The Duchess of Cambridge has today [Thursday 22 March] attended her last public events before starting maternity leave ahead of the birth of her third child with Prince William.
The Duchess, who is already mum to four-year-old Prince George and two-year-old Princess Charlotte, is due to give birth in April.
A Kensington Palace spokesperson said: “Today’s public engagements by the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge will be Her Royal Highness’s last before starting her maternity leave.”
The Duchess watched as the Duke took part in a wheelchair basketball session during a SportsAid event at the Copper Box in the Olympic Park, Stratford, London. And the couple met players who hope to compete in the 2022 Commonwealth Games in Birmingham, in which the sport will feature for the first time.
SportsAid is a national charity that helps young British sportspeople aspiring to be the country’s next Olympic, Paralympic, Commonwealth and world champions, by providing a financial award to help with training and competition costs. The charity also provides athletes with media training, nutritional advice and performance lifestyle guidance.
The Duke and Duchess then went on to to take part in preparations for a Commonwealth ‘Big Lunch’ at St Luke’s Community Centre. The Centre provides services and activities for the residents of EC1, including community classes on healthy, home cooking and avoiding food waste.
The Duke and Duchess helped put the finishing touches to the meal alongside centre users and volunteers.
The Centre hosts a ‘Big Lunch’ every year as part of the Eden Project’s Big Lunch initiative, which aims to encourage as many people as possible to have lunch with members of their community once a year to share food and encourage friendship.