Princess Kate’s secret meeting with billionaire revealed
The details of a private meeting the Princess of Wales held with billionaire Melinda Gates earlier this month have been revealed in an exciting update.
While the meeting was listed in the Court Circular, the official record of the Royal Family’s engagements, for October 8, it was not, until now, confirmed what the two women were meeting for.
However, it has now been confirmed that The Centre for Early Childhood hosted a meeting with The Princess of Wales and Melinda French Gates, founder of Pivotal, in London.
Focusing on the lifelong impact of early relationships and experiences, the meeting addressed ways to better support the emotional development of youth and children. Using the Shaping Us Framework as a guide, Melinda French Gates and the Princess examined potential joint initiatives between Pivotal and The Royal Foundation to help young people build essential confidence, resilience, and a sense of belonging.
Ms Gates is the founder of Pivotal, a group of organisations working together to help social progress for women and young people in the US and around the world. The company says it uses “philanthropy, investments, and advocacy” to drive momentum for this.
Ms Gates has so far committed $2 billion to expanding women’s power and influence. The pair also previously met towards the end of June at Windsor Castle.
Announcing the meeting, Christian Guy, Executive Director of The Royal Foundation for Early Childhood, said: “Groundbreaking research has uncovered something profound yet reassuring: the quality of the relationships we experience throughout our lives influences our health, happiness and wellbeing like little else.
“This enduring truth in an ever-changing world raises one of the defining questions of our age: how can we help children and young people develop the social and emotional foundations they need not only to cope with life’s challenges, but to thrive, connect and flourish?”
Mr Guy added: “The answer matters to us all, because science shows that early childhood and adolescence are golden developmental periods that shape our lives, our future and our wider society. These are the years when young people learn to understand and express themselves, navigate relationships, develop a sense of identity and belonging, and discover their place in the world. These are years of remarkable possibility, establishing the foundations from which people continue to grow, adapt and flourish throughout life.
“It was therefore a privilege to host a working session at The Royal Foundation with Her Royal Highness The Princess of Wales and Melinda French Gates,” he said.
Together, in close partnership with Melinda’s team at Pivotal, we explored how The Shaping Us Framework, developed by The Princess alongside more than 100 human development experts from around the world, can help us think about whole-person development at every stage of life.
Building on the work of Heads Together, The Centre for Early Childhood, Pivotal’s focus in the United States and the efforts of many others across the field, we considered what more could be done to strengthen young people’s wellbeing, belonging and ability to thrive throughout life. What gave the session particular energy was a shared belief that while today’s children face considerable challenges, they also carry extraordinary potential. With supportive relationships, a sense of belonging and opportunities to discover who they are and what they might contribute, every young person can build the confidence, resilience and sense of purpose they need for the future.
“We are so grateful for the vision, ambition and commitment that both The Princess and Melinda bring to this work. Their leadership reflects a belief that change is possible, and that investing in the healthy development of children and young people is one of the most powerful investments we can make for our world today and tomorrow. Over the coming months, in partnership with Melinda and Pivotal, we will explore how The Royal Foundation might build on this work in practical ways.
“At a time of division, disconnection and uncertainty, it has never been more important to help young people build the foundations for life.”
