Princess of Wales Makes Surprise Visit to Norfolk Café and Charity Shop
The Princess of Wales made an unexpected visit to Café 98 in Hoveton, Norfolk, on Thursday 22 October 2026. The Royal Household's official record of engagements, the Court Circular, lists the visit under her role as patron of East Anglia's Children's Hospices (EACH). A patron is a figurehead who lends a name and support to a charity, without running it day to day.
Café 98 sits at 114 Station Road, Hoveton. It is the only café that EACH runs, and it also operates as a charity shop, where donated goods are sold to raise money for the charity's work with children and families. Hello! Magazine reported that Catherine helped sort donations with volunteers in the shop.
Hello! also reported a short exchange in the shop. A woman showed her a box holding a pair of mugs she had bought. Hello! Magazine said Catherine responded, "You never know what you're actually going to find," and told the group that she loved going around charity shops.
Separately, Geo TV reported that more than 100 people gathered during the surprise visit. The same Hello! report said Catherine told a visitor she was missing her eldest son, Prince George, who is studying at Eton College.
The visit was not the only stop that day. Catherine also went to The Treehouse, a children's hospice in Ipswich, Suffolk. She first opened The Treehouse in 2012, and the hospice cares for children with life-limiting conditions and their families.
The Court Circular lists engagements made by members of the Royal Family in their official roles. It is published by the Royal Household, the staff who support the monarch and senior members of the family.
