The Princess of Wales revealed a touching tribute to her children when she visited a leading textile manufacturer – a necklace bearing their initials.
Kate was pictured wearing the personalised jewellery when she tried her hand at silk screen printing at Marina Mill in Kent and joked she had not attempted the craft since her school days.
The family-run firm was founded in 1967 by husband and wife Keith and Steph Rawkins, who first designed fashion textiles during the heady days of swinging London, but today produce exclusive hand-printed furnishing fabrics which have graced royal homes.
Their children Guy and Tandine have taken over business which supplies handmade textiles that feature in interior design.
The princess arrived wearing a grey tartan trouser suit and black top, but donned a branded T-shirt from the textile firm, based in Cuxton near Rochester, and an apron.
Her necklace stood out against the black T-shirt with the initials G, C and L for Prince George, Princess Charlotte and Prince Louis.
Kate watched staff add a yellow die to an intricate floral design on a long roll of cloth by pressing the pigment through a screen with a large squeegee.
A little apprehensive at first she helped pull the squeegee across and after a few attempts said: “It becomes second nature, so you don’t think about it.”
The princess seemed impressed by the skill and dedication of the staff working in a basement room of the business, based in a former Victorian match factory, and said: “The time it takes it’s really a labour of love.”
Earlier Kate visited Sudbury Silk Mills in Suffolk a family-run weaving mill, to highlight the heritage of the British textile industry and jobs in the creative industries.
She stayed for longer than timetabled, and afterwards took the time to speak to schoolchildren who had waited outside for her.
Keith Rawkins said about Kate’s attempt at screen printing: “It was the best,” and added they would send her the pieces of cloth she printed.
He said about the visit: “It was really lovely to have the recognition and I think things will come of it, she wants to come again, to do things and it’s all good.”
