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Princess Kate delivered her first speech since her cancer diagnosis at the Future Workforce Summit in London.
Donning a chic grey trouser suit, Kate met major business leaders and English former professional football manager Sir Gareth Southgate at the key summit.
Opening the speech, the Princess of Wales expressed her gratitude and welcomed everyone for an "insightful" event.
"I would also like to take this opportunity to say thank you to Christian, who has led The Centre and built many of the relationships here today. Thank you, Christian, for holding the fort, particularly over the last couple of years," Kate noted.
Christian Guy was appointed Director for The Royal Foundation’s Centre for Early Childhood (the Centre) in 2023.
The mother-of-three continued, "My passion and the work of The Centre for Early Childhood stems from one essential truth: that the love we feel in our earliest years fundamentally shapes who we become and how we thrive as adults."
"Love is the first and most essential bond. But it is also the invisible thread, woven with time, attention and tenderness, through consistent, nurturing relationships, which creates the grounded and meaningful environments around a child."
Kate highlighted the importance of a safe and loving home for a child's growth, sharing, "Everyone of you interacts with your own environment: a home, a family, a business, a workforce, a community.
"Imagine a world where each of these environments were built on valuing time and tenderness just as much as productivity and success."
She urged the business leaders to take profitability and positive impact hand-in-hand, as they "should not be incompatible."
"At The Centre for Early Childhood, we believe that we must do all we can to create the conditions for love to flourish. That is how we invest in our future.
"Every child deserves respect and safety, and everyone who cares deserves recognition and appreciation."
Princess Kate concluded her powerful speech, noting, "You are here because you care, so thank you."
Tuesday's speech marked Kate's first public speech in two years.
