Why Princess Kate Was Shouted at by Inmates During Prison Visit

Kate Middleton walking through prison gates ducking under an umbrella that is being held by a woman in a blazer making a surprised expression — (Image credit: Getty Images)

Princess Kate's visit to HMP Styal prison on Feb. 11 was intended to showcase the facility's mother and baby unit (MBU) and its connection to her early childhood work—the key focus of her royal initiatives in recent years. However, the royal encountered an unscripted (and slightly awkward) moment as a group of inmates made their voices heard during her tour.

The women's prison, located near Wilmslow, England, is home to a space for new and expecting moms run by Action for Children, and Princess Kate was visiting in her role as patron of the charity. However, according to the Mirror, some prisoners shouted out remarks at the royal as she walked through the facility.

Per the publication, "dozens of women inmates leant out of the windows" to get a look at the princess during her visit. "There was a loud wolf whistle and cat-calls, but also some shouts of: 'We need more funding. Tell them the truth!'" the Mirror reported.

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Despite the comments, the Princess of Wales appeared unfazed, with the publication noting that she "smiled, waved and said hello to other inmates who were leaning through the windows of a portacabin cabin."

Kate Middleton wearing a plaid coat sitting on a sofa and talking to 3 women with toys in the background at a prison mother baby unit — The princess visited the prison's mother and baby unit, run by one of her patronages, Action for Children.

Kate Middleton standing under an umbrella being held by a woman in a checked dress walking outside a prison and talking to three ladies — The royal spoke with prison staff about its programs for mothers and children as she toured the facility.

The Princess of Wales—who repeated the same Blazé Milano coat she wore for a hospital visit in January for the event—met with current and former inmates along with some of their children during her time at the prison.

According to Kensington Palace, women supported by the Action for Children MBU are separated from other inmates and are given the tools to care for their babies by trained prison staff as well as early years and family support practitioners.

Princess Kate's work with the The Royal Foundation Centre for Early Childhood has been focused on raising awareness of the importance of childhood development before the age of five. In keeping with that notion, the aim of the prison's MBU is to establish and maintain a strong bond between mother and child in that critical time period.

Tuesday's engagement will likely be the last time royal fans see the princess for a short while, as Prince George, Princess Charlotte and Prince Louis begin their half-term break this weekend. Due to the school holiday, Prince William and Princess Kate will not be attending this Sunday's BAFTA ceremony in London, despite the event being predicted as Kate's big red carpet return.

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Kristin Contino is Marie Claire's Senior Royal and Celebrity editor. She's been covering royalty since 2018—including major moments such as the Platinum Jubilee, Queen Elizabeth II’s death and King Charles III's coronation—and places a particular focus on the British Royal Family's style and what it means.

Prior to working at Marie Claire, she wrote about celebrity and royal fashion at Page Six Style and covered royalty from around the world as chief reporter at Royal Central. Kristin has provided expert commentary for outlets including the BBC, Sky News, US Weekly, the Today Show and many others.

Kristin is also the published author of two novels, “The Legacy of Us” and “A House Full of Windsor.” She's passionate about travel, history, horses, and learning everything she can about her favorite city in the world, London.