Princess of Wales Tours Ipswich Children's Hospice Building Site in Hard Hat
The Princess of Wales pulled on a hard hat and an orange high-visibility jacket this week to tour a building site at The Treehouse, a children's hospice in Ipswich, England.
A hospice is a care home for children with serious illnesses that may shorten their lives. Families use them for medical care, emotional support and short breaks. The Treehouse is run by the charity East Anglia's Children's Hospices, known as EACH.
The princess, who is Catherine, Princess of Wales, went to see construction of a new hydrotherapy pool and other expanded facilities. Hydrotherapy is exercise in warm water, often used by children who have trouble moving on land. EACH says the new pool and suite will be far bigger than the current facility. The work is expected to be finished in spring 2028, according to the Daily Express.
She also wanted to learn what families with seriously ill children need from services like these. For the tour, she wore a Victoria Beckham outfit under protective clothing, as Town & Country reported.
The visit has a history. In March 2012, she officially opened The Treehouse, and that day's speech was her first as a royal. Her title at the time was the Duchess of Cambridge. She called the hospice a home from home and a lifeline for families, in remarks the palace published that year. EACH was also one of the first charities she took on as patron, an official role in which a public figure lends her name and attention to a cause.
The Treehouse keeps busy between royal visits. In October 2026, EACH held its first Treehouse Hoedown, a Wild West-themed family event. Its annual Family Winter Wonderland is a yearly celebration in the hospice gardens. The December 2025 edition drew more than 200 family members, who enjoyed live music, crafts and a visit to Santa's grotto.
For the families who use the hospice, the new pool and rooms will mean more space for therapy and more room for the whole household. The building is still years from finished, and the crews are still working. For now, the hard hats are doing their job.
