Kate Middleton pays surprise visit to Fakenham Garden Centre in Norfolk

The Duchess of Cambridge undertook her first solo public in-person engagement to Fakenham Garden Centre, near her Anmer Hall home in Norfolk on Thursday. The 38-year-old royal dropped in to show her support for local businesses. She shopped for seeds and plants for her family. She revealed to the owners Martin and Jennie Turner that her children love visiting garden centres.

"They love it. It's such a great space for children and families to come to garden centres," said the Duchess of Cambridge. She added that her children Prince George, Princess Charlotte and Prince Louis love playing with Venus fly trap plants and that he and his siblings have been growing tomato plants at home. "They were very excited to grow them from seeds and now they're as tall as them," she added.

"I've been food shopping, but I have to say I haven't been out a huge amount more but it's good and so important, now as things start to ease, people know they can go out and particularly to places like this," said keen gardener Kate. The royal is encouraging people to visit local businesses as they start to reopen.

"When we do our food shopping we notice that everyone keeps their head down and it's hard for that social interaction," she said she and Prince William found the social effects of the pandemic unsettling.

The duchess said that spending time indoors has got conversations going about food, volunteering, and mental health. "So yes, they've been in lockdown but loads of families have been out on walks, more than they would do, outside," Kate added.

She wanted to know how the family-run, independent garden centre had been affected by the COVID-19 outbreak. Martin told her they had had to furlough 15 out of 50 staff members, while four of five had to leave. The business was closed for seven weeks until May 15.

"This has been the most challenging thing we've ever experienced," he said adding that customers want to buy more plants. "There's been a massive upsurge as people have been spending so much time outdoors and in their gardens," asked the duchess.

Kate said she faced difficulties in getting tomato seeds for her children to grow because everyone wanted to grow tomato plants. The duchess opted for a casual look in brown jeans, a padded hunting waistcoat, Superga khaki trainers and her green onyx Siren earrings by Monica Vinader. She talked to the staff and also a few customers. Kate, William and their children have been living at her country home since March.