Kate Middleton To Raise Awareness On Children's Mental Health With 'CBeebies Bedtime Stories' Appearance

KEY POINTS

Kate Middleton will read a bedtime story on a children's TV show
Dolly Parton and Ed Sheeran previously appeared on the same show
Children's Mental Health Week will be held from Feb. 7 to 13 in the U.K.

Kate Middleton is making a surprise appearance on TV to mark the Children’s Mental Health Week. On Feb. 13, the Duchess of Cambridge will read a bedtime story on a special episode of “CBeebies Bedtime Stories.”

With her appearance, the Duchess of Cambridge will be joining a long list of big names that have appeared on the popular British children’s program to read bedtime stories each week. Dolly Parton, Reese Witherspoon, Ed Sheeran, Tom Hardy, Ryan Reynolds, and “Bridgerton” star Rege-Jean Page, are some of the celebrities who previously appeared as guests on the show, according to People.

For her appearance, Middleton, who has a habit of reading bedtime stories to her own three children—Prince George, Princess Charlotte, and Prince Louis—will delight young viewers with her narration of Jill Tomlinson’s “The Owl Who Was Afraid of the Dark.”

The classic tale tells the story of a baby barn owl named Plop, who is scared of the dark but eventually learns to gain confidence.

“I couldn’t be more proud to have The Duchess read a CBeebies Bedtime Story as we mark the 20^th anniversary of our CBeebies and CBBC channels,” said Patricia Hidalgo, Director of BBC Children’s and Education. “It’s such a special and relevant tale and perfectly represents this year’s Children’s Mental Health Week theme. I can’t wait to see her deliver her own take on such a classic story and I’m sure our audience can’t either.”

The Duchess, alongside her husband Prince William, has long been an advocate for mental health. Her patron organization, Place2Be, provides mental health support in schools through one-on-one sessions and group counseling.

Children's Mental Health Week is observed annually and aims to highlight the importance of children’s mental health. It was launched in 2015 by the charity Place2Be and has since been observed every year.

This year’s theme "Growing Together" and aims to encourage both children and adults to consider how they have grown emotionally and how they can help others do the same. It will be observed from Feb. 7 to 13.