The Princess of Wales exchanged a tender moment with a young boy suffering from a rare vein condition during a hospital visit, returning the affectionate gesture he had made towards her. Kate and three-year-old Arjun shared a heartwarming exchange when she visited Evelina London Children's Hospital to meet youngsters receiving treatment at a newly opened cardiac unit – part of an ambitious project to establish Evelina as the capital's most comprehensive medical centre for children.
She was spotted wearing a bracelet that appeared to be crafted from string, made for her by her daughter Princess Charlotte during her recent Three Peaks Challenge.
Princess Sits with Young Patient
The future Queen perched on the bedside of the little boy, who was being discharged on Tuesday after receiving treatment since the beginning of the year for a rare pulmonary vein condition, following a cardiac arrest. Kate picked up his toy dinosaurs and enquired about their names as the three-year-old's parents gently encouraged their suddenly shy son to engage in conversation.
The princess told the couple: "It's amazing how children cope," and added later, "I bet you're desperate to get home?"
Hospital Expansion Plans
Evelina London is broadening its services to keep pace with growing demand, with plans already in motion for a brand new hospital building adjacent to the current site, which is anticipated to open in the early 2030s. A crucial element of Evelina's expansion involves their continuing partnership with cancer specialist hospital The Royal Marsden, alongside the major teaching institution St George's Hospital, to relocate specialist cancer and blood and marrow transplant services for children in south London and southeast England into the future Children's Cancer Principal Treatment Centre, housed in Evelina's new building.
Father's Gratitude
Mr Sharma commented after Kate's visit: "It's absolutely amazing, she was so wonderful, just to take the time to listen to us. She actually took an interest...how we coped as a family, even wishing us well when we get home as a family." The proud father revealed his son "blew her a kiss" and Kate was seen blowing one back, and he commended the treatment his child had received at Evelina, saying: "It's like leaving a family to go back to our own family".
Kate also met a mother and her baby daughter, and spoke with a teenager who had experienced problems with her pacemaker that left her passing out.
Chief Executive Praises Visit
Before departing, Kate held informal conversations with the medical team working on establishing the cancer specialist centre and met parents also providing input. Evelina London's chief executive, Gubby Ayida, remarked after the visit: "She's brilliant with the children, she always lights up the place for the children when they come in. And some of them are quite sick, because we are a specialist hospital, so a day like this is really very special to them."
