The Duchess of Cambridge spent time in antenatal, postnatal, and labour wards while on work experience at a London hospital this week.
Duchess Catherine
Duchess Catherine - who has children Prince George, six, Princess Charlotte, four, and 19-month-old Prince Louis with husband Prince William - was revealed in the Court Circular to have spent two days working in the Kingston Maternity Unit, though the specific details of what she was doing there were not published.
However, sources told HELLO! magazine that the 37-year-old royal divided her time between the three departments in the unit and even went out on a community midwife visit.
Catherine was believed to have been visiting the unit privately in connection with her early years work.
The duchess established a steering group of experts in March 2018 to examine what can be done to make a positive difference to children in the earliest stages of their lives and they have been producing what is described as a "significant new body of work" by the Royal Foundation website.
Catherine sent a letter to the group earlier this year in which she pledged her "long-term commitment" to the cause.
The note stated: "There are undoubtedly challenges in trying to bring about the transformation that will make positive change for generations to come, and help break the inter-generational cycle of disadvantage and trauma, yet I am inspired every day by the people I meet and am committed to supporting this endeavour...
"I hope my long-term commitment to working in the early years will help make a difference over a generational timescale."
As part of her interest in the issue, Catherine has also paid private visits to families, supported by her patronage of East Anglia's Children's Hospices, and she also opened the charity's new facility, The Nook in Framingham Earl, Norfolk, earlier this month.