Fourteen years after delivering her first public royal speech at a children’s hospice in Ipswich, Catherine has returned to see how the charity is growing, and to spend time with the families at the heart of its work.
When Catherine, Princess of Wales, walked into The Treehouse children’s hospice on Thursday, October 22, 2026, she was revisiting an important place in her royal life. In March 2012, then the Duchess of Cambridge, she formally opened the Ipswich facility and gave her first public speech as a member of the Royal Family. This time, the spotlight was on the children and families receiving care there, and on a major expansion taking shape around them.
Catherine has been patron of East Anglia’s Children’s Hospices (EACH) since January 2012. The charity’s own history of her patronage confirms the significance of that first Treehouse engagement. At today’s visit, the princess met children and families, heard about the importance of creative therapies, and viewed the construction project, according to on-the-day reporting by royal correspondent Simon Perry.
The hospice is growing with its families
The Treehouse supports children and young people with life-threatening conditions, alongside parents, siblings and other loved ones. Its work goes beyond medical care. Music, sensory experiences, play and opportunities to spend time together can all help families find connection and enjoyment during difficult circumstances. That human side of hospice care was central to Catherine’s visit.
The planned improvements are substantial. As EACH explained in a September 30 project update, construction began in March 2026, with completion planned for 2028. The plans include a new hydrotherapy pool, a wellbeing and therapies suite, a larger activity area, a dedicated space for teenagers, an additional children’s bedroom, and expanded kitchen and dining facilities. The project is intended to provide more space and privacy as demand for the charity’s services grows.
EACH chief executive Kevin Clements has emphasized that the work is about providing access to care, not simply enlarging a building. The charity is continuing to raise money for the expansion while supporting its day-to-day services. Readers who would like to learn more can visit the official charity and follow its project updates directly.
A royal connection that began in 2012
Catherine’s relationship with The Treehouse predates her current title by more than a decade. At the opening on March 19, 2012, she toured the hospice, met children and families, and planted a commemorative tree. ITV News reported on her first public speech at the time, capturing an early moment in her work as a royal patron.
That relationship has continued. Catherine opened EACH’s Norfolk hospice, The Nook, in 2019, and has repeatedly drawn attention to the needs of children and families who rely on hospice care. Her return to Ipswich therefore carried more meaning than an ordinary stop in the royal diary. It connected one of her earliest commitments with the future of a charity she has supported for nearly fifteen years.
From the Prince and Princess of Wales
Catherine returns to The Treehouse
If the photographs do not appear, view the official Instagram post here.
The visit offers a reminder of what sustained royal patronage can mean for a charity. The photographs may capture a familiar face, but the more lasting story lies in the services being built and the families those services are intended to help.
