Duchess of Cambridge awards scouting honours

The Duchess of Cambridge has honoured the achievements of more than 400 scouts at Windsor Castle.

Catherine, who is six months pregnant, attended the National Review of Queen's Scouts, followed by a service at St George's Chapel in Windsor.

Most of those present received the Queen's Scout Award, the highest honour a scout can achieve.

The duchess - a trained scout volunteer - also met youngsters who had received gallantry awards for their bravery.

'Generous volunteer'

The Queen's Scout Award is awarded to those scouts aged between 16 and 25 for achievements including carrying out regular community service for a year and completing a four-day expedition in unknown terrain.

Bear Grylls, who became the UK's youngest Chief Scout in 2009 aged 34, also attended the event.

He said the duchess was an "incredible role model" who helped show that scouting was not just for boys.

"She's also such a generous volunteer and everyone is so excited to have her in the scouting family. Many people have followed her lead and are getting involved and enjoying the adventure," he added.

Catherine, who was a brownie and a girl guide, joined the scouts in 2012 as a volunteer and helps out at a group close to her home in North Wales.

In March, the duchess braved the cold snowy weather to visit a scout camp in the Lake District where she helped out at an activity centre.

Since she joined the scouts more than 2,800 new adult volunteers have joined up - the second biggest rise since 1986.

However despite attracting more adults the movement, which now numbers 536,787 scouts, still has 37,867 young people on the waiting lists who are unable to join up because of the lack of adult volunteers.