Kate Middleton has hosted a very important roundtable at her London home Kensington Palace to discuss maternal mental health with a panel of professionals and experts.
The Palace has reported that the Duchess, who is currently pregnant with her third child, is 'keen to develop an understanding of the issues surrounding maternal mental health, and to learn what support is available.'
The Duchess has spoken previously about the importance of having open conversations about maternal health, and the impact this can have on family, and shown a great interest in the cause and understanding in greater detail how she and the Royal Foundation can help.
Kate, who currently has two children with husband Prince William, has admitted in the past that although she finds being a mother to Prince George and Princess Charlotte, 'wonderful and rewarding' she has also struggled in the past with the challenges of motherhood and feeling alone.
'At times it (motherhood) has also been a huge challenge - even for me, who has support at home that most mothers do not,' Kate revealed previously.
'Nothing can really prepare you for the sheer overwhelming experience of what it means to become a mother. It is full of complex emotions of joy, exhaustion, love and worry, all mixed together.'
Royal insiders believe that Kate's decision to host the surprise roundtable, which was not announced to the public until it was well underway, is a sign that the Duchess is ready to take her royal duties to the next level.
Far from being held back by her third pregnancy, despite her struggle in the first months with the debilitating hyperemesis gravidarum condition, it seems that Kate is stepping up to take a 'more serious role' in royal life, and lead from the front when it comes to causes and charities that she is passionate about.
A royal watcher at the Daily Mail said: 'the Duchess plans to carve out a more serious role for herself with her patronages and charity campaigning.'
Kate's next important official royal engagement will see her visit the Hornsey Road Children's Centre to see the valuable family and parental support services on Tuesday 14th November.
