Royal Watch News

Duchess Catherine's private charity visit

Feb 6, 2012, 18:32 GMT

Duchess Catherine

Britain's Duchess Catherine visited the headquarters of an addiction charity yesterday (02.02.12).
The royal - whose husband Prince William has just undertaken a six-week tour of duty of the Falkland Islands - made a private visit to Action of Addiction, one of her four patronages, in order to gain an in-depth understanding of their work before undertaking any public engagements on their behalf.
A royal source said Catherine spent 'several hours' meeting with staff and patients being treated at Clouds House, next to Action on Addiction's head office in East Knoyle, near Salisbury, Wiltshire.
A St. James's Palace spokesperson said: 'The duchess will continue to use her time to get to know people at the charity.
'You can't learn everything there is to know in one day, you have to keep going back to gain an in-depth understanding.'
The visit came ahead of a planned public visit to one of Action on Addiction's projects later this month.
The duchess is expected to meet recovering alcoholics at Brink, a non-alcoholic bar run by the charity in Liverpool, on February 14.
The establishment donates all its profits to another Action on Addiction project, Sharp in Liverpool which treats people with addictions.
Catherine will also visit Alder Hey Children's Hospital where she will hear how an MRI facility opened by her husband in February 2010 has helped treat patients.
Duchess Catherine completed her first solo engagement last October when she was called upon at short notice to attend a charity dinner at Clarence House on behalf of her father-in-law Prince Charles after he flew to Saudi Arabia following the death of Crown Prince Sultan bin Abdulaziz Al-Saud.