William and Kate visit Natural History Museum in first engagement since summer break
Couple hurried indoors during torrential downpour as Princess Catherine debuts lighter hair at reopening of the museum’s gardens
The Prince and Princess of Wales made their first joint public engagement since the summer break on Thursday with a visit to the Natural History Museum in London, but a sudden downpour cut short plans to tour the museum’s newly transformed gardens.
William and Catherine, who is a patron of the museum, had been due to walk through the outdoor learning areas with a group of schoolchildren from south London when heavy rain forced them to abandon the garden tour and move inside the museum building for shelter. The outdoor spaces are intended to help visitors and pupils feel more connected to nature.
The appearance was the couple’s first joint official engagement in nearly two months. They were last seen in public in August driving to church near Balmoral Castle in Aberdeenshire. The museum outing coincided with the start of the school term for their three children, Prince George, Princess Charlotte and Prince Louis.
Catherine’s changed hairstyle drew attention from onlookers and members of the public who were unexpectedly caught up in the visit. The 43-year-old appeared with lighter, caramel-blond hair worn loose, and dressed in a tweed blazer over a white shirt with dark trousers and brown suede loafers. She also wore a necklace featuring the initials of her three children.
The programme at the museum included demonstrations of the outdoor teaching facilities and activities designed to support hands-on learning and environmental engagement. Officials at the museum and organisers of the visit escorted the royal party and the visiting schoolchildren into the museum when the rain intensified.
The stop at the Natural History Museum was brief but closely observed by passersby and media. Palace aides have in recent weeks indicated a return to regular public duties for the Prince and Princess after their summer break. The visit highlighted the couple’s ongoing patronage of cultural and educational institutions and the royal household’s continued engagement with community and school programmes.