Kate Middleton Launches New Foundation (While Sporting Jewelry That Honors Her 3 Kids)

We knew that Kate Middleton doesn't shy away from philanthropy, but now the Duchess of Cambridge has got a brand-new venture under her sleeve.

The duchess is launching the Royal Foundation Centre for Early Childhood, an organization that is “Working to change the way we think and act on the early years so that together we can build a happier, healthier, more nurturing world.”

The announcement was shared in a video on the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge's official Instagram account. In the clip, Middleton says, “My own journey into understanding the importance of early childhood actually started with adults, and not with children. It was about prevention. I wanted to understand what more we could do to help prevent some of today's toughest social challenges, and what more we could do to help with the rising rates of poor mental health. I've spoken to psychiatrists and neuroscientists, to practitioners and academics and parents alike. And what has become clear is that the best investment for our future health and happiness is in the first five years of life.”

While Middleton offered a powerful message, E! News was quick to point out that during the video, the duchess was seen sporting a gold necklace that she's worn previously, which is engraved with the initials of her three children. (Quite the fitting accessory to wear for her latest philanthropic effort).

During the rest of the video, the duchess explained, “And that is why today, I am launching the Royal Foundation Centre for Early Childhood. Working closely with others, the centre hopes to raise awareness of why the first five years of life are just so important for our future life outcomes, and what we can do as a society to embrace this golden opportunity to create a happier, more mentally healthy, more nurturing society. By working together, my hope is that we can change the way we think about early childhood and transform lives for generations to come. Because I truly believe big change starts small.”

The foundation was promoted in a series of posts, including a slideshow report that explained the meaning behind the charitable effort. The report was shared with a caption that said: “We’re aiming to change the way people think about early childhood, and this report is our first step. I hope this report inspires you to join this journey. It won’t be easy — transformation never is — but big change starts small.”