Kate covers head with a scarf as she and William praise earthquake volunteers
The Princess of Wales covered her head with a scarf as she and Prince William visited a community centre to thank those helping survivors of devastating earthquakes in Turkey and Syria.
The couple met volunteers at the Hayes Muslim Centre in west London, where members helped raise more than £30,000 through bucket collections and other donations in the aftermath of the natural disaster.
They also heard harrowing stories from aid workers, recently returned from the disaster zone, who described desperate scenes of rescuers trying to free trapped people with just hammers.
Kate was snapped arriving at the centre wearing the scarf by Elan along with a black Alexander McQueen pleated dress and a grey coat. It is believed the scarf is part of a set made for Kate that she wore on her and William's tour of Pakistan in 2019.
William and Kate met volunteers at the centre (Tayfun Salci / Avalon)
The couple thanked those supporting people who have been left devastated by earthquakes in Turkey and Syria (Tayfun Salci / Avalon)Their visit to the centre comes as the British public has helped the Disasters Emergency Committee (DEC) Turkey-Syria Earthquake Appeal raise £121 million, which has included donations from King Charles and the Queen Consort and William and Kate.
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The prince and princess also met representatives from DEC member charities, including aid workers who have recently returned from the crisis zone in Turkey.
Staff from Save the Children, Islamic Relief, Action Against Hunger, Age International and the British Red Cross shared the latest on the situation and the impact incoming aid is having on communities across the region.
Iman Sufyan Iqbal (right) welcomes William and Kate as they arrive at the Hayes Muslim Centre (PA)In a lighter moment, the couple joined two schoolgirls who made hundreds of origami cranes to raise funds for the appeal – and guided the royals as they created the birds from paper.
Kate said: "It’s sad that there’s a need to do funding – it’s amazing there are communities like this here raising (funds)."
Before leaving, the couple also met other communities who have made considerable efforts to fundraise as part of the appeal.
The couple meet meet Jess Jorden, aged six, 6 with Inma Lopez from the Red Cross (third right) and Jess's mum Esther (PA)
The couple met representatives from DEC member charities (PA)These include the Turkish Women’s Association, an organisation based in Richmond which partnered with a local community and a number of schools to raise more than £10,000.
William and Kate's outing today comes after it emerged they declined an invitation to attend the California christening of Prince Harry and Meghan Markle's daughter Princess Lilibet.
Kate makes paper cranes with 14-year-old Dila Kaya (PA)Last week, Prince Harry and Meghan Markle had Lilibet christened at their Montecito home, using the occasion to officially start calling the one-year-old ‘Princess’. The couple has also now begun calling their son Prince.
American sources claimed Queen Camilla and Kate were invited to the service along with the King and William.
Buckingham Palace declined to confirm today, saying it was a private family matter.
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An insider told the Mirror: "To have the two most senior royals and their wives fly to the States for Lilibet's christening would have been a massive operation both in terms of security and planning.
"Under the cardinal rule for royal travel, Charles and William cannot fly together so it would have needed at least two flights to have them attend.
"Although relations between the Sussexes and their family are at rock bottom, the royals have always maintained the children should not suffer."
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