Kensington Palace Announces Kate Middleton’s First Outing Since Royal-Duty Hiatus

If you noticed there’s been a lull in Kate Middleton sightings, you’re not alone. But (good news!) the Duchess of Cambridge, 37, is preparing to return to her royal duties.

Kensington Palace just announced that Middleton’s next outing will take place on Friday, November 15, in Framingham Earl, England. The duchess will visit East Anglia’s Children’s Hospices’ new facility, called The Nook, where she’ll attend a reception and then unveil a plaque, commemorating the new building.

The announcement might shock some royal aficionados, since Middleton recently took some time off for her three children, Prince George (6), Princess Charlotte (4) and Prince Louis (1).

However, the timing does make sense, since Middleton’s “break” coincided with the kids’ autumn half-term break, which concluded this week. (FYI: U.K. schools finished on October 18 and then resumed again on October 28.)

Still, we’re not surprised that Middleton is partnering with East Anglia’s Children’s Hospices (EACH). Not only has she been a patron of EACH since 2012, but she also facilitated the launch of the Nook Appeal, which helped raise £10 million (about $12.9 million) for the new facility. The charity specializes in providing care and support to families of children with life-threatening conditions.

Oh, how we’ve missed you, Kate Middleton.