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Duchess Kate goes back to school -- to help families coping with addiction

Duchess Kate paid a visit to a London elementary school on Tuesday to see progress being made on a charity project she launched to help families dealing with addiction.The duchess, wearing a salmon-colored dress by Goat, crouched down to talk with a group of young tykes sitting cross-legged on the playground, excitedly waving British flags.“I’ve never seen a princess before,” said five-year-
Britain's Catherine, Duchess of Cambridge, greets children of the Blessed Sacrament Catholic School in London July 1, 2014. Catherine, known as Kate, ...
The Duchess of Cambridge greets children of the Blessed Sacrament Catholic School in London.LUKE MACGREGOR / Today

Duchess Kate paid a visit to a London elementary school on Tuesday to see progress being made on a charity project she launched to help families dealing with addiction.

Britain's Catherine, Duchess of Cambridge, greets children of the Blessed Sacrament Catholic School in London July 1, 2014. Catherine, known as Kate, ...
The Duchess of Cambridge greets children of the Blessed Sacrament Catholic School in London.LUKE MACGREGOR / Today

The duchess, wearing a salmon-colored dress by Goat, crouched down to talk with a group of young tykes sitting cross-legged on the playground, excitedly waving British flags.

“I’ve never seen a princess before,” said five-year-old T’shai, explaining his enthusiasm to the U.K.’s Press Association.

Britain's Catherine, Duchess of Cambridge, receives a picture of herself and baby Prince George painted by Rosie Nee (2nd R) at the Blessed Sacrament ...
Duchess Kate receives a picture of herself and baby Prince George painted by Rosie Nee while at Blessed Sacrament Catholic School.LUKE MACGREGOR / Today
LONDON, ENGLAND - JULY 01: Catherine, Duchess of Cambridge visits an M-PACT Plus Counselling programme at Blessed Sacrament School on July 1, 2014 in ...
Duchess Kate, speaking with students during her visit Tuesday.Ian Gavan / Today

Duchess Kate was joined at the Blessed Sacrament School in Islington, north London, by British comedian John Bishop, with whom she initiated the school-based project M-PACT (Moving Parents and Children Together) Plus last year. The program provides support for children dealing with a parent's drug or alcohol addiction. It is funded by The Royal Foundation and Comic Relief and administered through Action on Addiction, of which the duchess is a patron, and the youth-centered charity, Place2Be.

Inside the school, Duchess Kate met with project coordinators, school teachers and counselors.

Britain's Catherine, Duchess of Cambridge laughs during a visit to an M-PACT Plus Counselling programme at Blessed Sacrament School on July 1, 2014 in...
The duchess has a laugh while visiting with coordinators of the M-PACT Plus Counseling program.STUART C. WILSON / Today

Bishop hailed the duchess and the Royal Foundation for being “genuinely committed” to the issue.

"I think, from the brief conversations I've had with her, she's committed to it as a person and probably even more so now as a mother, because you realize children are such fragile things and you've got to try and support them when they're at their weakest," he said.

Duchess Kate's royal style

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Duchess Kate's royal style

Catherine, Duchess of Cambridge, wears everything from fancy hats to casual tank tops. See how Prince William's wife can easily go from a high society affair to shopping on the streets of London.