If Pippa Middleton were to welcome a nursery onto the family estate, she would certainly have a font of advice from her sister, Catherine. The Princess of Wales is said to view early years education as her ‘life’s work’, and just yesterday her Royal Foundation Centre for Early Childhood published the ‘Shaping Us Framework’, calling for increased awareness of our ‘social and emotional skills’ to combat ‘mistrust and misunderstanding’.

The Middleton sisters have plenty in common, including, it seems, a shared passion for early years education
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In a foreword to the framework, the mother-of-three rallied readers to ‘build a more loving, empathetic, and compassionate society together,’ through increased focus on interpersonal skills, which Catherine called the ‘bedrock of any healthy, happy society’. So committed is the Princess of Wales to the early years cause that she continued her work even while stepping back from public duties in the wake of her cancer diagnosis last year.
Pippa Middleton made a rare public appearance earlier this summer, joining James – a former racing car driver – at Silverstone in July. Stepping out in a Sézane camel suede jacket and Usisi Sister white dress, Pippa completed the look with an Emmy London handbag. It was the Castañer Carina 30 espadrilles that caught the eye of royal watchers, though. The shoes are a favourite of the Princess of Wales – another example of the sartorial like-mindedness Pippa shares with her sister. It was the first time that Pippa had been spotted since joining Catherine at the Together at Christmas carol service in a touching show of support for the Princess’s return to her flagship royal event. With a new nursery looking to be built, no doubt the favour will soon be returned. What a school run that would be.
