospice in Milton, I had a pre-conceived idea as to what to expect. Far from being a clinical, depressing place for sick children, it was a home. Most importantly, it was a family home, a happy place of stability, support and care. It was a place of fun.
Today I have seen again that the Treehouse is all about family and fun. For many, this is a home from home - a lifeline, enabling families to live as normally as possible, during a very precious period of time.
What you do is inspirational, it is a shining example of the support and the care that is delivered, not just here, but in the children's hospice movement at large, up and down the country.
The feelings you inspire - feelings of love and of hope - offer a chance to families to live a life they never thought could be possible.
So thank you again for inviting me here today. I feel enormously proud to be part of East Anglia's Children's Hospices and to see the wonderful life-changing work that you do. Thank you.
BBC News - Duchess of Cambridge makes first public speech at charity visit
The future Queen marked the opening of a new Treehouse children's hospice in Ipswich, Suffolk, by making a live televised speech there earlier today.
She has done one or two TV interviews before - most notably with Prince William in November 2010 just after the couple announced their engagement - but until today she has never made a public speech.
During the speech, the Duchess praised the work of Each, which supports families and cares for young people with life-threatening conditions, as "inspirational".
She admitted her first visit to the Each hospice in Malton had bucked her preconceived ideas: "Far from being a clinical, depressing place for sick children it was a home.
"Most importantly it was a family home... a place of fun.
"Today I have seen again that the Treehouse is all about family and fun. For many this is a home from home - a lifeline enabling families to live as normally as possible during a very precious period of time."
The Duchess appeared nervous during the speech but she performed impeccably.
The audience cheered after the speech, which will be the first of many for the Duchess in the years and decades to come.
It was announced in January that she is to become the patron of the Treehouse charity.
The Duchess's husband, William, Duke of Cambridge, is currently in the Falkland Islands where he is stationed as an RAF search and rescue helicopter pilot.
Duchess of Cambridge makes first public speech at charity visit
By Rebecca English
19 March 2012
Daily Mail
The future Queen arrives at the Treehouse hospice in Ipswich, Suffolk earlier today to make her first public speech
The Duchess of Cambridge has made her first public speech during a visit to one of her charities in Ipswich.
Hundreds of people gathered to watch the address, marking the opening of the Treehouse, a hospice run by East Anglia Children's Hospices (Each).
The Duchess praised the work of Each, which supports families and cares for young people with life-threatening conditions, as "inspirational".
She is also set to tour the facilities, meet ill children, and plant a tree.
'A place of fun'
Speaking to the audience, she thanked her hosts for making her "feel so welcome", adding that Prince William "would love it here".
She admitted her first visit to the Each hospice in Malton had bucked her preconceived ideas: "Far from being a clinical, depressing place for sick children it was a home.
"Most importantly it was a family home... a place of fun.
"Today I have seen again that the Treehouse is all about family and fun. For many this is a home from home - a lifeline enabling families to live as normally as possible during a very precious period of time."
The audience cheered after the speech, which will be the first of many for the Duchess.
'Extraordinarily grateful'
Royal sources said the Duchess was responsible for writing her own speech and said it was in 'a very different style' from those of her husband, Prince William
During the visit, the Duchess was also presented with a posie by six-year-old Tilly, who suffered brain damage as a baby and who has been cared for at the hospice.
She is also being shown around the Treehouse, seeing some of the bedrooms and meeting other young patients who have been receiving care at the charity.
Programmes printed for the day's occasion feature a letter from the Duchess in which she praises the charity.
"Today here in Ipswich I would like to celebrate Each's latest bold step forward - the opening of the Treehouse, this fantastic purpose-built hospice which was made possible by donations from the public."
She adds: "I have been deeply moved by the work of Each's dedicated staff and by the environment of support for families."
"Each provide services which demand an un-erring and passionate level of understanding, knowledge and sensitivity. I am extraordinarily grateful for the opportunity to be royal patron, and I strongly encourage you to continue to support Each's invaluable work."
Various dignitaries have assembled to meet the Duchess, including the Lord-Lieutenant of Suffolk, Suffolk High Sheriff, the chairman of Suffolk county council, the mayor of Ipswich, and executives of the charity Each.
It was announced in January that the Duchess would become patron of the Treehouse, a charity she chose to support after personally researching her selection.
She is now president of four charities, including the Treehouse.
Back in 1989 Princess Diana opened their first hospice in Milton, Cambridgeshire.
KATE'S SPEECH IN FULL
First of all, I'd like to say thank you. Thank you for not only accepting me as your Patron but thank you also for inviting me here today.
You have all made me feel so welcome and I feel hugely honoured to be here to see this wonderful centre.
I am only sorry that William can't be here today; he would love it here. A view of his - that I share - is that through teamwork, so much can be achieved.
What you have all achieved here is extraordinary.
You as a community have built the Treehouse; a group of people who have made every effort to support and help each other.
When I first visited the Hospice in Milton, I had a pre-conceived idea as to what to expect. Far from being a clinical, depressing place for sick children, it was a home. Most importantly, it was a family home, a happy place of stability, support and care. It was a place of fun.
Today I have seen again that the Treehouse is all about family and fun. For many, this is a home from home - a lifeline, enabling families to live as normally as possible, during a very precious period of time.
What you do is inspirational, it is a shining example of the support and the care that is delivered, not just here, but in the children's hospice movement at large, up and down the country.
The feelings you inspire - feelings of love and of hope - offer a chance to families to live a life they never thought could be possible.
So thank you again for inviting me here today. I feel enormously proud to be part of East Anglia's Children's Hospices and to see the wonderful life-changing work that you do. Thank you.
BBC News - Duchess of Cambridge makes first public speech at charity visit
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