Princess Kate has largely stepped back from her royal duties since her cancer diagnosis, so it was a heartfelt surprise for Kirsty Kerr when she received a special letter from the future Queen just two weeks ago.
Kirsty, whose six-year-old daughter Isla has coeliac disease, had reached out to Princess Kate back in December after being inspired by the Princess’s Shaping Us campaign, which focuses on children’s mental health.
Little Isla, then five, was struggling to cope with the challenges of managing her autoimmune condition, including adhering to a strict gluten-free diet and dealing with lower energy levels compared to her friends.
Kirsty explained, “In her own little five-year-old way, she was starting to struggle… I’ll be surprised if she doesn’t grow up with some kind of anxiety around food. She understands the pain if she gets glutened, but she just kept saying to us: ‘I don’t like being gluten-free.'”
Feeling that there was little discussion about how such conditions affect children’s mental health, Kirsty decided to write a letter to Princess Kate, addressing her as one mother to another. Kirsty noted, “Obviously, you have to address it the right way. I actually started it by saying that it feels really strange writing such a formal letter when I’m writing to you as one mum to another because she’s got three children.”
In response, Kirsty received a thoughtful reply from Kate’s office, which concluded with a personal note: “It was most thoughtful of you to take the trouble to write as you did. The Princess of Wales asked me to send her very best wishes to you and your family.”
Kirsty, who feels a connection to Kate as they are of the same generation and stage in life, was touched by the response. Isla, now six, was equally thrilled, saying, “Mummy, Princess Kate understands that I’m gluten-free.” Kirsty added, “It sounds silly, but it just helped her feel a bit seen. She was absolutely thrilled and excited. She thinks Kate is the most glamorous woman in the whole world.”
Isla’s admiration for Princess Kate extends beyond the letter. Kirsty shared that Isla often asks for “Princess Charlotte hair,” where her hair is plaited at the sides with a bauble at the back, inspired by the Princess’s daughter, Charlotte, who Isla considers “very cool” because she’s three years older.
