The Princess of Wales is bringing nature into the next phase of her early-childhood work, with the Duchy of Cornwall supporting a program planned for 2027.
Catherine, Princess of Wales, has commissioned new work exploring how nature can support babies and young children. Announced on October 16, the project will be led by the Royal Foundation Centre for Early Childhood, with the Duchy of Cornwall as a founding partner. An accompanying official social post says a new program is planned for 2027.
The Centre says the work will bring together academics, early-years practitioners, charities and environmental organizations. Its focus is the relationship between nature-rich settings, nurturing relationships and children’s social and emotional development. It builds on the Centre’s existing Shaping Us work, connecting its emphasis on early development with the places where children spend their time.
Catherine explains the next step
Nature, relationships and the earliest years
The commission
Catherine has commissioned the Centre for Early Childhood to explore nature and early development.
The partnership
The Centre will work with expert partners, with the Duchy of Cornwall as a founding partner.
Looking to 2027
A program is planned for 2027. Details of participation, delivery and evaluation are still to come.
A related chapter in Catherine’s work: her visit to a community recovery garden →
From an announcement to practical work
The immediate development is a commission to explore and develop the work. The planned program is a next step, with its results still to come. As the Centre develops the project, a useful measure of progress will be how its ideas translate into experiences that children and families can access.
For American parents and grandparents following Catherine’s work, the questions reach beyond one country: where children can explore, who helps them do so, and how those experiences fit alongside supportive relationships. The announcement establishes a UK-focused project, with no U.S. rollout announced. It gives a more specific direction to a subject that has long been part of Catherine’s public work, while leaving the effectiveness of the eventual program to be assessed.
Continue exploring
Follow Catherine’s work, or discover how the royal family connects.
A garden, a conversation and a place to belong
At a Southend recovery garden, Catherine met people finding support through time outdoors and shared work.
Who’s who in the House of Windsor?
Find familiar faces, follow family connections and open royal profiles in our interactive guide.
Sources and further reading
Centre for Early Childhood: October 16 announcement
Prince and Princess of Wales and Centre for Early Childhood: original announcement video
The Centre’s Shaping Us Framework
Last updated: October 16, 2026.
