Kate Middleton is elegant as she arrives in Scotland

Kate Middleton showed off her motherly side as she cuddled a baby during storytime at a Glasgow school today as she joined Prince William on a two day whirlwind tour of Scotland. 

The Duchess of Cambridge, 40, cut a stylish figure as she visited St John’s Primary School in Port Glasgow where she and the Duke, 39, took part in a Roots of Empathy session and spoke with students and teachers taking part.

The mother-of-three, who is known for her love of rewearing clothes and high street brands, opted for a £170 baby blue blouse from Cefinn, which she paired with a smart pair of navy trousers and one of her favourite long-line Catherine Walker coats for the occasion.  

The Duchess, who has long had a passion for the Early Years sector, appeared delighted to be cuddling up with the baby involved in the session, having earlier this year confessed she often feels ‘broody’ on royal visits. 

Later, William and Kate visited the Wheatley Group site in Kennishead to see first-hand how they are transforming the lives of disadvantaged or vulnerable people, including those at risk of homelessness, before they are set to travel to University of Glasgow.

The Duchess swept her brunette locks behind her shoulders for the occasion, revealing a pair of pearl drop earrings.

Meanwhile she kept her makeup neutral for the outing, opting for a sweep of blush and a dash of black eyeliner.

Cefinn, which is Samantha Cameron’s fashion label, is not a brand Kate has often worn in the past – however, she is known for her love of championing British designers and the high street. 

Online, the blouse is described as a ‘glamorous-meets-demure’ piece which is ‘chic’ for business-meetings or could be dressed down with a pair of jeans.

The Duke and Duchess were in good spirits as they arrived at the school in Glasgow this morning, where they met with teachers and students.

During their visit to the school, Prince William and Kate viewed a Roots of Empathy session which involved pupils interacting with a mother and her young baby as they learn how to build their understanding of the baby’s needs and emotions. 

The Duke and Duchess then spoke with some of the older students who have completed the programme to hear their reflections and experiences and understand how the sessions have benefitted them. 

Roots of Empathy is an early intervention programme run by Action for Children which has been developed to help children aged 5-13 build empathy. 

The programme uses a unique approach, with a local parent and baby (or ‘Tiny Teacher’) alongside a trained instructor guiding the children to develop empathy. 

Roots of Empathy is an international, evidence and empathy-based programme, which was developed in Canada and operates internationally, in countries including New Zealand, the United States, Norway, Switzerland and Costa Rica. It has been operating in Scotland since 2010. 

It’s not the first time Kate has appeared broody during a royal visit lately.  During a visit to Copenhagen’s Children’s Museum in February, Kate heard about the Understanding Your Baby research project which trains health visitors to help new parents as they begin to notice and interpret their babies’ behavioural cues.

After meeting with two eight-month-old baby boys and their parents, she joked: ‘It makes me very broody.

‘William always worries about me meeting under one-year-olds. I come home saying, ‘let’s have another one’.’

Days later during a visit to Wales, the Duke and Duchess shared a sweet exchange as they met a group of mothers and babies, with Kate, 40, beaming as she rubbed William’s back and told him to ‘look at the lovely babies’. 

After their visit to the school, the royal couple went on to meet with local tenants of Wheatley Homes Glasgow, part of Wheatley Group, who have been supported to maximise their access to employment and mitigate the impact of poverty. 

The Duke and Duchess spoke with young people and families who have benefitted from wider support packages from Wheatley Foundation, also part of Wheatley Group, including education bursaries and a partnership with the Dolly Parton Imagination library.

The pair then traveled to the home of a family who have received support from Wheatley Homes Glasgow and live in one of their new-build houses, before hearing about the difference that support has made and the importance of good-quality, permanent housing.

The final engagement of the day for the royals will see them  visit the University of Glasgow to talk with students about mental health and wellbeing – particularly pertinent during what is exam season at the University.

Taking place during Mental Health Awareness Week, Prince William and Kate will meet students, academics and recent alumni all involved in the topic of mental health and wellbeing.   

Following this, The Duke and Duchess will take the opportunity to step outside the university building and meet with members of the public.

The couple’s trip to Scotland comes after they visited the Caribbean to mark the Queen’s Platinum Jubilee – however the trip has faced controversy and reignited republican calls in Jamaica for independence.

