Duchess of Cambridge hosts special assembly on kindness

The Duchess of Cambridge hosted an assembly with primary school students on Thursday morning.

The assembly was put on by the Oak National Academy, an online classroom for parents and teachers that has been putting on assemblies every Thursday during lockdown.

During her talk, the Duchess spoke about how important it is to be kind to one another, particularly when we are going through a difficult time.

"It's important to know that these feelings and frustrations are totally normal, and that they won't last forever," she told the assembly in her pre-recorded video message.

"Talking to someone - whether it's a friend, family member or teacher - is something you can do to make yourself feel that little bit better"

The Duchess of Cambridge often speaks out about the importance of mental health

Kate spoke with five children in the assembly, aged five to nine, who are pupils at a school in Blackpool. They're all kids whose parents have been working on the frontline during the pandemic.

The Duchess was keen to promote kindness as a way to help people's mental health, and worked with mental health charity Place2Be ahead of the assembly.

She asked the children on the video call with her, "if a friend of yours is really kind to you, how does that make you feel?"

They all replied: "Really happy."

Kate then encouraged them all to enjoy helping others too, "so many times when we do things for other people, it makes us feel really good about ourselves," she explained to them.

The Duchess has regularly campaigned for better support for young people's mental health, and is an ambassador for Place2Be.

Mark Hamblett, head teacher at Waterloo Primary Academy, said he had only told the children they'd be speaking to the Duchess a few minutes before the call so they would not get nervous.

"I couldn't be more proud of them," he said.

"The last few months and weeks have been so difficult to navigate, and the children have been incredible."