Beige is the new black: Kate Middleton visits women's prison to meet inmates battling substance abuse

She has a squeaky clean record but on 25 September Kate Middleton spent time behind bars with 282 prisoners. Days after Prince Harry and Prince Williams got their hands dirty by helping BBC show DIY SOS to turn a derelict street into homes for veterans, the Duchess of Cambridge has met inmates in a women's prison.

The mother-of-two visited HMP Send in Woking, Surrey with the Rehabilitation of Addicted Prisoners Trust (RAPt) to learn how the charity is helping some of its inmates overcome drug and alcohol addiction.

Ahead of her visit, Kensington Palace released a statement saying that the 33-year-old royal was keen to hear first-hand the stories of women that the scheme had helped. "The visit reflects the Duchess' interest in learning how organisations support people living with substance misuse issues, and the impact of addiction within the wider family network," a rep said.

"As patron of addiction charity, Action on Addiction, she is aware that addictions lie at the heart of so many social issues and the destructive role that substance misuse plays in vulnerable people's and communities' lives."

She is said to have spent time with prisoners, to learn more about the root causes of addiction and what can be done to combat the destructive effect on individuals and communities.

For the outing, which marks her second official engagement since taking a brief maternity leave following the birth of her second child, Princess Charlotte, the fashionista chose a chic £365 ivory and grey-specked long sleeved dress that featured peplum detailing around the waist by London-based label The Fold. She completed the ensemble with grey suede pumps and a matching grey clutch bag. Her brunette tresses were partially pinned back having recently been cut into long bangs and dyed a darker hue.

"I was reminded today how addictions lie at the heart of so many social issues and how substance misuse can play such a destructive role in vulnerable people's lives," she later said. " I saw again today that a failure to intervene early in life to tackle mental health problems and other challenges can have profound consequences for people throughout their lives."

Earlier in September, went to the Anna Freud Centre in London for her first official solo engagement to check in with the charity which is working to lead a step change in children's and young people's mental health care, as she continues her campaign to raise awareness about children suffering mental health problems and other difficulties.