Their intense eight-day long tour around Belize, Jamaica and the Bahamas saw the couple face backlash after encountering tensions in the Caribbean nations.

William’s trip with Kate had been plagued by public relations gaffes and protests about British colonialism, which led to the endeavour being branded ‘tone deaf’ to modern sensibilities.

The scrutiny came to a head when Prince William released an unprecedented end-of-tour statement addressing growing republican sentiment in the three countries – acknowledging it had ‘brought into even sharper focus questions about the past and the future’.

In the wake of the criticism over the ‘colonial-era’ optics of their tour, many called for an end to similar overseas trips by members of the royal family.

Meanwhile the couple have continued gearing up for the Queen’s Jubilee celebrations this summer.

Their children Prince George, Princess Charlotte and Prince Louis are among the monarch’s 10 great-grandchildren who will make a rare public appearance on Sunday evening at the Royal Windsor Horse Show for the occasion.

According to royal editor Roya Nikkhah, writing in The Sunday Times, all of Her Majesty’s UK-based great-grandchildren will take part in the special event at the final performance of ‘Gallop Through History’ during the Royal Windsor Horse Show, on 15th May.

As well as the Cambridges’ children, Savannah and Isla Phillips, Princess Eugenie’s son August Brooksbank, Princess Beatrice’s daughter Sienna Mapelli Mozzi, and Zara Tindall’s children Lena, Lucas and Mia Tindall will take part.

Prince Harry and Meghan’s children Archie and Lilibet will not feature in the show, but it was confirmed last week that the couple will join the Queen’s Platinum Jubilee celebrations in June with their young son and daughter. 

 ‘Gallop Through History’ will bring together 500 horses and more than 1,000 performers over four nights to tell the story of Queen Elizabeth I’s monarchy.

Meanwhile the Queen has also announced she will use her Platinum Jubilee to emphasise national unity, sending members of her family to all four corners of the realm.

The monarch has agreed for senior members of the Royal Family to visit the nations of the United Kingdom over the extended bank holiday weekend in June.

They will be led by the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge, who will visit Wales. Meanwhile the Earl and Countess of Wessex will visit Northern Ireland, while Princess Anne will go to Scotland given her particularly affinity with the country.

Prince Charles and the Duchess of Cornwall will remain in London with the Queen.

There will, of course, be no roles for the Duke and Duchess of Sussex and the Duke of York, both of whom have now stepped down a working royals.

Meanwhile the Queen is expected to limit her appearances at the Platinum Jubilee to the Trooping the Colour – the parade and flypast that kicks off the celebrations on Thursday June 2 – and a service of celebration at St Paul’s Cathedral the next day.

It will be attended by the entire Royal Family including Prince Harry and Meghan Markle, who have been banned from the Buckingham Palace balcony 24 hours earlier. 

However the monarch’s presence is unlikely to be confirmed until the day itself.

The celebrations will begin on Thursday, June 2, with the Queen’s birthday parade, which has marked the official birthday of the British sovereign for 260 years, and will end with the Royal Family on the Buckingham Palace balcony and a spectacular flypast.

Beacons will also be lit through the UK and Commonwealth, with a special ceremony held at Buckingham Palace.

A towering, living sculpture of trees will be lit and projections cast on to the front of Buckingham Palace to highlight the Royal Family’s long history of championing environmental causes.

On Friday, June 3, a service of thanksgiving will be held at St Paul’s Cathedral, which the Queen plans to attend.

Arrangements have been tailored for her comfort, however. There will be no ceremonial journey from the palace, while the 96-year-old monarch, who is facing mobility issues, will use a different entrance so she does not have to scale the steep steps.

On Saturday, June 4, the Queen intends to attend the Epsom Derby, and in the evening attention will turn again to Buckingham Palace for the Platinum Party at the Palace.

Stars of stage, screen and pop and rock will perform in front of a crowd of 22,000 people.

On the final day of celebrations, on Sunday, June 5, 60,000 Big Jubilee Lunches will be held across the country and the Commonwealth – ranging from world record attempts for the longest street party to simple back garden barbecues – to encourage community-led events.

Final decisions on the Queen’s appearances across the weekend are not likely to be announced until the day they are due, Buckingham Palace said.