Kate meets drug detection dog on prison visit

Catherine, Princess of Wales was sniffed by a drug detection dog at HMP High Down in Sutton, Surrey

Catherine, Princess of Wales paid a visit to addiction services in a prison in Surrey.

The princess was checked by Penny, a black Labrador, as she followed security protocols at HMP High Down near Banstead to gain an understanding of the procedures followed by those visiting inmates.

“It’s very calm and controlled. It’s not intimidating,” she said.

Catherine also sported strapped-up fingers after a trampoline accident that Kensington Palace described as “nothing serious”.

The princess is a patron of addiction charity The Forward Trust and visited the Category C prison to learn about its work helping prisoners recover from addiction.

She also met serving prisoners receiving support for their addiction before visiting the jail’s award-winning restaurant, The Clink.

Catherine, Princess of Wales visited HMP High Down in Surrey on Tuesday afternoon

She spoke with inmates being trained in hospitality, complimenting them on the “delicious” looking food and met families working with The Forward Trust.

Mark Ash, an ex-inmate of HMP High Down who has recovered from his addiction and works with The Forward Trust, said: “When someone like Kate puts herself on that platform people are going to listen because she’s the Princess of Wales.

“It’s honourable of her to want to step in.”

The prison’s governor Emily Martin said of the princess: “She’s very natural and clearly genuinely interested which I think is really important.”

The forefinger and middle finger of Catherine’s right hand were taped together during the visit.

She said it was her own fault as she had been “jumping around on the trampoline” and said the strapping was to keep her fingers safe.

Catherine, Princess of Wales was sporting strapped-up fingers after a trampoline accident