On November 18, 2025, the City of London’s skyline provided a striking backdrop for a momentous return: Catherine, Princess of Wales, delivered her first public speech in two years at the Future Workforce Summit, held in the Salesforce Tower. The occasion marked not only her reemergence into public life following a cancer diagnosis and subsequent treatment—first revealed in March 2024—but also a powerful call to action for Britain’s business leaders, urging them to rethink the values that shape their workplaces and, ultimately, society itself.
Addressing an audience of 80 top executives from companies like Aviva, NatWest Group, Iceland, Ikea, Lego, and Deloitte, Catherine’s message was clear: “I believe in restoring the dignity to the quiet, often invisible work of caring, of loving well, as we look to build a happier, healthier society.” According to BBC, this statement encapsulated her central argument—that the foundational work of carers, parents, and guardians is too often overlooked, yet essential for a thriving community.
The summit itself was no ordinary business gathering. Organized by The Royal Foundation Centre for Early Childhood, which Catherine established before her illness, the event was part of her broader campaign to spotlight the crucial role of early childhood development. The Princess’s speech, her first since November 2023 and her diagnosis, was delivered with poise and conviction—a fact not lost on the assembled business leaders, many of whom have already joined her mission to champion the social and emotional development of children and families.
Setting the tone for the day, the event opened with a poem read by Alex Wharton, former children’s laureate for Wales. This creative touch reflected Catherine’s belief in the power of tenderness and the arts to inspire change. As she spoke, Catherine emphasized, “The love we feel in our earliest years fundamentally shapes who we become and how we thrive as adults.” This, she explained, is the “weave of love”—an invisible thread of time, attention, and tenderness that forms the fabric of a child’s emotional world, fostering resilience and a sense of belonging.
But Catherine’s message extended beyond the home. She challenged business leaders to view their organizations as part of a broader ecosystem, one that can either support or undermine the wellbeing of employees and their families. “Imagine a world where each of these environments were built on valuing time and tenderness just as much as productivity and success,” she urged, according to El Balad. The Princess argued that profitability and positive social impact should not be seen as incompatible goals. “As business leaders you will face the daily challenge of finding the balance between profitability and having a positive impact. But the two are not, and should not be incompatible,” she said.
This call for a more humane and balanced workplace was echoed by other speakers at the summit. Robert Waldinger, a psychiatrist at Harvard Medical School, drew on decades of research to highlight the long-term benefits of nurturing relationships in childhood. He explained that individuals who experience warmth and security early in life are more likely to enjoy emotional stability well into old age. Waldinger’s findings, reported by BBC and El Balad, reinforced Catherine’s argument that investments in early childhood pay dividends across a lifetime.
Adding another layer to the conversation, former England football manager Sir Gareth Southgate addressed the summit with characteristic candor. Reflecting on his own experiences in sport, Southgate noted that players from challenging family backgrounds often struggle with trust and motivation—a pattern he’s observed repeatedly throughout his coaching career. “Coaches carried out personality profiles on the players to understand the way they were wired,” he explained, emphasizing the importance of recognizing and supporting individual needs. Southgate also shared personal strategies for coping with stress, such as “sleep, good nutrition and limiting alcohol,” and recounted his own journey of rebuilding confidence after missing a penalty in the Euro 96 semi-final, watched by millions. “It meant slowly taking small steps to recover your confidence,” he said, underlining the universal need for environments where people can “feel comfortable in your own skin.”
For Catherine, the summit was more than just a return to the spotlight—it was a reaffirmation of her ongoing mission. Since founding the Early Childhood business taskforce in March 2023, she has brought together key players from the corporate world to champion the cause of nurturing children’s social and emotional development. According to The Mirror, the work of organizations in this taskforce has already reached more than half a million babies and young children. Companies like IKEA have partnered with local baby banks, launching product lines that raise funds for the Baby Bank Alliance and ensure families have the essentials they need.
Throughout her address, Catherine returned to the theme of dignity—not just for children, but for those who care for them. “Every child deserves respect and safety, and everyone who cares deserves recognition and appreciation. Every act of care creates community because we are all essentially weavers of the same fabric,” she declared. Her words resonated with many in the audience, who have witnessed first-hand the pressures faced by working parents and the often-invisible labor of caregiving.
The Princess’s advocacy is rooted in personal conviction as well as public service. Her passion, she explained, “stems from one essential truth; that the love we feel in our earliest years fundamentally shapes who we become and how we thrive as adults.” She urged business leaders to see beyond the bottom line, to recognize that their choices—whether in policy, culture, or everyday interactions—can help create the conditions for love to flourish. “That is how we invest in our future,” she said.
As the summit drew to a close, the message was unmistakable. Catherine’s return was not just symbolic; it was a rallying cry for a society that places equal value on kindness, care, and commercial success. With business heavyweights now backing her vision, there’s hope her campaign will inspire lasting change, weaving dignity and tenderness into the very fabric of British life and work.
For Catherine, the Princess of Wales, the road back to public life has been hard-won. But if her speech at the Future Workforce Summit is any indication, she’s determined to use her platform to champion those who too often go unseen, and to remind us all that, in the end, love is the most essential bond.
