On September 4, 2025, the Prince and Princess of Wales made a much-anticipated return to public duties, stepping out together at London’s Natural History Museum for their first joint official engagement since their summer break. The visit, which drew both royal watchers and environmentalists, marked a symbolic start to autumn for the British royal family—and brought with it a flurry of interest, not just for the cause at hand, but for Catherine’s striking new look.
With the museum’s director Doug Gurr on hand to greet them, William and Kate arrived at one of London’s most beloved institutions, ready to learn about and champion the museum’s newly transformed gardens. These gardens, opened in 2024, are more than just a patch of green in the city—they are a living laboratory, featuring grassland, wetland, and woodland habitats where scientists and visitors alike can identify and monitor urban wildlife. According to BBC, since their opening, the gardens have welcomed more than five million visitors, offering a rare urban escape and a hands-on resource for teaching and research.
Kate, who serves as the museum’s patron, was all smiles as she debuted a noticeably blonder hairstyle—a change that set social media abuzz. Speculation about the new look had started in August, when a blurry photo surfaced of her on the way to church. As reported by the Daily Mail, some stylists attributed the lighter hair to natural sun exposure during the family’s summer holiday in Greece, with celebrity hairstylist Adem Oygur noting, “The Princess of Wales and her family are reported to have spent part of the summer holidaying in Europe, where long days in the sun and sea naturally lift and brighten hair colour. Combined with the UK’s unusually warm summer, it’s easy to imagine that her lighter tones could be the result of a natural sun-kissed effect rather than a deliberate change.”
Fashion, too, was in the spotlight. For the occasion, Kate wore a tweed Ralph Lauren blazer paired with straight-leg pants, Pretty Ballerina suede loafers, Kiki McDonough topaz earrings, and a Daniella Draper necklace—a more autumnal and formal look than her last visit to the museum in 2021, when she opted for jeans and a pink Chloé blazer. William, meanwhile, kept it classic in a black blazer and light blue shirt. Both looked relaxed and refreshed after their time away from the public eye.
Their return to official duties coincided with the new school term for their three children—George, Charlotte, and Louis—who all attend Lambrook School near Ascot in Berkshire. The family was last seen in public in late August, driving to church near Balmoral Castle in Aberdeenshire, a customary end-of-summer tradition for the royals. According to Town & Country, Kate’s most recent official engagement prior to this was the Wimbledon men’s finals, while William attended the Women’s Euros finals with Princess Charlotte at the end of July.
The day’s engagement was not without its challenges: as the couple toured the gardens with a group of schoolchildren from South London, the skies opened up and a sudden downpour forced everyone to rush inside. Ever the caring figure, Kate was seen holding an umbrella over some of the children, telling teachers, “Let them go in, let’s take them inside, it’s pouring.” Dr. John Tweddle, head of the Centre for UK Nature at the museum, explained to BBC, “The programme order was adapted due to the capital’s current spell of temperamental weather. But the Prince and Princess still had plenty of time with the young people they had come to see.”
Despite the rain, the royal couple’s focus remained firmly on the museum’s mission. They met with children participating in the National Education Nature Park programme, which aims to connect young people with nature and foster environmental innovation—a cause close to both William and Kate’s hearts. Kensington Palace emphasized, “The themes of environmental innovation and connecting young people to nature are close to Their Royal Highnesses’ hearts,” and added that both “are passionate about the power of spending time in nature.”
Kate’s advocacy for children’s connection to nature is well documented. In 2019, she helped design the Back to Nature play garden, which was exhibited at the Chelsea Flower Show. Earlier this year, she lent her voice to a series of social media videos celebrating the seasons, urging society to “reconnect to nature and celebrate a new dawn within our hearts.” Her commitment to the cause was evident as she engaged with the children, even braving the rain to ensure their comfort.
The gardens themselves are a testament to the museum’s commitment to urban biodiversity. As reported by BBC and Town & Country, the outdoor spaces serve not only as a recreational resource but also as a hub for scientific research, where cutting-edge technology is being used to monitor wildlife and inform conservation efforts. The living laboratory concept allows both visitors and scientists to observe firsthand the diversity of life that can thrive in the heart of a bustling city.
The royal couple’s environmental interests extend beyond the museum. They are deeply involved in initiatives such as The Earthshot Prize, which William will celebrate with a visit to Brazil later this autumn for its fifth anniversary. Their leadership in projects like the ‘Mother Nature’ initiative and the Back to Nature garden underscores a long-standing commitment to promoting sustainability and biodiversity in the UK and beyond.
The visit also comes after a challenging period for the family. In August, BBC reported that the Waleses plan to move from Adelaide Cottage, where they have lived since 2022, to the eight-bedroom Forest Lodge in Windsor Great Park, following 18 months during which Kate has been privately dealing with a cancer diagnosis. Despite these personal challenges, the Princess’s public return was marked by warmth, resilience, and renewed dedication to her patronages.
September 4 was a busy day for the wider royal family as well, with the Duke of Edinburgh visiting Leicester and the Princess Royal making appearances in Warwickshire. Yet it was William and Kate’s engagement at the Natural History Museum that captured public attention—offering a glimpse of both renewed royal energy and the enduring power of nature to inspire and unite.
As the rain-soaked gardens gave way to laughter and learning indoors, the Prince and Princess of Wales demonstrated once again why their advocacy for the environment—and for the next generation—remains at the heart of their public service.
