Britain’s Duchess Catherine was moved to tears as she listened to a woman talk about the death of her baby daughter.
The 32-year-old duchess – who has 16-month-old son Prince George with husband Prince William and is pregnant with her second child – hugged Leigh Smith, 33, and praised her bravery after hearing how her three-month-old baby Beatrice passed away from a heart condition earlier this year.
Leigh said: "She sought me out and gave me a hug just before she left.
‘I was getting quite teary-eyed, she had tears in her eyes and she just said to me, ‘You’re a very brave lady and again, I’m just so, so sorry.’ "
The pair had previously been in touch after Leigh wrote to Catherine – who was known as Kate Middleton before her marriage – to praise the work of East Anglia’s Children’s Hospices (EACH), of which Catherine is patron and who had helped her with Beatrice, and received a personal reply.
Leigh added: "I was so surprised to receive a letter with such personal comments and signed by her.It was a lovely gesture and helped me through a terrible time.
"I was touched that she had taken so much time to carefully read my letter and then to reply herself – it shows how much she cares.
"When I met her today she remembered the letter and said it was an honour to meet me. I was completely taken aback. For me it was an honour to meet her."
During her visit to Norfolk, Catherine met terminally ill children and their families, and also unveiled a range of Emma Bridgewater pottery which will be sold next year to raise money for EACH.
A royal aide said: "It was the duchess’s idea to approach Emma, whom she didn’t know previously, and she helped in the design process."
Duchess Catherine’s tears for grieving mother
