The Princess of Wales joins men at Maidenhead Rugby Club to talk about the importance of early childhood

During her visit, The Princess joined in rugby drills on the pitch with a number of local and professional players. Her Royal Highness then head inside the clubhouse for a conversation around early childhood experiences, fatherhood, and the impact that settings such as local sports clubs can have in creating a network of support around those who are helping to raise children. The Princess was joined by Shaping Us champion, Ugo Monye, former England rugby professional and father of two.

Other participants in the conversation included professional rugby players alongside representatives from Maidenhead RFC and Si Trower, the founder of the mental health charity Brave Mind. Brave Mind works with rugby clubs, universities and schools to provide a national platform to help rugby clubs and schools to improve their approach to supporting mental health in their community.

For many years, The Princess has worked to raise awareness of the critical importance of early childhood and in January 2023, with The Royal Foundation Centre for Early Childhood, launched Shaping Us, a long-term campaign.

The Shaping Us campaign aims to transform the issue of early childhood from one of scientific interest to one of the most strategically important topics of our time. The campaign also highlights that, by focusing our collective time, energy, and resources to build a supportive, nurturing world around all children and those caring for them, we can make a huge difference to the physical and mental health and happiness of generations to come.