The Princess of Wales has visited a research centre looking into child mental health.

Kate has paid a visit to the Anna Freud Centre, a charity she supports as a patron, to mark Mental Health Awareness Week.

It’s a mental health research, training and treatment centre which develops and shares practices to support the mental health of children and families.

She joined a group of secondary school pupils who have just taken part in school activities which explore how they deal with anxiety.

They learned about and practised healthy coping skills and took part in activities to identify practical strategies that can help them when they feel anxious. 

She also met a group of children who helped to design ‘Let’s Talk About Anxiety’, an animation and ‘anxiety toolkit’ created for young people.

The event marks Kate’s second engagement during Mental Health Awareness Week and she greeted dozens of royal fans outside the centre.

She shook hands, posed for pictures, and bent down to speak to youngsters.

There was a small protest outside (Picture: PA)

She met a number of children (Picture: Arthur Edwards)

Kate shook hands with children outside the centre (Picture: PA)

There were also two anti-royal protesters in attendance, holding signs saying ‘#greedy royals’ and ‘”private” billions’, under the watchful eye of at least three police officers.

Earlier this week she joined a team of pupils being supported by Dame Kelly Holmes’s trust at its base in Bath, with the former sports star on the other team.

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The event marks Kate’s second engagement during Mental Health Awareness Week.